Scam-PAC Launches “Saving Private Edwards” Hit Piece

(Annie Black) – A new mailer in support of my opponent, Assemblyman Chris Edwards, is hitting mailboxes today.  It’s “Paid and Authorized by Problem Solvers PAC.”

Lots to unwrap here…

First, the Problem Solvers PAC was created out of thin air on May 25, 2020 – just four days ago – and has filed no campaign finance reports.

It’s what’s called a “scam-PAC” – and it’s an old trick by professional politicians and their consultants.

Such scam-PACs are a legal form of “money-laundering” created by legislators to hide the source behind last-minute hit pieces until AFTER the election is over – when it’s too late for voters to know who funded it.

This is exactly why one of my policy reform proposals is “a requirement that all campaign donations of $500 or more be reported online within 72 hours of receipt.”

In the meantime, the only thing we know about this scam-PAC is that a guy named Charles Gallagher is the “registered agent” behind it.

For those who aren’t “insiders,” Gallagher is a longtime political operative hired by the Republican establishment in Carson City.

Until striking out on his own last year, Gallagher worked for a political consulting firm whose CEO is … wait for it … former Sen. “Tax Hike Mike” Roberson, the RINO (Republican in Name Only) who shoved the largest tax hike in Nevada history through the state Senate in 2015.

Birds of a tax-hiking feather stick together!

As for the mailer itself, it tries to excuse Edwards for “wearing a wire” on his conservative colleagues back during that 2015 session.

In what I guess is supposed to be a clever headline, the mailer refers to what the PAC calls “the Annie BLACK-HEARTED Lies.”

“Black-Hearted.”  Get it?  How cute.

The mailer says I falsely claimed that Edwards “made up the bribery allegations” and that “the investigation uncovered no wrongdoing.”

This is another old trick by professional politicians and their consultants.  They cherry-pick their quotes and try to “spin” you.

My exact quote was: “Assemblyman Chris Edwards ‘wore a wire’ hoping to entrap his conservative colleagues during the 2015 session.”  Which is 100% true.

In fact, on my website I quote FIVE of Edwards former colleagues who confirm Edwards wore a wire on them and had their phones tapped.

So it’s not me accusing him of being a “rat.”  It’s the victims themselves who were falsely accused by Edwards.

In addition, I never wrote that “the investigation uncovered no wrongdoing.”  I quoted former Assemblyman Brent Jones who wrote that “Metro concluded their investigation and no charges were ever brought against any legislators.”

Which is 100% true.

No charges were ever brought against any of legislators who Edwards had wire-tapped.  As attorney David Otto told the Las Vegas Review-Journal in an interview…

“Mr. Edwards is attempting to smear these people only for his political benefit.  He’s the dishonest character in this matter and what he’s doing is as wrong as two left shoes.”

But nice try, Mr. Gallagher.

The mailer’s closing line, laughably, reads: “CHRIS EDWARDS IS THE ONLY LEADER WE CAN TRUST FOR ASSEMBLY DISTRICT 19.”

Oh, please.

Can anyone trust a guy who secretly wears a wire, taps the phones of his conservative colleagues and falsely accuses them of trying to “extort” him?  I sure don’t.

And none of this changes the reality that Edwards was the swing vote that put the liberal Republicans in charge of the Assembly in 2015 – which resulted in Nevadans getting socked with the largest tax hike in state history.

Edwards owns that!

Look, I understand the panic in the Edwards’ camp.  And I understand the panic within the GOP establishment that’s afraid of losing one of their own.  The LAST thing they want is Annie Black going to Carson City.

That’s why they created this last-minute scam-PAC and are hiding their “Saving Private Edwards” hit pieces behind it.  They’re using every cheap trick in the book.

And unless you stand up, say enough is enough, and vote this guy Edwards out…they might just get away with it.

VOTE Annie Black!

QUOTES OF THE DAY

“I am not like Edwards, a sneaky politician with no morals. … It’s time for Edwards to come out of the closet and let voters really know who he is. Annie Black needs to replace him in the Legislature, and Chris Edwards needs to crawl back into whatever hole will take him.” – Former conservative Republican Assemblywoman Shelly Shelton

“Chris Edwards also offered to sell me his vote for Speaker for $10,000. He did this while we were in his car. Chris Edwards is a RAT and should be dealt with like a RAT.” – Former conservative Republican Assemblyman John Moore

“Chris double-crossed everyone. He talked like a conservative when he ran, but drank the Kool-Aid and went rogue as soon as he was elected. Making false allegations is what he does.  If he told you the sky was blue and grass was green, you better get a second opinion.” – Former conservative Republican Assemblyman Victoria Seaman

“Chris would break his word over and over. Would say, promote or agree to one position during caucus meetings and vote a different way on the floor.  He was a total disgrace and sell out.” – Former conservative Republican Assemblyman Brent Jones

“After we learned Chris had been secretly recording our conversations, nobody trusted him. … I wouldn’t trust that guy to walk my dog or fold my laundry.” – Former conservative Republican Assemblywoman Michele Fiore

Annie Black is a Mesquite City Councilwoman and Republican candidate for Nevada State Assembly District 19.  You can get more information by visiting www.electannieblack.com