In case you missed it…

John Tsarpalas

Transparency

Has Incline Village’s often-criticized local government — the Incline Village General Improvement District, or “IVGID” — finally gone off the deep end? According to a new report by NPRI’s Steven Miller, staff at the IVGID openly confessed to destroying or concealing public records as a matter of policy — a felony-level crime under Nevada state law. After area resident Mark Smith submitted a public records request for certain emails from the District’s executive, IVGID staff explained that, as a matter of “policy,” emails are only available for 30 days before being destroyed. The policy is a clear violation of Nevada state law, which expressly requires that local governments permanently retain the email correspondence of such key executive personnel. (Read more)

 

Civil asset forfeiture

In Ohio during the 1920s, people caught with “intoxicating liquors” could be tried by rural mayors, who were actually paid for each conviction. The U.S. Supreme Court later found that such an arrangement violated the right to due process, since the judge (or mayor) had a financial incentive to find people guilty. So, why is civil asset forfeiture still legal? With some luck, it might not remain that way. Last week, a federal judge refused to dismiss what could turn out to be an important civil asset forfeiture lawsuit. (Read more)

 

Yelling “wolf” in a crowded theater (aka: free speech)

Nancy Pelosi has been trying to argue that the National Park Service should deny a permit for an alleged “alt-right” group called Patriot Prayer to demonstrate on Park Service land. In a recent interview on the issue, she was asked about the group’s free speech rights, to which she responded “The Constitution does not say that a person can yell wolf in a crowded theater.” Aside from getting the saying completely wrong, her bow-wow “legal” analysis is also completely off-base. (Read more)

 

National Employee Freedom Week

More than 7 in 10 union members support the idea of subjecting their union to regular recertification votes, according to a study conducted for National Employee Freedom Week this year. The week, which ends on Saturday, is a national campaign that aims to educate workers, policymakers and the media on labor reform efforts. Started by NPRI five years ago, it began as a little project here in Clark County, Nevada, where NPRI let local teachers know they can opt-out of their teacher’s union if they wanted to. Since then, “it’s really blown up into this national movement.” (Read more)

 

John Tsarpalas

John Tsarpalas

President

John Tsarpalas is the President of the Nevada Policy, and is deeply committed to spreading limited government ideas and policy to create a better, more prosperous Nevada for all.

For over three decades, John has educated others in the ideals and benefits of limited government. In the 1980s, John joined the Illinois Libertarian Party and served on its State Central Committee. Later in the 90s, he transitioned to the Republican Party, and became active in the Steve Forbes for President Campaign and flat taxes.

In 2005, he was recruited to become the Executive Director of the Illinois Republican Party where he graduated from the Republican National Committee’s Campaign College, the RNC’s Field Management School, and the Leadership Institute’s activist training.

Additionally, John has served as President of the Sam Adams Alliance and Team Sam where he did issue education and advocacy work in over 10 states, with a focus on the web.

John also founded or helped start the following educational not-for-profits: Think Freely Media, the Haym Salomon Center – where he served as Chairman, the Franklin Center for Government & Public Integrity and Midwest Speaking Professionals.

A native of Chicago, John now lives in Las Vegas with his wife of more than 40 years.