Welcome to Pay Dirt—exclusive reporting and research from The Daily Beast’s Lachlan Markay on corruption, campaign finance, and influence-peddling in the nation’s capital. For Beast Inside members only.
After Democrat Steve Sisolak prevailed in last year’s Nevada gubernatorial election, a number of corporate donors ponied up five-figure sums to fund his inauguration and transition to office. Now that money is financing an ostensibly independent political group devoted to singing Sisolak’s praises.
Home Means Nevada PAC was created in December—after Sisolak’s election victory—and worked to help staff his new administration. In just the first few weeks of its existence, the group brought in $415,000 in contributions. The largest donation came from the Nevada Democratic Party, but it also got cash from labor unions, a casino operator, and some property developers. A cannabis dispensary company even chipped in $15,000.