How Laxalt won

A spotlight has been thrown by a New York Times investigation on a campaign contributor that kept Adam Laxalt's bid for Nevada attorney general alive this year—the Republican Attorney General's Association (RAGA).

In a 5,644-word report, the Times reported on the way corporate lobbyists have turned their attention with growing success to state attorneys general, wining and dining them to get them to drop consumer fraud probes or lawsuits. RAGA has been a prominent vehicle for funneling money in this process. There is also a Democratic Attorney General's Association, though Democrats initially resisted forming one, concerned that such groups would politicize their official missions. But to stay competitive with Republicans, they went ahead and created DAGA, and—what do you know?—their official missions have become increasingly political.

“I wish those two organizations did not exist,” Missouri Attorney General Chris Koster—who has received a lot of campaign money from DAGA—told the Times.

DAGA has never been able to provide the kind of money RAGA has. RAGA has a club with a $125,000 admission fee that it uses to fund campaigns. The group poured millions into Laxalt's campaign when he appeared doomed after documents from his former law firms described him as marginally competent, bringing his candidacy back to life. Laxalt has not yet filed his post-election contribution disclosure report. DAGA gave money to his Democratic opponent, Ross Miller, but not in the same volume.

The Las Vegas Sands, the Times reported, gave a half-million dollars to RAGA. Its lobbyist has been pushing state AGs to oppose bans on online poker. Nevada's weak lobbyist disclosure laws, like many state statutes, do not cover the attorney general's office.