Nevada governor name-drops during traffic stop and avoids red-light citation

Newly released bodycam video shows a regular postulation halt involving Nevada Gov. Joe Lombardo ending wrong seconds aft the Republican authoritative name-dropped himself and past drove distant without a citation for an alleged red-light violation.

The astir one-minute video shows a Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department sergeant stopping Lombardo's pickup motortruck adjacent Mandalay Bay connected May 15 aft the serviceman said the politician failed to travel to a implicit halt earlier making a close crook astatine a reddish light.

As the serviceman approaches the passenger-side window, helium greets the governor.

"Hello. How you doing, sir?" the sergeant says.

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Nevada Gov. Joe Lombardo sits successful his pickup motortruck during a Las Vegas Metropolitan Police postulation halt captured connected assemblage camera video. (Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department via AP)

Before the serviceman tin decorativeness explaining wherefore helium initiated the stop, Lombardo interrupts.

"I'm Joe Lombardo," the politician says.

"I'm aware," the sergeant replies earlier continuing, "For the reddish airy usurpation backmost there. Your close crook onto Giles..."

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"C'mon, man," Lombardo responds.

Moments later, the sergeant ends the halt without issuing a citation.

"You're bully to go, sir. Appreciate you. Have a bully day."

The speech lasts astir 15 seconds.

Lombardo's bureau told Fox News Digital that the politician and his woman were connected their mode to Harry Reid International Airport erstwhile they were concisely stopped by Las Vegas constabulary connected May 15 implicit what the bureau described arsenic "a question astir whether Governor Lombardo had travel to a implicit halt portion turning."

"Governor Lombardo spoke with the officer, afloat complied with each instructions, and was promptly connected his way," the connection said. "He remains grateful for the professionalism of the serviceman progressive and for the work of instrumentality enforcement officers crossed Nevada."

The governor's bureau besides disputed immoderate proposition that Lombardo was attempting to usage his presumption to power the serviceman by mentioning his name.

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Nevada Gov. Joe Lombardo, a Republican and erstwhile Clark County sheriff, speaks during a nationalist event. (Ethan Miller/Getty Images)

"At nary constituent did the Governor invoke his bureau and question — oregon expect — preferential treatment," the connection said.

According to the governor's office, the serviceman archetypal introduced himself, and Lombardo replied by giving his ain sanction "as a substance of courtesy."

Lombardo, a Republican who served arsenic sheriff of the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department for 8 years earlier being elected politician successful 2022, was traveling with his wife, Donna, astatine the clip of the stop.

The video rapidly drew disapproval from Nevada Democrats, who questioned whether the politician received preferential attraction due to the fact that of his position.

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Nevada Gov. Joe Lombardo speaks onstage aft a parade for Bruno Mars honoring his interaction connected Las Vegas amusement astatine Toshiba Plaza connected April 10, 2026, successful Las Vegas. (Ethan Miller/Getty Images for MGM Resorts)

"As a erstwhile instrumentality enforcement officer, I'm outraged that Joe Lombardo thinks he's supra the instrumentality and dismissed a constabulary serviceman conscionable doing his job," Nevada State Democratic Party Chair Daniele Monroe-Moreno said successful a connection to the Las Vegas Review-Journal. "It's wide that Lombardo's 'tough connected crime' attack doesn't really use to him aft helium sanction dropped his mode retired of a postulation violation. Nevadans merit to cognize if Lombardo thinks, due to the fact that of his position, helium should beryllium capable to debar work for breaking the law," the connection continued.

The Las Vegas Police Protective Association, which endorsed Lombardo's gubernatorial run successful 2022 and backed him again this year, defended the handling of the halt aft providing the bodycam video to the Las Vegas Review-Journal.

Union President Steve Grammas told the outlet the brushwood reflected the benignant of discretion officers routinely usage during postulation stops and rejected the proposition that Lombardo received preferential treatment.

"It is an perfectly thing car stop," Grammas told the Review-Journal. "Thousands of those hap each month. We don't constitute everybody a ticket."

Grammas said the sergeant already recognized Lombardo arsenic politician and erstwhile Clark County sheriff, making it unnecessary to walk clip confirming his individuality earlier explaining the alleged usurpation and ending the halt with a verbal warning.

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Joe Lombardo served arsenic sheriff of the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department earlier being elected politician of Nevada. (Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department)

"If helium wasn't the governor, nary 1 would attraction astir the hundreds of different stops that are done the aforesaid way," Grammas said.

The Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department has antecedently said Lombardo was not cited, noting that officers commonly workout discretion during insignificant postulation violations.

Fox News Digital reached retired to the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department, the Nevada Republican Party and the American Civil Liberties Union of Nevada for comment.