NSHE Chancellor Melody Rose spun paranoid election conspiracies. Collaborated with GOP scribe. More
Update: 9:02 am - In response to a request for comment from Political.tips NSHE Regent Laura Perkins released this statement regarding Chancellor Rose, "The Chancellor's political views were never considered during the interview process. And I believe that mail-in ballots have been proven to increase voter turn out."
Yesterday Nevada Governor Steve Sisolak wrote a letter of support for the embattled Nevada System of Higher Education Chancellor Melody Rose. The missive from the Governor, addressed to the NSHE Board of Regents, touts Rose as “data-driven” and praises her ability as a, “team-builder.” However, in light of resurfaced opinions from the long time higher education professional, Sisolak may find himself pausing over the terms he used in describing the controversial leader of Nevada’s colleges and universities.
A review of writings and quotes from Rose, recently labeled as disingenuous in two different sections of an independent third party investigation into her accusations against multiple Regents under whose oversight she operates, has been found to contain a vast number of conspiracy theories and tropes that strike at the heart of Governor Sisolak’s, “groundbreaking legislation” expanding voting rights for Nevadans.
In using language similar in tone and context to former President Donald J. Trump, and his “big lie” Silver State ally Adam Laxalt, Rose’s words undercut the work of Sisolak, United States Attorney nominee Jason Frierson, and members of the Nevada Legislature.
In an interview with John Fund, a longtime writer for The National Review and contributor to the Federalist Society, Rose warned that mail in balloting brings with it, “a perpetual risk of systemic fraud.” Later Rose, whom Fund variously refers to as a “liberal” and “liberal professor," offered an anecdote of overflowing ballots that could have been creatively manipulated to suit her own purposes and suggested that voting by mail lessened the sense of community.
Upon publication of his book Stealing Elections, which Media Matters labeled a "fraud," Fund praised Rose in his acknowledgement section for offering him, “indispensable help.”
Rose’s discussion with Fund was not the only time she spread allegations and offered up paranoid rumors on the issue of mail in voting. The Los Angeles Times quotes Rose as saying, “I don’t have much faith in that process,” she then added, “I can forge my husband’s signature perfectly.”
The same Times article offers the results of a study from Rose indicating high levels of fraud associated with the exercise of casting their vote by mail. While the study was preliminary and the methodology unavailable to readers, Rose used it to unfairly indict a vast swath of the American public, presuming widespread criminal intent to the Times, which reported that Rose “suspects…people are reluctant to admit being party to a crime.”
While Rose made the comments above to independent publications, she also authored her own piece on the matter in The Oregonian. In the long winded, rambling piece, Rose went into full “Big Lie” mode, utilizing her imagination to launch into a diatribe describing multiple schemes of voting subterfuge and hysteria.
While Rose concocted a noxious brew of rank speculation, tired conspiracies and a felonious yarn designed to impede the most precious of all rights, others voices in Nevada and elsewhere have debunked the claims she peddled.
Neutral, trusted, arbiters including John L. Smith who published a column in The Nevada Independent titled, “Vote-by-mail legislation smart, safe, secure, and it’s driving GOP nuts,” and Steve Sebelius who blasted out a bolded piece in The Las Vegas Review headlined, “No fraud, lawbreaking in mail election,” have scoffed at the notions that Rose has so often espoused. This is in addition to a multitude of national publications such as ProPublica, The New York Times, and Time Magazine, which have all pushed back on the dangerous ideas to which Melody Rose subscribes.
As the dates for candidate registration loom in the #WeMatter State's 2022 elections, neither Nevada residents, the Board of Regents nor Steve Sisolak can afford to support a person so dangerous to democracy as Melody Rose being at the helm of a leadership position influencing so many young voters.
When Governor Sisolak put out a press release blasting then President Trump’s attempts at assailing mail in ballots and undermining, “one of the core pillars of our democracy,” he also implored all Nevadan’s to, “support our election workers, trust this process and respect the results when they are certified as final.”
No doubt this call to support freedom included Rose as well.
In questioning the bedrock foundation of Nevada’s elections system, and having railed against the cornerstone principle allowing for its historic implementation with unfounded vitriol, the Chancellor has rendered herself unqualified for her position.
Melody Rose must resign now or be relieved of her role by the Board of Regents.