Who’s Knocking at My Door?

If it isn't the bumbling buffalo herd of Sparks City Councilmen preening and pawing at new lows of small-town campaign shenanigans. This sordid video exposition lays bare the cringeworthy politics we've come to expect from Mayor Lawson’s coterie of credibility-bereft male council members.

Okay, we admit it we’ve gotten a lot of mileage out of writing about the City of Sparks Mayor Ed Lawson’s “Good Old Boys” – Councilmen Donald Abbot, Kristopher Dahir, and Paul Anderson, but this latest video we have been sent is just too delightful not to post.

Let’s start by dissecting the alleged motivations behind this motley assemblage, shall we? The meager municipal remuneration seems a paltry prize for such zany, self-immolating stuntsmanship. We checked their pay, and have listed what they make per year, sure when they retire the PERS System life will be rosy but right now they aren’t flying anywhere 1st Class.

Donald Abbott – The Donald, has what appears a blatant vote-splitting Ghost Candidate solely to siphon tallies from that upstart Garvey gal. Luckily, Abbott has Chris Garvey and an individual running who just happens to be a Republican, who has not raised a dime, put up a sign, has a website or basically been seen since he registered to run. How lucky can Abbott be? The candidate is a relative of an individual Abbott appointed to the Sparks Senior Advisory Board, so maybe someone wanted to help Abbott out, you know, ethics, schmethics.

Abbott is hoping to split the Republican vote (yes, we know this is a nonpartisan race, but trust us we know what we talk about) and take votes away from Chris Garvey with a ghost candidate. “The Donald” is hoping to squeak through with 50% +1 so he isn’t faced with a general election. Questionable as all heck, we wonder if Donald “thanked his lucky stars” while popping a few brewskies with the guys and gals who endorsed him after he left them a few six packs of Abbott logoed beer, you know the Public Safety Alliance of Nevada.

Kristopher Dahir – Councilman Dahir's mislabeling hoodwinkery campaign is in full swing because nothing preserves trust in civic institutions like patently deceptive promotional materials designed to gaslight constituents into falsely ascribing crucial union endorsements. We’re sure Spark’s first responders are beaming with pride watching Dahir exploit their professional cachet, with the names of retired endorsees. Dahir is hoping voters won’t look closely at the campaign flyer with his team of retired endorsements.

Let’s not forget Dahir was trying to get sign locations close to the home of his opponent, Joe Rodriguez, so perhaps Dahir could claim or hope for the appearance that Joe’s neighbors don’t like him or support him. Attempting to show lack of neighborhood support wouldn't trigger immediate public backlash these days. An artless ploy that belongs stuffed in the dustbin of bad campaigns lore.

Paul Anderson - who is no stranger to campaign problems, just think of his last election, in 2020, where he blamed everyone but himself for the “mistake” that was made on a campaign mailer.

Anderson's scorching return to the Shady Political Playbook in 2024 surprised even PIcon - dispatching his dear wife (decked outrageously out in Sparks Fire accoutrements, AKA T-Shirt, no less) to play-act public outreach before hotfooting from any form of confrontation. Will the civic chutzpah ever cease? You would think Anderson might have learned a lesson four years ago, but no.

Picon and everyone else in the Truckee Meadows has had this video shared for our viewing pleasure. Picon seems to be the only media who are snarky enough to question what the heck is going on, or perhaps we’re the only media who recognized this is Mr. Paul Anderson walking for her hubby, Donna.

Hold the phone it gets worse, remember what we wrote about Dahir and wanting to give the appearance that Sparks Police and Fire are backing him, well Donna Anderson wanted the people whose doors she was knocking to think Anderson has the same support. Check out the Sparks Fire T-Shirt she is wearing, while announcing she is dropping off literature for Paul. Tacky.

In the video, when she hits the porch and puts down the flyer, announcing to the resident who she was walking for, it must have dawned on Donna she might be at the wrong door, because not only did she pick up the campaign flyer, but she skedaddled off the porch as fast as her feet would carry her. Can someone tell us who’s door this was? Just because we’re nosy.

Our question is this a campaign violation for Paul, his wife wearing a Sparks Fire T-shirt, while canvassing, asking people to vote for her husband.

These three council members have utterly shed the last vestiges of integrity.

Picon suggests in the face of these political hijinks by Abbott, Dahir, and Anderson it might be time for a change in Sparks, or at the very least, vote so that all three of these candidates will have to campaign until November.

Please DO NOT give any of them the gift of 50% +1 and allow them to retain their seats in the primary, because if they have sunk this low after only a few months of running primary campaigns we simply cannot wait to learn what gamesmanship they have planned if they are faced with general elections.

Picon wants to put our feet up, pop a “The Donald” brewskie and continue to watch the campaign calliope blare away in the City of Sparks.