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Michele Fiore to be suspended from her position as a Pahrump judge

Michele Fiore, the Nye County judge who has been indicted on federal wire fraud and conspiracy charges, will be suspended from the bench by the Nevada Commission on Judicial Discipline, according to an order released Wednesday.

Fiore, 53, of Pahrump, was indicted by a Las Vegas grand jury on July 16. Prosecutors allege that as a Las Vegas city councilwoman, she raised more than $70,000 for a fallen officers memorial, but spent the money on herself and her daughter’s wedding. Fiore has pleaded not guilty.

The suspension will begin at 12:01 a.m. Friday and Fiore will be paid while she’s suspended.

State law calls for the Commission on Judicial Discipline to suspend a judge who is indicted for a felony charge, but Fiore continued to hold hearings after she was indicted. Commission staff previously said that they were aware of Fiore’s indictment, but declined further comment.

Karl Armstrong, a member of the commission, said the suspension timeline depends on how fast the paperwork goes and whether the judge in question wants a hearing, which they are entitled to have. If a judge chooses not to contest the intended suspension, the judge is taken off the bench immediately, he said.

The commission said Michael Sanft, Fiore’s attorney, waived her right to a hearing. Sanft could not be reached for comment Wednesday evening.

In a Wednesday statement, Fiore, a supporter of the Bundy family in its conflict with the federal government, discussed the Bundys’ conflict with federal authorities and the fact that federal charges were dismissed against them because of prosecutorial misconduct.

“As I go through this distressing and challenging time, fight again, and bring light to the shadows, I ask only for your prayers and support,” the statement says in part. “You have entrusted me with your votes because I will always stand for our Constitution and our rights as proud citizens under one flag, even at significant personal cost.”

Statement from Justice of the Peace Michele Fiore by Las Vegas Review-Journal on Scribd

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