The legislative Select Committee considering what to do with Assemblyman Steven Brooks, D-North Las Vegas, will hold its hearing at 6 p.m. Tuesday in the Carson City Courthouse.
The panel headed by Majority Leader William Horne, D-Las Vegas, is considering a range of responses to Brooks’ bizarre conduct from no action to expulsion from the Assembly.
At the same time, the committee and Legislative Counsel Bureau had to respond Wednesday to the Nevada Supreme Court where Brooks has filed a petition demanding an order he be seated.
That response basically points out that Brooks is asking for a remedy he already has since he was seated in the Assembly on the opening day of the 2013 session.
The response also points out that Brooks is being given full due process through the hearing process and has the right to defend himself and his actions. It says that court intervention isn’t warranted at this time.
The response also repeatedly points out that the decision whether to expel or discipline a member belongs, under the state constitution, exclusively to the legislative body involved — in this case, the Assembly — not to the legislature as a whole or to the judicial or executive branch of government.
Brooks was, however, banned from the legislative building by an order Horne signed because of concerns for his safety and the safety of employees and members of the Legislature.
The case began after Brooks reportedly threatened physical violence against Speaker Marilyn Kirkpatrick, also D-North Las Vegas. He has since denied making threats. That was followed by a domestic battery case involving his estranged wife, an incident involving a sword at his grandmother’s home and allegations he tried to take the duty weapon of one of the arresting officers.
Later he was denied in his attempt to purchase a hunting rifle at Scheel’s in Sparks where he is reportedly staying with a relative.