Catherine Cortez Masto

Catherine Cortez Masto
United States Senator
from Nevada
Elect
Taking office
January 3, 2017
Succeeding Harry Reid
32nd Attorney General of Nevada
In office
January 1, 2007 – January 5, 2015
Governor Jim Gibbons
Brian Sandoval
Preceded by George Chanos
Succeeded by Adam Laxalt
Personal details
Born Catherine Marie Cortez
(1964-03-29) March 29, 1964
Las Vegas, Nevada, U.S.
Political party Democratic
Spouse(s) Paul Masto
Alma mater University of Nevada, Reno (BS)
Gonzaga University (JD)
Website Campaign website

Catherine Marie Cortez Masto (born March 29, 1964) is an American attorney and politician who is the United States Senator-elect from Nevada. She is a member of the Democratic Party.

Cortez Masto graduated from University of Nevada, Reno and Gonzaga University School of Law. She worked four years as a civil attorney in Las Vegas and two years as a criminal prosecutor for the U.S. Attorney's Office in Washington, D.C. She was the Attorney General of Nevada from 2007 to 2015, elected to replace George Chanos. She was not eligible to run for a third term in 2014 due to lifetime term limits established by the Nevada Constitution.

Cortez Masto defeated Joe Heck in the U.S. Senate election in Nevada to replace outgoing Democratic senator Harry Reid, becoming the first woman elected to represent Nevada and first Latina ever elected to serve in the United States Senate.[1] She is expected to take office on January 3, 2017.

Early life

Cortez Masto was born in Las Vegas, Nevada, the daughter of Joanna (née Musso) and Manny Cortez.[2] Her father was the longtime head of the Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority, and also served as a Clark County Commissioner and as an attorney for the county.[3] Manny Cortez, now deceased, and Harry Reid had a longstanding friendship.[4] Her father is of Mexican descent and her mother is of Italian descent.[5] Her paternal grandfather, Edward Cortez, immigrated to Nevada from the Mexican state of Chihuahua.[6][7][8]

Education and law career

Cortez Masto earned a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration degree in finance from the University of Nevada, Reno in 1986 and a J.D. from Gonzaga University School of Law in 1990.[9]

She was admitted to the State Bar of Nevada in 1990, the U.S. District Court, District of Nevada in 1991 and the U.S. Court of Appeals, for the Ninth Circuit in 1994. She is married to Paul Masto, a former Special Agent in the United States Secret Service.[10]

Her career includes four years as a civil attorney in Las Vegas and two years as a criminal prosecutor for the U.S. Attorney's Office in Washington, D.C. She also served as former Nevada Democratic Governor Bob Miller’s chief of staff.[4]

In 2014, Cortez Masto was named executive vice chancellor of the Nevada System of Higher Education. The Board of Regents never voted on the hire and it was unclear if other candidates were considered.[11]

Nevada Attorney General

In 2009, Cortez Masto's office launched an investigation against Brian Krolicki, the Republican Lieutenant Governor of Nevada. Krolicki faced felony charges related to allegations that he mishandled the Nevada College Savings Trust Fund when he was state treasurer. During the investigation, the Las Vegas Review-Journal discovered that Cortez Masto's husband, Paul, planned to host a fundraising party for Robert S. Randazzo, a Democratic candidate for lieutenant governor, four days before the attorney general's office was scheduled to prosecute Krolicki. Cortez Masto said she was unaware of the fundraising party.[12] The charges against Krolicki were ultimately dismissed in Clark County District Court.[13] The dismissal of charges against Krolicki was regarded as a political setback for Cortez Masto, who, according to the Las Vegas Sun, "opened herself to charges of politicizing her office and prosecutorial misconduct."[14]

In 2010, Cortez Masto's office began investigating Bank of America, accusing the company of raising interest rates on troubled borrowers. Her office sought to end Nevada's participation in a loan modification settlement in order to sue the bank over alleged deceptive marketing and lending practices. Bank of America denied any wrongdoing.[15] The lawsuit was settled in 2012 for $750 million for lien reductions and short sales.[16]

Cortez Masto defended the state of Nevada's position in the lawsuit Sevcik v. Sandoval. The lawsuit challenged Nevada's denial of same-sex marriage as prohibited by the state's constitution and statutory law. After initially defending the state's same-sex marriage ban,[17] Cortez Masto and the state abandoned their defense of the ban in light of a ruling by the United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit.[18]

2016 U.S. Senate campaign

Cortez Masto declined to run for Governor of Nevada in the 2014 election.[19] When U.S. Senator Harry Reid decided not to run for re-election in the 2016 election, he endorsed Cortez Masto as his successor.[4] Cortez Masto's campaign relied heavily on the political infrastructure Reid had assembled.[20] Her opponent was United States Representative Joe Heck.

Cortez Masto, who supports increased investments in renewable energy technology, was supported by the League of Conservation Voters.[21] Cortez Masto was also financially supported by End Citizens United, a political action committee seeking to overturn Citizens United v. FEC, and pro-choice groups such as EMILY's List and Planned Parenthood.[22]

Cortez Masto won 47% of the vote (520,658 votes), with Joe Heck behind at 45% (494,427 votes).[1] She will fill the seat of incumbent Senator Harry Reid beginning in January 2017, becoming the first Latina in the United States Senate.[23]

References

  1. 1 2 "2016 Nevada Senate Election Results". Politico. Retrieved 8 November 2016.
  2. ↑ Las Vegas High School Alumni Association: "MANUEL J. CORTEZ (Class of 1956)" retrieved February 15, 2016
  3. ↑ "Former Las Vegas convention chief Cortez dies at 67". Las Vegas Sun. 19 June 2006. Retrieved 26 July 2016.
  4. 1 2 3 Drusch, Andrea (March 27, 2015). "Meet the Woman Harry Reid Wants to Replace Him in the Senate". National Journal. Retrieved 5 February 2016.
  5. ↑ http://catherinecortezmasto.com/post/141037401209/catherine-cortez-masto-launches-spanish-language
  6. ↑ "Catherine Cortez Masto Seizes on Hispandering Attack". Politico. 23 September 2016. Retrieved 13 October 2016.
  7. ↑ "Nevada Republican Senate hopeful Joe Heck launches first TV ad of general election campaign". KTNV. 23 September 2016. Retrieved 13 October 2016.
  8. ↑ "Manuel Cortez-Obituary". Review Journal Obituaries. 23 September 2016. Retrieved 13 October 2016.
  9. ↑ "Alumni Profile: Catherine Cortez Masto". Gonzaga School of Law. March 19, 2014. Retrieved 5 February 2016.
  10. ↑ Vogel, Ed (November 24, 2009). "Krolicki case might take twist". Las Vegas Review Journal. Retrieved 5 February 2016.
  11. ↑ McCabe, Francis (November 25, 2014). "Attorney General Catherine Cortez Masto named to higher ed post". Las Vegas Review Journal. Retrieved 5 February 2016.
  12. ↑ Vogel, Ed (November 24, 2009). "Krolicki case might take twist". Las Vegas Review Journal. Retrieved 19 February 2016.
  13. ↑ McCoy, Cara (December 7, 2009). "Charges dismissed against Lt. Gov. Brian Krolicki". Las Vegas Sun. Retrieved 19 February 2016.
  14. ↑ Coolican, J. Patrick (December 8, 2009). "Cortez Masto's shining star dims after Krolicki decision". Las Vegas Sun. Retrieved 19 February 2016.
  15. ↑ Morgenson, Gretchen (August 30, 2011). "Nevada Says Bank Broke Mortgage Settlement". The New York Times. Retrieved November 5, 2013.
  16. ↑ Rosenblatt, Joel (February 9, 2012). "Bank of America Settles With Nevada Attorney General Masto". Bloomberg Business. Retrieved 5 February 2016.
  17. ↑ Whaley, Sean (January 22, 2014). "Nevada legal brief defends state's same-sex marriage ban". Las Vegas Review Journal. Retrieved 5 February 2016.
  18. ↑ Ford, Zack (February 11, 2014). "Nevada Abandons Its Defense Of Same-Sex Marriage Ban". ThinkProgress. Retrieved 5 February 2016.
  19. ↑ Doughman, Andrew (September 19, 2013). "Cortez Masto: I'm not running for governor". Las Vegas Sun. Retrieved September 20, 2013.
  20. ↑ Kane, Paul (November 17, 2015). "Harry Reid, retiring but betting big on Nevada for Democratic Senate majority". Washington Post. Retrieved 5 February 2016.
  21. ↑ Botkin, Ben (September 25, 2016). "Climate change becoming increasingly visible campaign issue in Nevada". Las Vegas Review-Journal. Retrieved 4 October 2016.
  22. ↑ Botkin, Ben (October 2, 2016). "Outside spending groups pump millions into political races in Nevada". Las Vegas Review-Journal. Retrieved 4 October 2016.
  23. ↑ Philipps, Dave (2016-11-09). "Catherine Cortez Masto Wins Nevada to Become First Latina Senator". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 2016-11-09.
Legal offices
Preceded by
George Chanos		 Attorney General of Nevada
2007–2015 		Succeeded by
Adam Laxalt
Party political offices
Preceded by
Harry Reid		 Democratic nominee for U.S. Senator from Nevada
(Class 3)
2016 		Most recent
United States Senate
Preceded by
Harry Reid		 United States Senator (Class 3) from Nevada
Elect
Taking office 2017
Served alongside: Dean Heller		 Incumbent
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