The Nevada Commission on Ethics voted to reject a proposed stipulated settlement with Dwayne McClinton, director of the Governor’s Office of Energy, after commissioners said the agreement undercut prior enforcement precedents.

The commission’s investigation, opened on the commission’s own motion in October 2024, examined whether McClinton accepted tickets to a Vegas Golden Knights game and attended an exclusive partner event while the team sought sponsorships and funding involving the director’s office. Executive Director Ross Armstrong told the commission staff concluded there was sufficient evidence to refer the matter and negotiated a settlement in which McClinton would agree to a willful violation of the gifts prohibition, repay the estimated value of one ticket and require ethics training for himself and staff.

Chief Deputy Attorney General Greg Ott, representing McClinton, said the director believed there was an educational benefit to attending and observing how sponsorships and in‑arena partnerships function. “He thought this was a good opportunity to get the message about some of the good work that his office does out,” Ott said, describing why McClinton accepted the invitation.

Under the proposed stipulation McClinton would acknowledge a willful violation of the commission’s prohibition on gifts, be admonished by the commission, repay staff’s estimate of one ticket’s value (commission staff estimated about $450) and complete training within 60 days. Staff told commissioners there was no evidence that the governor’s office of energy ever transferred funds to the Golden Knights and that no sponsorship agreement was finalized.

Commissioners debated the penalty. Some members cited prior cases in which the commission imposed fines in addition to restitution, and several said a fine would better match precedent. The parties disagreed over the ticket’s value—McClinton’s counsel placed the likely value in the $100–$200 range, while staff estimated about $450—and commissioners also discussed whether both tickets should be reimbursed (McClinton received two tickets and used both).

A motion to approve the stipulation failed for lack of a second. A subsequently made and seconded motion to reject the settlement passed; Vice Chair Wallen and Commissioner Moran abstained because they had served on the review panel and were precluded from participating further. The commission’s chair instructed staff and counsel to return to the parties to try to negotiate a settlement that would be more consistent with commission precedent on fines and restitution, or to proceed to a full hearing if the parties cannot agree.

Commissioners also asked staff to clarify the record on whether department fiscal staff or counsel had been consulted before any effort to identify sponsorship funding; staff said communications show fiscal staff were involved in investigating funding sources but no funds were transferred.