Nevada Democrat Gov. Steve Sisolak and Wife Threatened During Frightening Altercation at Restaurant
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Denise Truscello/Getty Steve (left) and Kathy Sisolak
Nevada Gov. Steve Sisolak and his wife Kathy were involved in a harrowing encounter this week, when two men screamed racist and violent threats at the couple — and filmed it — as they attempted to dine at a restaurant.
In a statement shared to Twitter this week, Sisolak's communications director explained that the incident happened Sunday, while the governor was walking through a restaurant to have dinner with his wife and one of his daughters.
"The Governor was approached by a customer in the establishment who asked to take a photo with him. The Governor often greets Nevadans in public with a quick handshake, conversation or a picture — talking to Nevadans is one of the Governor's favorite parts of his job," the statement read.
What happened next was caught on video and obtained by the Las Vegas Review-Journal.
In the video, a man poses for a selfie with Sisolak, then begins berating him, launching into a number of conspiracy theories and calling him a "New World Order traitor piece of s---."
"Sorry to hear that," Sisolak says to the man, after posing for what he had thought was a photo.
"You're in here without security?" the man then asked, as Sisolak turned to walk away.
Following behind him, the man — and another man, who was seemingly holding the camera while also yelling — continued to call him a "piece of s---," claiming he had "hidden the hydroxychloroquine" (a malaria drug the FDA has cautioned against using to treat COVID-19, despite claims from conspiracy theorists).
When Sisolak and his wife attempt to leave, a second man began following them out of the restaurant, shouting that the official deserved to be hanged and making racist remarks.
"China piece-of-s----," they yell at Sisolak and his wife, who is of Chinese descent, as the couple walked in to the parking lot.
"We should string you up by lamp posts right now," that man said, while the other says that's what they do to "traitors."
"You're running into a patriot now," the other man continued screaming. "Where's your security at?"
According to the statement released by the governor's spokesperson, Sisolak "is deeply disappointed in how this incident unfolded, particularly with the language used to talk about First Lady Kathy Sisolak's heritage. We can disagree about the issues, but the personal attacks and threats are unwarranted, unwelcome and unbecoming behavior for Nevadans."
The governor's office said it would have no further comment on the incident, citing an ongoing investigation.
One of the men in the video has since been identified by news outlets as Justin Andersch, a right wing podcaster who has taken credit for accosting the couple and said in a press conference that he "will not apologize."
Speaking at an event in Las Vegas Tuesday, Sisolak made only a few remarks about the incident, telling reporters, "Everybody's safe and I want to say that I can't comment - there's an ongoing investigation that they're dealing with and I'll let that play out before I make any further comments."
Lawmakers and election officials from around the country have said they've been on the receiving end of often graphic death threats in the wake of the 2020 presidential election, which former President Donald Trump has continued to falsely claim was stolen from him. A rise in racist, violent, anti-Asian attacks have also been on the rise in recent months and years.
