Well, as sometimes happens in politics, the story changes while a draft is sitting and waiting for more information. Such is the case today with the resignation of Greg Nance, Nevada’s District 5 DOE Board member, in the aftermath of his ridiculous antics and highly improper behavior at this weekend’s Board meeting.
In preparation for making the details public and providing contact information for complaints from the public, I had interviewed acting Board President Ruggiero, emailed one other Board member, and was waiting on a call back from the DOE Ethics panel. In lieu of that and since Nance is now gone (thank goodness!) here some excerpted lowlights from the LVRJ article about his behavior:
“…Nevada Board of Education member Greg Nance dangled a piece of jewelry in the face of his newlywed wife, ringing a tiny bell on a bracelet as she giggled…
The distraction caused fellow board member Cindy Reid to call for an immediate halt to Saturday’s video-conference of the state Board of Education… “I don’t know what to say,” Reid said from a conference room on East Sahara Avenue in Las Vegas. “I’m embarrassed the public has to watch this. This is so inappropriate.”
Nance, who represents District 5, was unapologetic. “I will entertain my wife. I love my wife,” he said, adding that he was only answerable to the members of his Las Vegas district. Bill Irvin, a deputy attorney general who advises the board, urged Nance to follow decorum.
Nance responded that there was no law saying his wife could not sit next to him at board meetings. “Therefore, bite me!” Nance told the attorney.
Vice President Anthony Ruggiero, who was acting president for the absent President Marcia Washington, advised members of the public to file complaints and continued the meeting.
During a break, Nance, 49, told the Review-Journal that he married the 20-year-old woman 12 days ago. She has cerebral palsy and came to the meeting in a motorized wheelchair. He said “too much partying and rock ‘n’ roll” over his honeymoon explained why he could not always stay awake or hear what was going on.
Because he was dozing during one policy discussion, Reid demanded that he take back his vote on his issue. The board agreed with Reid, but the issue passed by a wide margin anyway.”
I didn’t begrudge Nance his fair share of happiness with a wife 29 years his junior and who apparently had nothing better to do than sit by his side while he slept through DOE Board meetings. But her presence at the conference table, Nance’s open flirting, Nance’s invitation to Ruggerio to “bite me,” and Nance falling asleep during discussions and voting were improper, ill-mannered, and just totally unacceptable.
I was going to say Nance should be sanctioned or removed. Nevada is already a political laughing stock in many ways and has more than enough clowns to go around. Thankfully, Nance agreed.
