THE BIG SELLOUTSKI
When he’s campaigning and talking to regular folks in the district, Assemblyman James Oscarson portrays himself as a “man of the people.”
Indeed, here’s what we were told in the press release announcing his candidacy for District 36 in 2012…
“Oscarson’s devotion to southern Nevada will give rural residents a renewed voice in Carson City.”
And on his campaign website in 2012, he declared…
“I am the candidate to make your voice heard in Carson City.”
He further assured us that…
“My primary job is to listen to the constituents in District 36 and act as their advocate on their behalf.”
In his primary race that year, Oscarson raised $24,344.41.
Of that, seven donations of $1,000 or more were made.
Then he got to Carson City.
And promptly sold us out!
After promising he would oppose tax hikes, Oscarson betrayed us by voting with Gov. Brian Sandoval and the Carson City special interests lobbyists for the $600+ million “sunset” tax hike.
And was rewarded quite handsomely…
For his 2014 re-election primary campaign – in which he ran unopposed – Oscarson nevertheless raised $28,110.99.
Of that, he received 12 contributions of $1,000 or more – with the largest single donation being $5,000 from Barrick Gold.
He was showered with lots of other donations of varying amounts from PACs, corporations, associations and lobbyists.
Oscarson then raised another $21,838.41 for the general election even though, once again, he didn’t have an opponent.
The largest single donation this time was $4,000 from MGM Grand, with almost every other donation again coming from PACs, corporations, associations and lobbyists in amounts of $500 or more.
It’s good ta be a sellout!
As you’ll recall, in the 2014 general election, the voters of District 36 voted overwhelmingly – more than 80 percent – against the margins tax proposal that was on the ballot.
A new tax Oscarson said he opposed.
Then came the 2015 legislative session.
Then came a new version of that margins tax (sneakily renamed the “commerce tax”).
Then came the arm-twisting and campaign promises from Gov. Sandoval.
Then came the arm-twisting and campaign promises from all those special interests and lobbyists.
And guess what?
Suddenly, Mr. Oscarson was no longer the voice for “rural residents.
Suddenly he was no longer making OUR voice heard.
Suddenly he was no longer listening to his constituents as he’d promised.
Suddenly he was no longer advocating on OUR behalf.
Instead, he sold us out.
Again!
Oscarson betrayed everyone who voted for him by voting for the largest tax hike in Nevada history, including the creation of the new “commerce tax.”
Why did he do it?
Well, of course it’s obvious. But Oscarson himself actually admitted to it publicly.
“The bottom line,” he told the Las Vegas Review-Journal, “is a broad and diverse group of businesses came to me and said, ‘Please do this.’”
Yes, a “broad and diverse group” of special interest PACs, corporations, associations and lobbyists!
Not a “broad and diverse group” of his constituents.
In a separate interview with the Moapa Valley Progress, Oscarson again admitted he did it because “the Las Vegas Chamber of Commerce, homebuilders and even blue collar trade” associations and unions asked him to do it.
Now that one is TRULY astounding.
Not the Pahrump Valley Chamber of Commerce…
The LAS VEGAS Chamber of Commerce!
So much for being the voice of rural residents.
So much for making OUR voice heard.
So much for listening to his constituents and advocating on our behalf.
Instead, Oscarson sold us out to a bunch of deep-pocketed PACs, corporations, associations and lobbyists, thus earning the nickname, “The Big Selloutski.”
How big?
HUGE!
For just his GOP primary race in 2016, Oscarson raised a whopping $159,484.66!!!
Included in that haul was a $5,000 check, the maximum contribution allowed by law, from – guess who?
The Las Vegas Chamber of Commerce!
Indeed, during his brief career in politics representing a rural district of average, down-to-earth folks, FollowTheMoney.org reports that Oscarson has raised almost a HALF-MILLION DOLLARS.
And that doesn’t even include what he’s pocketing right now for the 2016 general election!
Give Oscarson credit…
He may have sold his soul and sold his vote, but he’s no two-bit street hooker.
He’s a high-priced political prostitute!
Here’s a partial list of Oscarson’s “clients” – those who have given him $1,000 or more for his “services” during his short political career – courtesy of Follow The Money…
Hang on, there’s more…
And now you know why he stopped listening to YOUR voice.
Now you know why he stopped advocating on YOUR behalf.
Now you know why he sold YOU out.
Your pockets just aren’t deep enough!
UPDATE: October 21, 2016
New Campaign Report Reveals “The Big Selloutski” has Struck Again!
(Team Hof) – One of the more stunning differences in Nevada Assembly District 36 race in 2016 is how each candidate is funding their campaign.
Challenger Dennis Hof is pretty much self-funding his entire race, while incumbent Assemblyman James Oscarson continues to live off the blood money of special interests.
As the Parhump Valley Times reported on October 21, “Oscarson pulled in $88,500 in contributions from 71 donors” compared to Hof, “who drew in $50,106,” with $50,000 of it coming from himself.
Oscarson claimed, presumably with a straight face, that his haul “says that people support me.”
Yeah, right.
The fact is there are almost no “people” from Assembly District 36 supporting him with their campaign cash. Most are PACs, big corporations, lobbyists and special interests – especially Big Gaming.
Here’s a quick look at most of Mr. Selloutski’s reported donors, and where they’re located (see if you can find the one in Pahrump!), from his latest Campaign & Expense report…
- New Nevada PAC (Las Vegas): $7,500.00*
- Wynn Resorts (Las Vegas): $3,500.00
- SB Strategic Consulting (Las Vegas lobbyist): $3,500
- Friends of PK O’Neil PAC (Carson City): $3,500.00
- The Orleans Hotel & Casino (Las Vegas): $3,000.00
- Citizens for Justice PAC (Carson City): $3,000.00
- GSR Grand Casino (Reno): $2,500.00
- MGM Grand (Las Vegas): $2,500.00
- Boyd Gaming (Las Vegas): $2,000.00
- McDonald Carano Wilson (Reno/Las Vegas lobbyist): $2,000.00
- Frias Standard Capital (Las Vegas): $2,000.00
- Las Vegas Metro Chamber (Las Vegas): $1,500.00
- NACDS PAC (Arlington, VA): $1,500.00
- Anthem Blue Cross (Cincinnati, OH): $1,500.00
- Fiesta Rancho Casino & Hotel (Las Vegas): $1,500.00
- Switch (Las Vegas): $1,000.00
- Nevada Realtor PAC (Henderson): $1,000.00
- US Ecology (Boise, ID): $1,000.00
- Nevada Power (Las Vegas): $1,000.00
- IUPAT PAC (Hanover, MD): $1,000.00
- Valley Electric Assn. PAC (Pahrump): $1,000.00
- ATT Mobility (Los Angeles, CA): $1,000.00
- The Ferraro Group (Reno lobbyist): $1,000.00
- Nevada Anesthesia PAC (Las Vegas): $1,000.00
- MCNA Health Care Holdings PAC (Ft. Lauderdale, FL): $1,000.00
- Morning in Nevada PAC (Las Vegas): $1,000.00
- Sunrise Healtcare System PAC (Las Vegas): $1,000.00
- Southwest Gas (Las Vegas): $1,000.00
- ARDA ROC PAC (Washington, DC): $1,000.00
- Caesars (Las Vegas): $1,000.00
- Vaisman Medical Services (Las Vegas): $1,000.00
- Kinross Gold (Toronto, Canada): $800.00
- Mt Wheeler Power (Ely): $750.00
- Associated General Contractors PAC (Las Vegas): $750.00
- Southwest Gas (Las Vegas): $750.00
- SR Construction (Las Vegas): $750.00
- Hewlet Packard (Washington, DC): $500.00
- Nevada Optometric PAC (Las Vegas): $500.00
- Nevada Dental Assiciation PAC (Las Vegas): $500.00
- Republic Dumpco (Las Vegas): $500.00
- First Solar Development (Tempe, AZ): $500.00
- UP Railroad (Port Clinton, OH): $500.00
- Nevada Credit Union League (Ontario, CA): $500.00
- Pharma PAC (Washington, DC): $500.00
- Gaming Eguipment Manufactures (Henderson): $500.00
- So NV Building & Construction PAC (Henderson): $500.00
- Nevada Health PAC (Las Vegas): $500.00
- Nevada Yellow Cab (Las Vegas): $500.00
- Bell Trans (Las Vegas): $500.00
- Capital Partners (Reno lobbyist): $500.00
- Nevada Beer Association (Reno PAC): $500.00
- Nevada Farm Bureau (Sparks): $500.00
- NADEAC PAC (Reno): $500.00
- Nevada Trust Companies (Reno PAC): $500.00
- Nevada Dental Asociation PAC (Las Vegas): $500.00
- Southwest Airlines (Dallas, TX): $250.00
- Keith L. Lee (Reno lobbyist): $250.00
* Just FYI, The Big Selloutski’s largest single donor this period was New Nevada PAC – which is a PAC belonging to Gov. Brian Sandoval, architect of the largest tax hike in Nevada history.
Anyone who doesn’t think that contribution was a huge “thank you” to Oscarson for his bought-and-paid-for vote for that $1.4 BILLION tax hike is in some serious denial.
If Assemblyman Oscarson’s vote on a tax hike can be bought for $7,500, how little would it cost for him to sell out your gun rights or your water rights or your parental rights?
In this election, there’s a clear choice: Re-elect a man who can be bought for 30 pieces of silver…or elect Dennis Hof, “The Man Who Couldn’t Be Bought.”
UPDATE: November, 2017
After his re-election in November 2016, The Big Selloutski received an additional $35,328.50 from a variety of special interests leading into the 2017 legislative session…bringing his total election cycle haul for this small state legislative race to…$293,872.46.
For James Oscarson, selling out is a 24/7/365 business!
