EDITORIAL: Lombardo chief-of-staff pick a defender of open records

Gov.-elect Joe Lombardo made a smart decision this week by selecting Ben Kieckhefer as his chief of staff.

Mr. Kieckhefer is a member of the Nevada Gaming Commission and a former Republican state senator who represented a Reno-area district for 12 years. He brings a wealth of knowledge on the legislative process to the job and has long been a staunch advocate of transparency and open government. During his tenure in the Legislature, Mr. Kieckhefer served on the Senate Finance Committee and developed a reputation for his understanding of state budgets.

“Ben has dedicated his life and career to the service of Nevadans,” Mr. Lombardo said in a statement, “and there is no one more qualified or better prepared for this role. I know that Ben’s exceptional leadership, unmatched integrity and extensive legislative experience will be an important part of our success in Carson City.”

As Clark County sheriff, Mr. Lombardo had frequent run-ins with the media over public records laws and accessibility. During the campaign, he brushed off concerns that he would bring a similar mindset to the Governor’s Mansion, arguing that the nature of law enforcement and criminal investigations required a more restrictive approach to transparency. Yet Mr. Lombardo did little to win over skeptics when he erred this month by petulantly banning two Las Vegas media outlets from his victory speech following his electoral defeat of Gov. Steve Sisolak.

The selection of Mr. Kieckhefer, a former reporter for The Associated Press and Reno Gazette-Journal, who understands the value of accountability, indicates that Mr. Lombardo may be taking seriously his promise to respect laws that promote government transparency.

While in the state Senate, Mr. Kieckhefer was instrumental in the passage of a 2019 bill that imposed penalties for state agencies that flouted open records statutes. The measure was resisted by local governments, but Mr. Kieckhefer was able to secure bipartisan support to keep the proposal alive despite vigorous efforts by opponents to relegate it to the circular file. After nearly becoming a casualty of the legislative endgame, the bill made it to the floor where it passed both houses unanimously.

Mr. Lombardo, a Republican, will have a challenge pushing his agenda through an overwhelmingly Democratic Legislature. He’ll need to pick and choose his battles and work the halls to find areas of compromise and common ground. Mr. Kieckhefer knows that arena. His experience and relationships in Carson City will be a vital asset to Mr. Lombardo when he assumes his position as the state’s chief executive.