Second Douglas resident dinged by ethics panel

Last year’s U.S. Senate campaign snared a second Douglas County resident for an ethics violation.

Reno Fire Chief Dave Cochran, a Genoa resident, wore his badge in a campaign commercial about Sen. Catherine Cortez Masto.

Cortez Masto defeated Adam Laxalt in the race for the senate seat.

According to the Nevada Ethics Commission, campaign staff for the senator contacted Cochran in May 2022 and asked if he could participate in the advertisement.

Cochran, who also has a law degree, checked with the City of Reno and concluded that as long as he was off duty, didn’t wear his official uniform and did not expressly endorse Cortez Masto, he could participate.

The advertisement was posted in October 2022, which viewers questioned.

“Cochran did not expressly endorse Cortez Masto for Senate; however, giving the timing, placement and context of the video, a viewer could infer that Cochran endorsed Cortez Masto for senate,” the board said.

In September 2022, Sheriff Dan Coverley stipulated to an ethics complaint after he wore his uniform to a political endorsement event for Laxalt.

In both instances, the men were ordered to participate in ethics training.

An environmental group is bypassing the Ethics Board entirely, suing the state over the Jan. 6 appointment of former Minden Sen. James Settelmeyer as director of the Department of Conservation and Natural Resources.

In Settelmeyer’s case, the lawsuit claims he was barred from being appointed to an appointed state position if there was a vote to increase the salary for the position, according to a release issued by the Center for Biological Diversity.

“The Nevada Constitution has a strict prohibition on appointments like Sen. Settelmeyer’s, and features a cooling-off period for legislators when they seek government positions whose salary or benefits have increased during their most recent term,” said Schrager. “This appointment clearly violates that provision. He should resign or the governor should rescind his appointment, or the courts will address Settelmeyer’s ineligibility through this lawsuit.”

Retired state employee John Walker, also a Douglas resident, is a plaintiff in the lawsuit and a resident of the senate district, which is currently represented by Lyon County resident Sen. Robin Titus.