EDITORIAL: Lombardo steers Nevada toward normal after cyberattack

Name something that comes to mind when you think of MGM Resorts. You might say gaming, one of its many hotels or a major sporting event that took place in the MGM Grand Garden. You’re unlikely to think about a major cyberattack in 2023 that devastated the company.

That’s a perspective worth remembering as Nevada state government continues to be crippled by a major cyberattack. Many state websites remain down. Most government offices are still closed, and the Nevada Department of Motor Vehicles just reopened Tuesday with limited services. Some data was taken, but the extent of the breach isn’t clear. Nevada officials have determined that this is a ransomware attack.

The good news is that many essential state functions continue to operate. The public can still call 911. After a week of being offline, some DMV services are now available online. Funds have been sent to school districts. Medicaid claims and firearm background checks are being processed.

While state government can’t remain hampered indefinitely, it’s likely the shutdown had little direct effect on most Nevadans. That’s a good reminder that government has a unique, but limited role. State government is needed for things like enforcing laws, provide some services, like the DMV, and building and maintain state roadways. But it oversteps its bounds when it tries to determine societal outcomes, like picking winners and losers in the economy.

Unsurprisingly, the Nevada Democratic Party used the opportunity to criticize Gov. Joe Lombardo. It questioned why the governor wasn’t at the initial news conference about the event.

Now, if Mr. Lombardo had been on a lobbyist-funded overseas trip, like the ones Attorney General Aaron Ford frequently takes, that would be a justified attack. It would be merited if he had imitated Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass and traveled to Africa while there was a high risk of wildfires.

But Mr. Lombardo was meeting Nevadans in Elko. And the next day, he spoke at a news conference. If Mr. Lombardo canceled previously scheduled events, his political opponents could criticize him for avoiding the public.

This is a serious crisis, but also a unique one. There isn’t a specific location for Mr. Lombardo to go to, like there would be during a wildfire. He can’t provide water and supplies to victims, like after a hurricane. He isn’t single-handedly reprogramming the state’s computer infrastructure either. He’s managing the response.

So far, there has been steady progress toward recovery and normalcy. If that continues, voters are unlikely to remember this cyberattack by November, let alone in November 2026. Just ask MGM.

The views expressed above are those of the Las Vegas Review-Journal.