Amidst Nevada’s political landscape, a contentious issue has resurfaced as the wife of Gov. Joe Lombardo’s campaign manager, Joe Weaver, was revealed to have participated in the January 6, 2021, rally preceding the U.S. Capitol riot.
Gov. Joe Lombardo faces mounting scrutiny for his silence on former President Donald Trump’s blanket pardon of those involved in the Capitol insurrection, raising questions about his tough-on-crime stance in his reelection campaign.
Joe Weaver, a seasoned Republican strategist and owner of JW Political LLC, oversees Lombardo’s campaign. His wife, Courtney Holland, was reported by CNN to have attended the “Stop the Steal” rally, which protested the certification of Joe Biden’s presidency.
The rally began at the Ellipse near the White House, where Trump alleged election fraud. Following his speech, attendees moved toward the Capitol. Holland, also a Republican strategist, was set to speak at the rally’s second location but did not due to escalating violence.
CNN reported that Holland shared a now-deleted photo of herself marching with the Oath Keepers, a far-right extremist group implicated in the Capitol attack. While there is no evidence of her entering the Capitol or facing charges, Holland stated to CNN she anticipated a peaceful event and believed those around her were “event security.”
Despite her stated expectations, Holland maintained a pro-Trump stance post-attack, expressing on social media that she was “not giving up on fighting for Trump.” A year later, she described January 6 as a “solemn day,” denying it was an insurrection and accusing Democrats of exploiting the event.
Gov. Lombardo’s campaign, which champions law enforcement, has been questioned due to his connections with Holland and his stance on the pardons, potentially indicating a leniency towards the Capitol violence. The attack included brutal assaults on officers, with incidents like Officer Michael Fanone being stunned and Officer Brian Sicknick, who later died, being pepper-sprayed.
Adding to the controversy, Lombardo’s record on law enforcement faces challenges. After vetoing a pay raise, state police vacancies rose, affecting patrol coverage in Reno and Las Vegas. During his tenure as Clark County sheriff, Las Vegas experienced significant violence, with officer-involved shootings more than doubling in 2016 and 2017.
As Lombardo seeks reelection, he is set to face Democratic contender, state Attorney General Aaron Ford, in what promises to be a highly competitive race.
