Nevada Governor was confronted by a man. According to video that was widely circulated Monday, Steve Sisolak launched into a profanity-laced and threatening rant in a Las Vegas restaurant.
It happened Sunday night when Sisolak was with his wife and one his daughters at dinner. Sisolak is approached by a man wearing a red T-shirt reading “Cannabis and Combat”, apparently to take a picture.
Sisolak is insulted by the man who wraps his arm around him.
Sisolak, a Democrat simply replies “I’m sorry” before he walks away.
The man follows him and shouts “new World Order, Traitors!”
The far right uses the phrase “new global order” often as part of a conspiracy theory about secret society seeking world dominance.
Sisolak’s red shirt-wearing man follows Sisolak and Kathy Ong into the parking lot. He accuses Sisolak of conspiring with China to defeat the U.S.
The man replies, “We should string your up by [a] lamppost right away.”
A third man enters the fray to join the confrontation. He added: “They hang traitors.” That’s amazing, I think.
The video was uploaded to an Instagram account called Cannabis and Combat. However, the creator didn’t immediately return several emails and phone calls seeking comment on Tuesday.
Meghin Delaney (Sisolak’s communications director) said that the references to China were clearly a racial slur directed at Sisolak and his wife.
“He is deeply dissatisfied in the way this incident unfolded,” Delaney stated in a statement.
“We can disagree on the issues but the personal attacks or threats against Nevadans are unwarranted and unwelcome.”
Sisolak thanked the employees of restaurants for their efforts to calm down the situation.
Delaney said, “The Governor works for all Nevadans — even the ones who disagree with him — he will continue doing so.”
“He appreciated the professionalism displayed by the restaurant employees, and looks forward to continuing his support for Nevada’s small businesses. “The Governor encourages Nevadans to be kind and generous to each other.”
Sisolak has recently lifted an indoor mask mandate that was statewide in order to curb the spread of Covid-19.
Although the restaurant’s staff did not seem to mention the restrictions, Sisolak has come under fire from critics for the Covid mandates, especially in rural areas, far away from major cities such as Las Vegas.
Sisolak will be running for reelection in this fall’s down cycle for Democratic incumbents. Recent polls show him with narrow margins against potential Republican challengers.
