by TurboKitty in Politics

I had a party. I invited my friends. A bunch of us got together and provided food, drink and live music. We had two kegs of donated beer too. To be considerate, I planted a sign, for handicapped parking, in my driveway. The suggested donation to attend my party was $5.00. This was no ordinary party though.

As with most of the things I am involved with, this party was political. My husband and I are the hosts of a local, public-access, radio show. Not affiliated with anything else, the show was hosting local and state candidates for office at this party. It was a private party. There was an article written up about it in the local paper before the party even happened.

The party was supposed to start at 6 p.m. At noon I received a call from the campaign manager of a candidate who is running for a State office. I was told that she was picking up odds and ends and that she and a mutual acquaintance would be at my home very shortly. Somewhere around 3 p.m. I received another phone call from this same campaign manager, explaining to me that they wouldn’t be in attendence. Neither she, nor the candidate. These people made a commitment, weeks in advance to be here. I believe that the manager made up an excuse not to attend and that I was lied to. I also believe in keeping my commitments. If I say I’m going to be somewhere, barring acts of God, I keep my promise. I give my word and my word is as good as gold.

At approximately 4 p.m. two officers from the Sheriff’s department showed up at my driveway and presented me with a ten page notice. I have to wonder how many people throwing a party, get a ten page notice and not just a verbal warning, on the first visit from an officer of the law. The parts that I was supposedly in violation of, were high-lighted with yellow.

I believe the reason for this is because I am supporting the candidate who is running against the current Sheriff. Apparently this is not the first time that someone has been harassed for supporting the opposing candidate for the office of Sheriff. I was told that I was holding a public event. I was told that there was a full page ad in the local paper, by the officer giving me the notice. The “Brady Law” forbids an officer of the law from lying to any private citizen. Turns out it was just an article about me and the party I was having for our local candidates. The Sheriff claims it was an ad because there were directions to my house in this article. It was a private party, on private property. By invitation only. Verbal or written.

I called my husband to inform him of the notice I’d been given. He was on his way to the store to pick up the kegs of beer we ordered. He went to the Sheriff’s office to find out what their problem was. He was told that should we serve beer, to our friends, who were invited to this party, that we would be the recipient of a $600.00 fine. He explained to the Sheriff’s deputy that it was a private party, by invitation only. The deputy asked if everyone had a written invitation.

I still have all ten pages of this notice. On it is stated clearly, that I can serve beer or alcohol, on my property to family, to friends or as part of a private party. It was a private party on private property.

My husband was furious. I was furious too to begin with. I was told that the representative for our candidate for governor would not be in attendence because the Sheriff called him and told him I was holding an illegal party. My choice for candidate for Governor was also lied to.

At 6 p.m. when people started showing up, I explained that we had food , sodas and great live music. I showed them the high-lighted part of the notice I’d been given by the Sheriff’s deputies. I explained that due to our fear of repercussions from the current Sheriff and his deputies, that there would be no beer served.

We had a wonderful turn out. Lots of people who support the candidates that our radio show endorse, not only showed up, but they donated too. No one really seemed to mind that there was no beer.

At the end of the night, parked at the end of my street, were two Sheriff’s department vehicles, waiting to arrest people who’d attended my party.

The money that was supposed to be used for the purchase of the kegs, is being donated to the candidate that is running for office, against the current Sheriff.

Addendum :

I have forwarded this blog post in the form of a complaint letter filed with the A.C.L.U. of Nevada, in the hopes that something will be done about the harassment of private citizens exercising their Constitutionally guaranteed Civil Rights.

I can’t ask for help from any local agencies for fear of repercussions however, I can ask for help from the agency that purports to protect each individuals right to gather peacefully and express themselves. I’ll keep everyone updated as this progresses because, according to the A.C.L.U. website’s questionnaire I have a pretty strong case.

License and Procedure Documents … High-Lighted Courtesy of the Nye County Sheriff’s Department







