Michele Fiore should not sit on any judicial bench especially not after betraying public trust for personal gain.

Fiore, a former Las Vegas city councilwoman and state lawmaker, was convicted of federal wire fraud after raising more than $70,000 meant to honor a slain police officer but instead she spent it on personal luxuries like plastic surgery, rent, and her daughter’s wedding. Federal prosecutors made it clear: she used a tragedy to line her own pockets.

Facing decades in prison, Fiore was recently pardoned by Donald Trump. Now, she plans to return to her position as a judge in Nye County, Nevada despite the fact that she was suspended without pay because of her criminal conviction.

This is unacceptable.

Judges are supposed to embody fairness, honesty, and respect for the law. Fiore’s actions show the opposite: a willingness to exploit public trust for personal enrichment. Her return to the bench would damage the credibility of the Nevada court system and send a dangerous message  that corruption carries no consequences.

We demand the Nevada Commission on Judicial Discipline and Nye County officials take immediate steps to permanently disqualify Michele Fiore from serving as a judge.

Our communities deserve judges who uphold the law and not ones who think they are above it.

[Photo Credit:  (AP Photo/John Locher, File)]