A disciplinary panel on Monday night declined to strip Clark County Commissioner Justin Jones’ law license, an action the State Bar of Nevada had requested.
The three attorneys, who deliberated for hours after a four-day hearing, instead issued a public reprimand and ordered that Jones stay out of trouble with the bar for six months.
“Mr. Jones’ guilt couldn’t possibly be any clearer,” said Daniel Hooge, chief bar counsel for the regulatory organization, at the start of his closing arguments.
The independent panel that comprises volunteer attorneys began deliberating the fate of Jones’ law license Monday night.
The bar alleged that Jones committed bribery and took deceitful actions related to a controversial housing development on Blue Mountain Hill.
The four-day disciplinary hearing — which began last week — reiterated allegations that came up in the since-settled legal battle between Clark County and developer Jim Rhodes’ Gypsum Resources LLC, which last year cost the county an $80 million settlement.
A cadre of professional colleagues testified favorably about Jones’ character. Hooge said the “true measure of integrity” is judged on how someone treats their enemies rather than their friends.
‘Illicit’ deal scrutinized
The bar’s complaints focused on an alleged “illicit” deal between commission candidate Jones and former Commission Chairman Steve Sisolak to delay Gypsum’s project, and the mass deletion of text messages from Jones’ cellphone after a crucial vote in 2019 after he had joined the board.
At the time of the alleged “quid pro quo” arrangement, Jones was an attorney representing the Save Red Rock conservation group that had opposed the housing development.
Jones reached out to Sisolak’s campaign for governor offering an endorsement in exchange for Sisolak’s opposition to the project.
The bar alleged that the action amounted to bribery.
“Justin Jones entered into an illicit deal with Steve Sisolak and then deleted all his texts to cover it up,” Hooge said.
‘Bribery or American politics?’
Testifying last week, Jones acknowledged deleting the messages but maintained that he didn’t particularly remember why, describing it as a “stupid” mistake.
His attorney, former District Judge Rob Bare, theorized that it could have been for reasons as simple as a “political cleansing” so Jones could put the controversy behind him.
But Bare said the endorsement deal was a matter of free speech because there was no monetary benefit.
“Was this bribery or was this American politics?” asked Bare, arguing that it was the latter.
He said the deal wasn’t inappropriate nor a secret.
“Justin Jones is an asset to the public. He’s a good man. Flat out he’s a good man,” Bare said. “He did something stupid and paid one heck of a penalty for it.”
Bare said the panel could fashion a public reprimand that may or may not cost him his job in the next election cycle.
“The ballot box, that’s where he’s ultimately going to have to answer,” the attorney said.
Jones has held his Nevada law license since 2003 with no disciplinary action against it. He is eligible to run for another commission term in 2026.
Hooge said that anything short of Jones admitting wrongdoing and showing remorse — which Hooge said he hadn’t — should lead to the loss of his license.
The bar launched its investigation in 2023, shortly after a federal judge sanctioned Jones in the Gypsum case.
U.S. Magistrate Judge Elayna Youchah had declined to recommend an investigation for misconduct, prompting the bar to launch one anyway.
“Justin Jones doesn’t deserve to stand among us, not after this, not after he deleted those texts to save himself,” Hooge said. “He lied to cover it up and now he’s continuing with this story that’s ridiculously unbelievable on its face.”
This is a developing story. Check back for updates.
Contact Ricardo Torres-Cortez at rtorres@reviewjournal.com.
