(Chuck Muth) – There’s an old saying that it’s better to keep your mouth shut and be thought a fool than to open it and remove all doubt.
Nye County School Board Trustee Chelsy Fischer obviously never heard it.
And after reading about the nasty hissy fit she threw this week, I gotta believe this court jester was weaned on a pickle and raised by Sigal Chattah. Totally bonkers.
As Joe Biden would say, here’s the deal…
Bobby and Sandy Ellis are bona fide Nevada treasures. There should be an official Bob & Sandy Day in the state. If you’re not familiar with their unbelievably generous work on behalf of disadvantaged Nevada students, click here.
There’s even a school in Clark County named after them. But as the saying goes, no good deed goes unpunished. Get this…
For years now, Bob and Sandy – through their Robert and Sandra Ellis Charitable Foundation – have “adopted” public schools serving primarily low-income families and have provided all of their students with new shoes, clothing, and toys/gifts every Christmas season.
For some kids, it’s the ONLY gift they get. They’re distributed at annual student assemblies in the schools’ gymnasiums or cafeterias. And, of course, Santa usually makes an appearance!
In addition to the funding provided by the Ellis Foundation, Bobby also accepts donations from other individuals for the project. Our family has kicked in a few shekels and I’ve attended the events at Reynaldo Martinez Elementary School in Las Vegas.
In recent years, Bob and Sandy have extended the number of schools they help beyond Clark County and into various small, rural communities. I remember a couple years ago driving up to Caliente for that school’s event. The students, teachers and principal were ecstatic.
Here’s just one example of the hundreds of emails Bob & Sandy have received in response…
“Bobby, your generosity continues to astound us! Thank you so very much for the delivery of toys and shoes for the students this year. Attached are the pictures of all the students with their shoes and toys. In a world where we get so wrapped up in ourselves, it’s nice to see true examples of the spirit of giving. Again, thank you so very much for your continued support of the students in our building!”
– Marianne Ekenstam, Assistant Principal, Ute V. Perkins Elementary
So with that out of the way, here’s what happened this week…
On Monday Bobby sent an email to various principals and school officials in Nye County letting them know that Gov. Joe Lombardo, Assemblymen Greg Hafen and Greg Koenig (who both represent parts of Nye County), and former Assemblyman John Ellison had reached out to him asking that Nye County schools be considered for inclusion in the Christmas project this year.
Bobby continued…
“We are delighted to announce that the following schools: Round Mountain, Beatty, Tonopah, Gabbs, and Amargosa Valley, will each receive: For grades PrK-6th: a pair of Skechers tennis shoes and two pairs of socks, along with a wonderful toy from CURACAO. Middle and high school students will receive a pair of Skechers tennis shoes and two pairs of socks.”
I’m telling ya, the man has a heart of GOLD!
Bobby went on to note that Eleana Drobkin, who’s been volunteering on this project for almost 20 years, would this year be ordering “8,000 Sketchers tennis shoes, 16,000 pairs of socks, and 6,000 toys for the schools and charities supported by the (Ellis) Foundation.”
He added that “Each school will receive a check at the beginning of the school year in August 2024, to be used at the discretion of the principal.” And from past experience, I can tell you it’s a rather generous check.
I mean, seriously, who could possibly have a problem with this?
Um, Chelsey Fischer.
The next day she threw a temper-tantrum and fired off an angry email rant to Bobby, and others who were on his original email chain, claiming he had inserted “politics” into project.
This is just braindead stupid. Bobby had simply responded to a request from three elected officials currently representing Nye County and one former Assemblyman.
“When I graciously welcomed you all for a visit, I never thought it would be politically motivated,” Fischer wrote. “Our children are not political pawns and are not for sale. … It is extremely disheartening to have a charitable donation turn political in this email.”
WTF?
There was nothing “political” about Bobby and Sandy’s generous announcement other than mentioning the fact that some elected officials had reached out to them to request help for the students of Nye County.
As for the events themselves, I can tell you from first-hand experience that they’re also totally non-partisan. Prominent Democrats and Republicans, conservative and liberal, regularly join forces and volunteer side-by-side to help promote and execute this huge annual program.
So what crawled up Fisher’s butt and made her blood boil?
First, she doesn’t like Gov. Lombardo. She’s upset that he didn’t appoint her to a slot on the State Board of Education and didn’t veto a bill she thought he should have. And she’s attacked him unmercifully over it on social media ever since.
But it’s not just that. It’s personal. She’s got her knickers in a knot over what she claims the governor did to her at a recent event (grammar in the original) …
“In fact, he snubbed me at our Nye Lincoln day dinner, the only school board member in the room he chose to not recognize during his recognition of elected officials in the room. Let me tell you, it did not go unnoticed by our constituents. He can continue on this chosen path to undermine and discredit me. I do not need his validation or endorsement, my work ethic and track record speaks for itself.”
So this is really all about her getting her widdle feelings hurt.
Fischer also got her panties in a twist over Bobby mentioning Assemblyman Ellison in his original email. Why? Because Ellison is running this year for the State Senate in a newly-drawn district that now includes parts of Nye County.
And why did this send her into a full-blown meltdown?
Because – even though she hasn’t even finished the second year of her first term on the school board – she’s ALSO (foolishly) running for the same Senate seat.
For the record, Ellison racked up a lifetime conservative voting record of 90% during his 12 years in the State Assembly. Why in the world would some still-wet-behind-the-ears rookie school board member, who considers herself a conservative, run against HIM?
What a joke.
Anyway, in response to Fischer’s rant, Ms. Drobkin replied…
“I am not only a part of the Bob and Sandy Ellis Charitable Foundation, but I am also a founding member going back nearly 20 years. First off, we at no point have ever used any children in any capacity and insinuating that is not only insulting it’s just ignorant. You clearly know nothing about what we do or who we are.
“Many local, state and federally elected officials, current and past, on both sides of the aisle have been staunch supporters of ours and close personal friends of Bob and Sandy. They are contributors to the schools; they show up and they help deliver to the 7,000 kids within the four or five counties in our state. All volunteers.
“You are clearly ignorant of all the things Bob and Sandy have done for education in Nevada and for the thousands and thousands of families. I’m not sure where you get off saying this is in any way shape or form politically motivated since you know nothing.”
Clearly ignorant and knows nothing. Couldn’t have said it better myself.
Responded the thin-skinned, butt-hurt snowflake…
“Perhaps you are actually the one not informed in the sequence of events and who was involved. Nor will I tolerate your insults and derogatory remarks towards myself. … Take your condescending tone somewhere else. … Please stop with your wild assumptions and ill informed, vile insults. Again, please save your insults, name calling and ill manners for someone else. You know nothing about me, what I know, don’t know and this is about the most disrespectful email I have received from someone.”
Methinks thou doth protest too much.
Somewhere there’s a straight-jacked being knitted for this card-carrying member of the Loon Platoon. But I mean that in a good Christian way, of course.
FAMOUS LAST WORDS
“Bob Ellis’ incredible kindness has left an impact on lives that cannot be measured. I am a better man because Bob is in my life.” – Peter Guzman, president of the Las Vegas Latin Chamber of Commerce, speaking for all of us who know and love Bob and Sandy
Mr. Muth is president of Citizen Outreach, publisher of Nevada News & Views, and founder of CampaignDoctor.com. You can sign up for his conservative, Nevada-focused e-newsletter at MuthsTruths.com. His views are his own.
