Miller’s office changes website amid ethics complaint
CARSON CITY — While Secretary of State Ross Miller on Wednesday called an ethics complaint against him “silly,” his office nevertheless has modified the agency’s website to remove his photo and other information from an online election portal for overseas voters to participate in the Nov. 4 general election.
The ethics complaint dated Sept. 29 was filed by Kirk Lippold, a retired U.S. Navy commander who said that the use of Miller’s name, photograph and title in a banner featured on the Web portal was an effort to secure “unwarranted privileges and preferences” in his campaign for attorney general.
Lippold also filed an election complaint with Miller’s office.
The Web portal set up by Miller’s office for military and overseas civilian voters to participate in the Nov. 4 general election now just says “Nevada Secretary of State.”
Miller on Wednesday called the filing “one of those silly complaints” Nevada voters have come to expect 30 days out from an election.
Miller, a Democrat, is running against Republican Adam Laxalt and Independent American Jonathan Hansen for the attorney general’s office.
Bob Walsh, deputy secretary of state for Southern Nevada, said the website was modified Wednesday afternoon just to put an end to the issue.
“The whole thing is just a waste of our time,” he said. “Quite frankly the office has better things to do than respond to political stunts. We have work to do. We’re moving on.”
The Laxalt campaign said in response that the Lippold complaints were clearly serious enough to force the secretary of state’s office to change the Web pages.
“Ross Miller and his campaign initially referred to these two complaints as a ‘stunt’ and a ‘silly’ issue,” says the statement from Robert Uithoven, campaign consultant to Laxalt. “It reminds us of when he called Adam Laxalt’s pledge not to accept political gifts as a ‘gimmick.’ We are encouraged to see that the Secretary of State’s office took corrective measures to prevent further possible illegal electioneering by Ross Miller.”
Contact Capital Bureau reporter Sean Whaley at swhaley@reviewjournal.com or 775-687-3900. Find him on Twitter: @seanw801.
