Henry T. Nicholas III, the California billionaire with whom Speaker G. Mark Mickelson partnered to pass Amendment Y, Marsy’s Fix, last June, was arrested last week in Las Vegas for narcotics trafficking:
Henry T. Nicholas and Ashley Fargo, mugshots, Las Vegas Metropolitan Police, 2018.08.08.
Las Vegas Metropolitan police detained Nicholas, 59, and a woman, Ashley Fargo, about 10:40 p.m. Tuesday after hotel security called the police to the room, said Officer Larry Hadfield, a department spokesman. Hadfield said security reported finding contraband in the room.
One report refers to the contraband as a “stockpile” of marijuana, heroin, cocaine, meth, MDMA, and nitrous oxide canisters. Police found Fargo, a mother of three who jilted her Wells Fargo bank heir hubby and Instagrams like a Kardashian wannabe, unconscious with a semi-deflated balloon in her mouth… which apparently is one way people do drugs.
Los Angeles lawyer—not Nicholas’s, luckily for him—Alex Kazarian offers this dull defense:
“It sounds like his biggest crime is being an addict,” Kazarian said. “He’s a billionaire. He’s not a person that’s trying to make money off of drugs. He’s a person that’s trying to make friends off of drugs. Unfortunately, the way the laws are written, if you’re giving away drugs or if you’re selling drugs, you’re trafficking” [“Tech Billionaire Henry Nicholas Facing Drug Trafficking Counts in Vegas,” CBS News, 2018.08.10].
Did I hear the beginning arguments for “Affluenza Defense” again?
Jenny
2018-08-13 09:29
That guy in the pic is a billionaire? Hard to believe.
Yes, great job picking upstanding people for friends, Marky Mark. Gross.
If Sutton or any other SD Democrat had been in Prince Mark’s place, this would be a scandal, but when you’re in the Pub’ Club in Pierre you are protected.
Donald Pay
2018-08-13 10:27
Maybe drugs explains G. Marky’s odd behavior. That mug shot would look great in an ad supporting your initiative to ban out-of-state money. That’s, by the way, why we need ballot measures.
Porter Lansing
2018-08-13 11:20
Super rich hard drug addicts (in their diminished mental capacity) often feel a need to stockpile drugs. Probably, in case their source dries up. This fella has resources to get off, easy. Poor addicts in South Dakota must do as the “white privileged” political majority and District Attorney’s choose for them to do.
“King of rightwing radio addicted to ‘hillbilly heroin'” https://www.theguardian.com/world/2003/oct/11/usa.julianborger1
Had that mugshot been available in 2016, I’d have run it in every story about Marsy’s Law: “This is the California billionaire who wants to rewrite our constitution. If you trust him, vote Yes on S.”
I do wonder: had Nicholas and Fargo been arrested here in South Dakota, would there have been any victims who could invoke their rights against him as he went to trial?
Debbo
2018-08-14 00:02
So that is Marky’s pal. How embarrassing. Does he share with Marky? Is that how Marky fell sooooooooo far from his father’s stature?
Not saying Marky uses drugs. I wouldn’t know.
96Tears
2018-08-14 09:06
How bizarre. This is has some of the markings of the Paul Erickson/Maria Butina relationship. The big one, M-O-N-E-Y.
It’s no secret that politics and government are huge cash cows in South Dakota. Public affairs gigs, like ballot issues here and other states, is a cottage industry if you are a Republican with connections. Ask Jason Glodt, Paul Erickson, Joel Arends, Jason Ravnsborg, Todd Schlekeway, Rick Melmer, Dan Lederman, Tom Oster, Joop Bollen and the shadowy figures opposing Initiated Measure 21 in 2016. Now Mark Mickelson.
So how much money did Mickelson make from this gig? And what other unsavory clients are out there? With the Paul Manafort trial giving us a view of the global expanses and the depths of money and greed that’s common place if you’re in the club, Erickson demonstrates that the political club is alive and productive right here in South Dakota. Of course, after EB-5 and GEAR Up, you knew that.
This old/new normal is waiting to shuffle the deck and find new opportunities to manipulate state government to keep their pockets filled when Kristie Noem becomes governor.
Billy Sutton is the only obstacle in their way to continue the feast.
CLCJM
2018-08-14 22:57
Good job, Mark Mickelson! Your father must be proud! Or is he doing cartwheels?
Sanita Rubio
2018-09-22 13:32
This is Marsy’s Law Founder and Financial Backer. He is trying to push his Law in Florida and spending Big!! I guess this Law Doesnt apply to him!! I asked Marsy’s Law people here in Fl. To comment on this they responded how Great of a man he is….. i also asked about past charges on him of Several Assaults on several Women and Theatening to have now ex wife killed they deleted every comment on facebook of any person saying or disagreeing with them and Marsys Law!!! Here in Fl they place 2 other proposed Laws with Marsys Law. Vote for 1 get All 3. This Law so far has Cost Tax Payers in Wisconson over 85 million and North Dakota $800,000 and climbing Fast. No to Amendment 6 in Florida!!!!
Did I hear the beginning arguments for “Affluenza Defense” again?
That guy in the pic is a billionaire? Hard to believe.
Yes, great job picking upstanding people for friends, Marky Mark. Gross.
If Sutton or any other SD Democrat had been in Prince Mark’s place, this would be a scandal, but when you’re in the Pub’ Club in Pierre you are protected.
Maybe drugs explains G. Marky’s odd behavior. That mug shot would look great in an ad supporting your initiative to ban out-of-state money. That’s, by the way, why we need ballot measures.
Super rich hard drug addicts (in their diminished mental capacity) often feel a need to stockpile drugs. Probably, in case their source dries up. This fella has resources to get off, easy. Poor addicts in South Dakota must do as the “white privileged” political majority and District Attorney’s choose for them to do.
“King of rightwing radio addicted to ‘hillbilly heroin'” https://www.theguardian.com/world/2003/oct/11/usa.julianborger1
Great faces. Great places.
Perfect chris, just perfect.
Had that mugshot been available in 2016, I’d have run it in every story about Marsy’s Law: “This is the California billionaire who wants to rewrite our constitution. If you trust him, vote Yes on S.”
I do wonder: had Nicholas and Fargo been arrested here in South Dakota, would there have been any victims who could invoke their rights against him as he went to trial?
So that is Marky’s pal. How embarrassing. Does he share with Marky? Is that how Marky fell sooooooooo far from his father’s stature?
Not saying Marky uses drugs. I wouldn’t know.
How bizarre. This is has some of the markings of the Paul Erickson/Maria Butina relationship. The big one, M-O-N-E-Y.
It’s no secret that politics and government are huge cash cows in South Dakota. Public affairs gigs, like ballot issues here and other states, is a cottage industry if you are a Republican with connections. Ask Jason Glodt, Paul Erickson, Joel Arends, Jason Ravnsborg, Todd Schlekeway, Rick Melmer, Dan Lederman, Tom Oster, Joop Bollen and the shadowy figures opposing Initiated Measure 21 in 2016. Now Mark Mickelson.
So how much money did Mickelson make from this gig? And what other unsavory clients are out there? With the Paul Manafort trial giving us a view of the global expanses and the depths of money and greed that’s common place if you’re in the club, Erickson demonstrates that the political club is alive and productive right here in South Dakota. Of course, after EB-5 and GEAR Up, you knew that.
This old/new normal is waiting to shuffle the deck and find new opportunities to manipulate state government to keep their pockets filled when Kristie Noem becomes governor.
Billy Sutton is the only obstacle in their way to continue the feast.
Good job, Mark Mickelson! Your father must be proud! Or is he doing cartwheels?
This is Marsy’s Law Founder and Financial Backer. He is trying to push his Law in Florida and spending Big!! I guess this Law Doesnt apply to him!! I asked Marsy’s Law people here in Fl. To comment on this they responded how Great of a man he is….. i also asked about past charges on him of Several Assaults on several Women and Theatening to have now ex wife killed they deleted every comment on facebook of any person saying or disagreeing with them and Marsys Law!!! Here in Fl they place 2 other proposed Laws with Marsys Law. Vote for 1 get All 3. This Law so far has Cost Tax Payers in Wisconson over 85 million and North Dakota $800,000 and climbing Fast. No to Amendment 6 in Florida!!!!