LAS VEGAS (AP) - A federal judge has, for the second time, refused to block a Nevada State Bar investigation of a Las Vegas lawyer running for attorney general.
U.S. District Court Judge Philip Pro in Las Vegas acknowledged in a nine-page ruling issued Thursday that Jacob Hafter is suffering some political fallout from the probe.
But the judge said the State Bar is obligated to investigate whether the Republican candidate breached professional ethics with comments he was accused of making about Democratic incumbent Attorney General Catherine Cortez Masto.
Pro said the Bar investigation should be completed without federal court interference.
The judge also refused to dismiss Hafter's suit alleging State Bar investigators were undercutting his First Amendment right to political speech as a candidate.
Early voting for the June 8 primary begins today.