Justin Jones faces possible fines from Nevada State Bar | Politics and Government

Trouble with the Blue Diamond Hill housing project continues for Clark County Commissioner Justin Jones, who could face suspension or disbarment from the Nevada State Bar.

The administrative case is related to a years-long legal battle between Clark County and Gypsum Resources LLC. It was settled out of court in June for $80 million in favor of the developer.

The regulator launched disciplinary proceedings against Jones, accusing him of deleting text messages. lie about itand striking a side deal with Clark County Commission Chairman Steve Sisolak, who was running for governor at the time of Jones’ alleged misconduct.

At a hearing Thursday, Jones’ attorneys and the bar agreed to consolidate the two complaints.

A formal multi-day hearing into the complaints will be held March 11-13 to determine whether the bar will take disciplinary action against Jones.

“We believe his conduct was intentional and he did it knowingly,” Chief Bar Counsel Daniel Hooge told the Review-Journal. “And we believe the injury was serious: It ultimately cost Clark County $80 million.”

Jones declined to comment. He and Sisolak have denied wrongdoing.

The June settlement avoided an estimated $2 billion in lost tax dollars if the case continued. Permission was given to the project of 3 thousand 500 houses to go forward with some limitations.

The bar stepped in That’s after U.S. Magistrate Judge Elayna Youchah sanctioned Jones last year for allegedly deleting text messages before a key 2019 vote that delayed the controversial housing project that would overlook Red Rock Canyon.

The baron’s complaint alleges that Jones’ actions constituted misconduct, accusing him of deliberately deleting messages that could be used as evidence in legal proceedings and then lying about them.

“(Jones) engaged in conduct that involved dishonesty, fraud, deception, misrepresentation or was prejudicial to the course of justice by deliberately destroying evidence and then lying by negligence in destroying it,” he said.

Jones’ action was an “intentional act,” Youchah wrote in his order.

He declined to refer Jones to the bar for misconduct but said they could file a complaint with developer Jim Rhodes’ lawyers.

‘The agreement is against the law’

Before becoming a candidate for the commission, Jones was an attorney representing the conservation group Save Red Rock, which opposed Rhodes’ proposed project.

Jones filed a lawsuit on behalf of the group and ran his 2018 campaign for a commission seat aimed at stopping the development, according to court documents.

He then reached out to Sisolak and asked him to oppose the project in exchange for approval from the conservation group for his gubernatorial campaign, the court said.

When Jones couldn’t reach Sisolak’s campaign, he wrote in an email: “I’m doing my part. “If Sisolak doesn’t want to play, it’s going to blow up in his face tomorrow.”

Shortly thereafter, Sisolak postponed the commission vote until two new commissioners, including Jones, were in place.

Save Red Rock dismissed the lawsuit and endorsed the future governor.

“Mr. He admitted he did it. I wanted him to do it,” Youchah wrote.

The second complaint, filed Oct. 31 from the state bar, alleges Jones “criminally acted” by trying to offer Sisolak a reward to influence proceedings before the County Commission, according to the complaint.

According to the complaint, “Defendant’s request for the Settlement to Commissioner Sisolak was made secretly by the Defendant out of an obligation to conceal both the illegal nature of the Settlement and the prejudice it posed to Gypsum.”

If the state bar can prove Jones’ alleged professional misconduct was intentional and caused serious injury in Clark County, then he could face disbarment, Hooge said.

Contact Katelyn Newberg at [email protected] or 702-383-0240. Contact Ricardo Torres-Cortez at [email protected].