Governor Steve Sisolak and wife Kathy Sisolak faced a threat from two men at a restaurant in Las Vegas, with one of the perpetrators yelling “We should string you up on a lamp post. You are running into a patriot now.”
The video of the exchange, which lasted one minute, shows one man intimidating Sisolak by saying, “I’m surprised you have the balls to be out here in public, punk, without a cop.” This video was first got hold of by the Review Journal.
According to Sisolak’s office, the men first approached under the guise of requesting a photo. Then, the exchange heated up, with the men using foul language, and insulting the first lady for being of chinese heritage.
Sisolak’s officer’s statement issued following the incident reads, “He is deeply disappointed in how this incident unfolded, particularly with the language used to talk about first lady Kathy Sisolak’s heritage. We can disagree about the issues, but the personal attacks and threats are unwarranted, unwelcome and unbecoming behavior for Nevadans.”
A TikTok user with the handle “nevadapublican2.0” posted the video, and the accompanying message, “We confronted NV GOV Sisolak at a bar!!!!!” The video shows the man getting into Sisolak’s face and asking threateningly, “You are here without security?” The exchange only ends when Ashley—Sisolak’s daughter—approaches them in the parking lot, at which point the threatener turns away while saying, “because your daughter’s with you, I’m going to leave you alone now.”
Taking credit for making the threat is Vegas resident Justin Andersch, who in a Monday episode of his podcast title “Cannabis and Combat” referenced the video and said, “yesterday, I was eating dinner with my family when Gov. Steve Sisolak walked in.”
The man proceeds to play multiple audio versions of the incident, asking listeners to “please share this far and wide.” Cannabis and Combat’s other episodes promote anti-government, far-right conspiracy theories.
The Nevada State Police has stated it is aware of what transpired and an investigation is ongoing, due to which there are no further details available.
The incident is not the first confrontation posted on “nevadapublican2.0”’s TikTok account. One video, which was posted on December 24, shows Andersch approaching the Governor at an event saying he wants to place the latter under citizen’s arrest.
Sisolak’s security detail generally only accompanies him during office hours. Following an accident in October where he was driving, Department of Public Safety director George Togliatti said in a statement that the governor had security on call at all times.
“We encourage (the governor) to take detail as often as possible, but we work for him and he’s cognizant of budgets. I won’t disclose how many people we have with him, but we always know where he is at any given time,” he said.
Javier Barajas, who owns the Lindo Michoacan chain, said in a statement that the men were expelled from the restaurant. “In the 32 years I’ve been in business, I’ve never once told any client to ‘get out of here,’” he said. “Regardless of your political stance, I believe everyone should be treated with respect. People are allowed to disagree. With everything going on in the world right now, we should all strive to be better Nevadans and respect one another.”
Sisolak’s office made it clear they would not comment on the incident further, and only said “the governor works on behalf of all Nevadans — even those who disagree with him — and he will continue to do so.”
Others—including Republican foes—are commenting.
Michele Fiore, councilwoman of Las Vegas City, who is running against Sisolak in the midterms in November for the Republican nomination, said he had been “lucky it was just words.”
“If you look at the history of dictators, pitchforks will be next,” she said.
Joey Gilbert, a GOP gubernatorial hopeful from Reno, said the governor brought it on himself thanks to his “smug, absolutely irresponsible and unacceptable behavior.”
“There’s always a way, time and place to do anything,” Gilbert said. “All I’m going to say is, that happened. I think he deserved it. I wouldn’t want to see anybody get hurt, number one. I’m glad nothing happened. I don’t think that person was going to hurt him. He just wanted to exercise his first amendment right, his freedom of speech. He did.”
This reasoning isn’t going down well with some of the Republican Party’s members, who are of the opinion Andersch’s actions were “anti-American.”
“Violence has no place in American political discourse,” said Heath Mayo, who founded Principles First, a citizen-built grassroots organization made up of people unhappy with how the Republican Party is performing right now. “There are people in the (Republican) Party right now who think that’s OK. If you’re losing or if someone doesn’t do what you want them to do and they’re a public official, you have a right to intimidate them and harass them. That’s anti-American.”