Just four months after being chosen as the majority leader of the Nevada Senate, openly gay Democratic lawmaker Kelvin Atkinson has resigned amid charges of campaign fund misuse.
Atkinson announced his resignation on the floor of the state Senate on Tuesday, March 5. The 49-year-old had represented Nevada’s 4th district since February 2013 and was picked to be majority leader in November 2018.
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During his resignation speech, Atkinson announced his intention to plead guilty to the federal charges, according to the Las Vegas Review-Journal.
“As I rise in this body for what will be the final time, it is with great sadness I am announcing my resignation from the state Senate and this legislative body,” he said.
“Due to mistakes I have made, I will be vacating my seat immediately. Regretfully, it has been discovered that I have used campaign funds for personal use. Thus I will be taking full responsibility for that and be pleading guilty for those actions when the time comes.”
He added: “I’m embarrassed, I’m ashamed and I’m truly, truly sorry. I pray for your forgiveness.”
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On Twitter, Nevada Governor Steve Sisolak wrote, “I am extremely disappointed in the news that Kelvin Atkinson misappropriated campaign funds for his personal use. This admitted violation of the law goes against the integrity every elected officer in the state of Nevada should uphold. By doing so, he betrayed the trust of the public, and therefore should be held accountable.”
I am extremely disappointed in the news that Kelvin Atkinson misappropriated campaign funds for his personal use. This admitted violation of the law goes against the integrity every elected officer in the state of Nevada should uphold. (1/3)
— Governor Sisolak (@GovSisolak) March 5, 2019
By doing so, he betrayed the trust of the public, and therefore should be held accountable. (2/3)
— Governor Sisolak (@GovSisolak) March 5, 2019
As governor, I look forward to working with legislative leadership, including Acting Leader Nicole Cannizzaro, to ensure our state government operates with the high standards of transparency and integrity that Nevadans deserve. #nvleg (3/3)
— Governor Sisolak (@GovSisolak) March 5, 2019
Within hours of Atkinson’s resignation, Nevada Senate Democrats picked Sen. Nicole Cannizzaro as the new majority leader. She is Nevada’s first female Senate majority leader.
Atkinson, meanwhile, was the first black state Senate majority leader in the United States. He and his husband, Sherwood Howard, were also the first same-sex couple to legally marry in Nevada, as he said on Twitter after they tied the knot in 2014.
QueerTruth
UGH. Damn it. How incredibly disappointing.
Ronbo
What’s next? A bunch of haters coming in this site and demeaning the most popular Democrats in the nation? We finally have elected Senators and House members who support policy that is popular to the majority of the public: medicare for all, a living wage and hope for affordable education by expanding public education!
iamru2
Hope AOC is next! She is ruing the great Democratic Party!
iamru2
Ruining for those who can’t figure it out or tell it’s a typo! Typing while on a bumpy bus on the streets of SF not recommended!
Juanjo
Honey, you are about as sincere as Donald Trump discussing the needs of blue collar workers and even less intelligent.
Brian
She definitely could be, there’s already a complaint about her funds being diverted into private accounts which she basically confirmed. We just have to wait and see if she’s exploiting a legal loophole or if she’s stone cold busted.
I hope she sticks around, the entertainment value is off the charts.
PoetDaddy
Congratulations for being the biggest asshole on social media today!
PanzerRider
Everyone in my office of 12 people is a pretty hard core conservative. Each and everyone of them absolutely loves AOC. They believe she is doing more to get Trump re-elected than Trump himself. As painful as it might be to admit there is a grain of truth in this sentiment. She might want to consider taking her foot of the pedal and take a more thoughtful approach to her agenda.
Jared MacBride
“Regretfully, it has been discovered . . .” – like most con men he only regrets being caught. At least this one admitted it.
Aromaeus
Well thanks for hurting the chances of another openly gay person of color running a-hole.
Wicked Dickie
Aromaeus, many, many, many, many, many, many-many-many white, heterosexual people have been ejected from elected offices over impropriety. Just because one black gay man was not honest, does not mean that another black gay man cannot be an honest politician.
fur_hunter
What a STUPID F*CKTARD!!!! How is it that he does not realize that Gay Representatives have to be cleaner that squeaky CLEAN? Those religions @$$ holes are constantly looking for SOMETHING to get rid of Gay folks. He has just made it more difficult for another gay person to be elected, much less a BLACK gay person. For the damage you have done, as far as I’m concerned you can fade into obscurity, Eat $H!T and die!
Kangol
Isn’t that a bit over the top? The man resigned. Where is all of your anger coming from?
Rock-N-RollHS
must be hard being you.
rodzilla
DANG! why are we so harsh and judgmental so often? i have no idea what could have motivated him to do what he did originally (there could have been extenuating circumstances) but he did take the higher path in the end.
Brian
What extenuating circumstances would make what he did ok? He stole money. Unless he stole it to buy food for his starving family, there are no extenuating circumstances. He’s a common, lowlife thief.
Rock-N-RollHS
@ Divine, aka “Lady McBrian,” you’re so morally clean you probably don’t need toilet paper. It’s admirable. Seriously. I can never keep enough rolls in stock!
But “misuse of funds” is so general. Trump has been misusing funds galore. And that bitch is still standing. Did Atkinson redecorate his room to look like Downton Abbey or the Boggie Down? A mystery wrapped in an enigma. Only Jesus knows.
niles
So sick and tired of these people embarrassing the community with their crappy behavior. If it’s not lying about assaults, it’s stealing or acting like a complete and out of control sex fiend preying on others. If you want to be a public figure or be involved in politics start acting like decent human beings. Being gay does not give you a free pass.
Kangol
Kelvin Atkinson erred badly, he admitted to it, he’s stepping down from his post. He screwed up and he’s paying the price. That’s more than many politicians are willing to do.
Jboo
@Jared MacBride – Thank you! My thoughts exactly!
And see? The gays are just like everybody else – they can misappropriate funds and violate federal laws like the straights. That’s straight up 21st century equality in action right there. (I hope we get to learn what it was for – like some sexy go-go dancer or something. I like a juicy scandal).
GayEGO
Absolutely! We are like everyone else and some of us oops it now and then!
Rock-N-RollHS
If only he were a Republican and worked for Trump!
Oh, the false purity of the Democrats. They are trapped in an optics game they will never escape.
GayEGO
We forgive you Kelvin and we appreciate your apology and resigning from the Senate. This just goes to show civilization that all genders have occasional mess ups!
GentlemanCaller
Thus demonstrating that in fact, no one is made more virtuous by any accident of birth. We’re all terrible.
PLAYS WELL WITH OTHERS
Don’t be so hard on him. He was simply trying to fit in and act like a Republican.