The Clark County Commission this morning postponed for two weeks the hiring of Republican lobbyist Robert Uithoven to advocate for University Medical Center, after concerns were raised about his affiliation with Gov. Jim Gibbons and Las Vegas Sands Corp. Chairman Sheldon Adelson. The case against Uithoven was made most acutely by the Las Vegas Gleaner on Monday.
Yes, the Clark County Commission has a 5-2 Democratic majority. Sure, it could very likely be a 7-0 majority. Sure, Uithoven is a committed Republican, as are the unpopular Adelson and the pathetic Gibbons. And Democrats handing tax dollars from an overwhelmingly Democratic county to a member of the GOP seems unseemly.
But consider this: Lobbying is about relationships. People are hired to make a case with lawmakers with whom they’ve got an open door. And Uithoven has an open door with the governor, who Uithoven is trying to save from the inevitably negative verdict of history.
Plus, it would take a miracle to get Gibbons to support UMC anyway, given his view that government shouldn’t compete with the private sector. Why not give Uithoven a shot?
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