Nevada Senate GOP Calls for Audit of SOS Censure Vote After Reports of Proud Boys Involvement
The Nevada Senate Republican Caucus called for an audit of the vote to censure Secretary of State Barbara Cegavske, after allegations of a far-right activist group's involvement in swaying the censure vote has come to light, the Las Vegas Review-Journal reported.
The Nevada Republican Party voted in April to censure Cegavske over claims that her office put the reliability of the elections in Nevada in question. The state party allegedly brought four boxes of evidence of voter fraud in the 2020 election, according to the Nevada Independent.
Cegavske responded to fraud claims in a statement shortly after the State Central Committee meeting on April 10: "Regrettably, members of my own political party have decided to censure me simply because they are disappointed with the outcome of the 2020 election."
A new investigation into the April 10 meeting was called early Friday by the Nevada Senate Republican Caucus, after an investigation highlighted the possible involvement of a third party in the vote arose.
These far-right activists, known also as Proud Boys, have been described as a neo-fascist, chauvinist, all-male organization that promotes political violence in the U.S. The Southern Poverty Law Center classified them as a hate group.
The U.S. Department of Justice has also charged several Proud Boys members with conspiracy and other accusations during the riot in the U.S. Capitol on January 6 of this year.
A podcast with Las Vegas Proud Boy Matt Anthony disclosed that Nevada GOP leadership asked him and a group of about 30 others to attend the meeting that took place in Carson City.
Nevada Republican Party Chair Michael McDonald denied claims of influencing the vote. The caucus said in a statement: "Racism, intimidation, and violence have no place in the Nevada Republican Party. News reports that state party leaders may have formed a relationship with members of the organization known as the Proud Boys to sway the censure vote of a public official is profoundly concerning."
The censure was approved on a 126-112 vote, and Republican leadership claimed the state party added Proud Boy members to the central committee improperly in order to influence the vote.
"If there is a determination that any member or employee of the Nevada Republican Party conspired with these individuals or had knowledge of any wrongdoing in the party vote, Senate Republicans call for their immediate removal and resignation," the caucus stated.
Anthony, along with nine others, filed a lawsuit Thursday, claiming they have been illegally "boxed out" of Clark County party meetings. Anthony said in an interview Thursday: "We have the numbers, and they don't, so they have to play dirty, it's that simple."
According to the Review-Journal, Anthony and a few other far-right activists plan to run against senator and caucus member Carrie Buck to be the next chair of the Clark County party.
Newsweek reached out to Cegavske for comment, but did not hear back in time for publication.
