National Republicans demand Clark County GOP faction stops using logo

National Republicans have warned a faction of the Clark County Republican Party that they are unlawfully using the party’s iconic elephant logo.

In a cease and desist letter sent Tuesday to state Sen. Carrie Buck, R-Henderson, the Republican National Committee demanded the Buck-led group stop using the logo and claiming to be the official county party.

“Your organization is not affiliated with either the (Republican National Committee) or the Nevada Republican Party, and it has no right to use the RNC’s trademarks or other intellectual property whatsoever,” the letter states. “It is unacceptable and unlawful for your organization to falsely hold itself out as the official Republican county party for Clark County, particularly while soliciting contributions on your website. The simple fact is that your organization is not the recognized body of the Republican Party in Clark County, as the Nevada Republican Party of does not recognize you as such.”

Buck contends she is the rightful leader of the Clark County Republican Party, despite the Nevada Republican Party and its members recognizing Jesse Law as the legitimate chairman.

The letter leaves no doubt which side national Republicans are on in the months-long battle over county party leadership roles, and comes less than a week before a court hearing in a lawsuit over which faction should control party assets.

“The RNC therefore hereby demands that your organization immediately cease and desist from: (1) using any RNC trademarks, including the Official Elephant Logo and ‘GOP’ mark, on its website, web address, and other materials; and making any representation whatsoever that it is an official county party, or that it otherwise is any way affiliated with, endorsed or approved by, or otherwise acting on behalf of the RNC or the Republican Party generally.”

Buck responds

Buck said her group has received the letter and is looking into it.

She would not address the letter’s explicit demand that her group stop claiming to be an affiliate of the Republican Party. She said the letter states the Nevada Republican Party has informed the Republican National Committee that it has recognized Law’s organization, but that the national committee does not state what Law’s organization is.

The letter is clear about the organization Law is recognized as leading.

“We are informed that the Nevada Republican Party has already issued press releases affirming that the only chartered central committee in Clark County is the organization chaired by Jesse Law,” the letter to Buck states.

Nevada Republican Party Chairman Michael McDonald said Buck’s group has raised money fraudulently and needs to be held accountable for its actions.

“All along, the Nevada GOP has called out this group as a fraudulent faction,” McDonald said. “They’ve been very divisive.”

Law said the dispute with Buck’s group has been a settled matter, and that it is inaccurate to call her side a faction of the Republican Party.

“If they say anything about being the Republican Party and holding onto these assets in court, it is to me a demonstration of fraud that is inexplicable, and certainly, they are embarrassing themselves,” Law said.

Law said he thinks there is something “much deeper and much more troubling” at the heart of the dispute between the two groups, suggesting Buck’s side has either been infiltrated by Democrats, doesn’t want its financial records examined for a reason, or both.

Buck said Law and McDonald are trying to change the narrative. She said she is confident her side will prevail in the pending court case.

“I just hope one day they’ll finally realize that dividing the Party isn’t a winning strategy to turning Nevada red,” Buck said in a text message.

Longstanding battle

The dispute between Buck and Law is rooted in a July party meeting that ended without the selection of a new leadership team.

Days later, a group called the process back into order, and those who attended elected Law as chairman. Buck has argued Law is not a member of the party.

Acting party leadership considered the follow-up meeting fraudulent and sued Law and his team weeks later. District Judge Susan Johnson ultimately threw out the case with prejudice, saying she did not have the authority to rule in a political party’s internal dispute.

In October, Law’s group sued Buck’s side in an effort to gain control of party materials, such as bank account information and membership records. An evidentiary hearing in that case is set for Monday.

Contact Blake Apgar at bapgar@reviewjournal.com or 702-387-5298. Follow @blakeapgar on Twitter.

Cease & Desist - Clark County Republican Central Committee 01.04.22 by Steve Sebelius on Scribd