LAS VEGAS (AP) — A northern Nevada sheriff under investigation by Attorney General Adam Laxalt said he no longer plans to attend a Republican campaign event this weekend where Laxalt will appear as he campaigns for governor.
After the news of their planned attendance drew criticism this week, Storey County Sheriff Gerald Antinoro said Thursday he would not attend the Saturday GOP barbeque in Virginia City because he has "other obligations that day."
Laxalt has faced criticism from Democrats for refusing to denounce his endorsement from Antinoro, who survived a recall election last year following allegations of wrongdoing and faces allegations of sexual harassment and other misconduct.
The Republican attorney general confirmed this week that his office is investigating Antinoro but his staff has declined to answer questions about the probe.
Laxalt's campaign did not respond to a question about whether it was appropriate for Laxalt to appear with someone under investigation by his office. His campaign manager, Kristin Davison, instead said in a statement: "We are invited guests to this Storey County GOP event, and therefore have no role or precise knowledge as to who was attending, is attending, is not attending, or why."
Antinoro, who is running for re-election this year, said he changed his mind about attending the event because he thinks it will feature too many attendees from outside the county.
He said neither Laxalt nor Laxalt's campaign requested he change his plans.
In an interview on KLAS-TV this week, Laxalt called the allegations against Antinoro "political theatrics" and declined to distance himself from the sheriff or denounce his endorsement, saying "it would predict or prejudice the investigation."
"I don't want to say anything about this until my office has concluded its investigation," Laxalt said.
Monica Moazez, a spokesman for Laxalt's office, declined to answer questions about the investigation and instead referred to Laxalt's comments on KLAS.
Laxalt's investigation followed a wide-ranging complaint filed with his office in early April, detailing allegations of sexual misconduct and other wrongdoing by the sheriff.
The complaint filed by a northern Nevada businessman refers to a lawsuit filed by Antinoro's former chief deputy, who says she was transferred out of the department after making a sexual harassment complaint against the sheriff.
The April 5 complaint includes depositions that Antinoro gave in the lawsuit in which he acknowledged having a sexual conversation with the deputy but said he believed they were speaking as friends, not as employer and employee.
The complaint also included depositions from other sheriff's office employees who said Antinoro described having sex with female sheriff's office employees and a workplace that involved inappropriate sexual discussions and demeaning comments made about women.
The sheriff has said that the allegations are political payback because his officers stepped up enforcement of local ordinances at a brothel owned by Storey County Commissioner Lance Gilman.
Gilman also oversees the Tahoe Reno Industrial Center, which spent $142,000 in support of the recall effort.
Gilman's business partner, Don Roger Norman, filed the complaint with Laxalt's office.
Antinoro called the complaint "nonsense" and said "it's all driven by political animus."
He said Laxalt's office has not informed him he was under investigation but said, "If the attorney general feels the need to investigate, then I welcome the opportunity to clear my name."
News that Laxalt was appearing with Antinoro at the event was first reported Wednesday by the Nevada Independent.
___
Associated Press writer Scott Sonner in Reno contributed to this report.