Nevada Attorney General Aaron Ford’s office is experiencing significant upheaval as Ford focuses on his campaign for governor and an ethics complaint moves through the state system.
Earlier this month, Teresa Benitez-Thompson, Ford’s chief of staff, resigned to run for Congress in Nevada’s 2nd District. She cited the challenge of balancing the demands of Ford’s office with her own campaign.
Her departure leaves the top law enforcement office in Nevada without its primary operational leader during an election year.
Meanwhile, the AG’s office continues to recruit legal staff, publicly advertising openings for multiple deputy attorney general positions, including roles in Government and Natural Resources, Boards and Open Government, and Public Safety. The senior positions handle critical state legal work, and vacancies can slow the office’s operations.
Ford is also facing an ethics complaint that advanced past its initial review in February. The complaint focuses on his use of official AG social media accounts to promote his campaign and acceptance of international trips worth over $35,000 in 2023 and 2024 from the Attorney General Alliance (AGA).
The trips, part of a longer history of overseas travel valued at more than $140,000, have drawn scrutiny due to potential conflicts of interest, as the AGA is funded largely by corporations subject to oversight by the AG’s office. Analysis shows Ford has spent roughly 420 workdays out of state since taking office in 2019, with 137 out-of-state days in 2024 alone.
Ford’s term as attorney general runs through January 2027. Critics warn that with top staff leaving, multiple senior positions vacant, and the AG’s attention divided by a gubernatorial campaign and ethics investigation, the office is struggling to serve Nevada residents and businesses
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