With Pence Visit, Trump Rewards Heller, Laxalt for Their Silence and Complacency

CARSON CITY, Nevada, Sept. 7 -- The Nevada Democratic Party issued the following news release:

As Vice President Mike Pence comes to town today, Nevadans are witnessing first-hand as rubber stamps Sen. Dean Heller and Attorney General Adam Laxalt are rewarded for doing absolutely nothing to hold the Trump administration accountable for selling Nevada's working families out time and again. But that's not all. Also coming on this trip is Trump's former campaign manager Corey Lewandowski, who recently mocked a 10-year-old immigrant child with Down syndrome and was arrested for assaulting a female reporter in 2016. If this the company Heller and Laxalt keep...

This visit also comes one week after Pence told reporters that Republicans in Washington would try to repeal the Affordable Care Act again if they maintain or expand control of the Senate in November.

Nevada State Democratic Party Chairman William McCurdy II released the following statement on Mike Pence's visit to Nevada:

"Once again, Sen. Dean Heller and Attorney General Adam Laxalt are being repaid for being reliable rubber stamps for the Trump administration. From refusing to fight Trump's disastrous policies in court, to confirming every single one of Trump's Cabinet nominees, Heller and Laxalt have repeatedly refused to stand up to Trump and put Nevadans first. We already rejected the out-of-touch Trump-Pence agenda in 2016, so Heller and Laxalt campaigning with Pence today only reminds us that these candidates will do whatever it takes to curry favor with Trump, even if it means selling out Nevadans."

Heller and Laxalt are Blind Rubber Stamps for the Trump Administration

1. HEALTH CARE:

1. Over a year ago, at a press conference standing next to Gov. Brian Sandoval, Heller promised to oppose the Republican health care agenda threatening health care for hundreds of thousands of Nevadans. But, after weeks of pressure from campaign donors and party leaders, including a public taunting from President Trump, Heller ultimately caved and voted to repeal the Affordable Care Act. Today, Heller cashes in on his broken promise.

2. Laxalt snubbed a state request to stand up against Trump's attempt to dismantle Nevada's health care system and raise premiums on Nevadans and shares Trump's goal of decimating the ACA.

2. IMMIGRATION:

1. From "always supporting a wall at the border," to refusing to pressure Trump to keep families together, to voting against multiple bipartisan bills solutions to give Dreamers a path to citizenship, Heller has been in lock step with the Trump administration.

2. Laxalt endorses Trump's immigration policies and has refused to join any efforts by other attorneys general to stop Trump's unreasonable policies like tearing families apart at the border or rescinding DACA.

3. ENVIRONMENT:

1. Heller had no problem supporting ousted EPA administrator Scott Pruitt and despite bipartisan calls for Pruitt's resignation, Heller refused to join the calls and ignored 26 different scandals that plagued the office.

2. Laxalt fully supported Trump's failed EPA administrator, Scott Pruitt, and was silent in the wake of Pruitt's resignation amidst his rampant abuse of taxpayer dollars. Laxalt has also been mum on Trump's reckless move to withdraw from the Paris Climate Accord.

4. REPRODUCTIVE RIGHTS:

1. Last month, Heller continued to bend to his party's right-wing, anti-choice agenda by casting his 10th vote in Washington to defund Planned Parenthood health centers.

2. A staunchly anti-choice Laxalt "enthusiastically" endorsed Trump's Supreme Court nominee, Brett Kavanaugh, who can be expected to overturn Roe v. Wade based on Trump's campaign pledge that he'd only nominate anti-choice judges.

5. MARIJUANA:

1. After the Trump administration threatened Nevada's cannabis industry by rescinding the Cole Memo that let states like Nevada legalize and regulate marijuana, Heller responded at the time with a "lukewarm" statement that declined to take a side and refused to criticize President Trump's Justice Department. Then, instead of joining his Republican colleague Sen. Cory Gardner and taking action, Heller just sat on the sidelines--showing how little he cared about protecting Nevada's marijuana businesses and jobs, and the critical state budget revenue they generate.

2. When the Trump administration threatened to squash Nevada's half-billion dollar marijuana industry by rescinding the Cole Memo, Laxalt stood idly by instead of fighting Trump's interference.

6. OPIOID CRISIS:

1. As Trump dragged his feet on a federal response to the opioid crisis for nearly an entire year, 115 people a day died as a result -- but Laxalt failed to push Trump for action.