The indictment of Reno doctor Robert Rand and several others on pill-mill drug charges has dominated local news. Last week, the parents of one his patients filed a wrongful death lawsuit. The family may not recover much.
Thanks to the fraudulent 2004 “doctors are leaving Nevada” media campaign, voters passed an initiative petition capping damages. Worse, the petition mandated that all expenses paid by a victim’s insurer be deducted from any award.
Most malpractice lawsuits today would thus cost more to pursue than maximum possible recovery. That’s why almost all current lawyer advertising solicits only accident cases.
Much more at DoctorLawyerWatch.com/
NUMBER ONE WITH A BULLET. Last week, I marveled that Assemblyperson Michele Fiore, R-Gomorrah South, won the endorsement of the Southern Nevada Central Labor Council/AFL-CIO in her primary bid for congress.
That resulted in the umbrella Nevada State AFL-CIO endorsing both Machine Gun Michele and Democrat Jacky Rosen, Sen. Harry Reid’s pick to replace incumbent Republican Joe Heck. Gen. Heck is now running for U.S. Senate and thereby hangs two tales.
Organized labor supported an unknown Dr. Heck who beat the anti-union State Sen. Ann O’Connell in the 2004 GOP primary. Four years later with Obama on the ticket, Heck was knocked out by a more suitable Democrat.
The monster labor created came back from the dead in 2010. In the year of the Tea Party, Heck beat Rep. Dina Titus, D-Las Vegas Congressional District 3. (She now holds former Rep. Shelly Berkley’s super-safe seat in LV CD-1.)
One union leader theorized that labor is replaying Harry Reid vs. Sharron Angle from 2010, trying to get the weakest possible Republican into November against the unknown Rosen.
That’s a very dangerous game, even with Fiore’s labor endorsement expiring after the June primary. All who know her admit that mercurial Michele is an excellent campaigner.
Be careful what you wish for. You just might get it.
DIOGENES ALERT: “Now I understand that people don’t like taxes, but we are at 1992 state government spending levels. That’s after the tax reform.” So said Nevada Senate Majority Leader Michael Roberson, R-Las Vegas, in a recent debate. Roberson is the favorite to beat Fiore and perennial candidate Danny Tarkanian in next month’s CD-3 primary.
Roberson is correct. Only the Barbwire pointed out months ago that Nevada education spending remains flat despite the much-ballyhooed 2015 business tax hikes.
Republican State Controller Ron Knecht, the Nevadan who comes closest to Donald Trump in self-importance, recently wrote that the “alternative budget” he proposed to the legislature last year “would have significantly increased educational spending from prior levels.”
He did not present an alternative budget, just a ludicrous three-page letter.
WASTE, FRAUD AND ABUSE in education has finally been documented. Read journalist Hugh Jackson’s report “Chartered Cruise” on the Las Vegas public radio website, also linked to this column at NevadaLabor.com/
HALL OF FAME former Assemblymember Bob Price, D-North Las Vegas, remains bedridden at Tahoe Pacific South Meadows in the same complex as Renown South Meadows, 10101 Double-R Blvd. (89521)
Send well-wishes and flowers to the longtime Sparks resident or call (775) 326-6148. Nancy Price encourages visits to cheer up the legendary warrior.
Be well. Raise hell. / Esté bien. Haga infierno.
Andrew Barbano is a 47-year Nevadan and editor of NevadaLabor.com. E-mail <barbano@frontpage.reno.nv.us> Barbwire by Barbano has originated in the Tribune since 1988.
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