How Lorton’s Testimony Played in Court: It's all Drama!

An analysis of how Lorton, a mayoral candidate presented under pressure, on the record, in a court proceeding for a protective order where he claimed to be threatened and frightened.

Michael Leonard

Apr 28, 2026

Top‑Level Takeaway - Lorton Likes Drama

This analysis is about presentation, credibility, and political optics. And on those fronts, the hearing revealed who Lorton is and that he’s not suitable to be mayor.

Eddie Lorton requested a permanent protective order against a retired senior citizen journalist and marketing consultant who had helped with his campaign, claiming that a single meme texted to him was a death threat and endangered him and his family.

Eddie Lorton’s Behavior in the April 13 court hearing revealed him as paranoid, inconsistent, easily rattled, and unable to stay within evidentiary boundaries, traits that are politically damaging for anyone running for mayor.

The judge repeatedly had to:

• Redirect him when he failed to answer

• Exclude his testimony that was irrelevant

• Remind him of the rules of the court

• Compel him to answer questions

• Deny his request to call irrelevant witnesses

• Stop him from going on about his campaign

For a candidate in a public proceeding, this dynamic is consequential.

Eddie sits while his lawyer, Rich Salvatore, addresses the judge. You can watch Eddie Lorton in action by clicking the image. His testimony starts at 8:54. It is shocking and revealing.

Link: Leonard and Lorton Hearing Full Transcript

Why the Hearing was Politically Damaging

Lorton testified as if he could not control himself.

Observers saw him repeatedly:

• Interrupt while being questioned

• Argue with opposing counsel

• Give non‑responsive answers

• Attempt to introduce unrelated grievances

• Make references to imagined scenarios

• Make claims without justification or evidence

• Claimed to have seen videos that scared him

A mayoral candidate is expected to project:

• Composure

• Judgment

• Emotional regulation

• Respect for process

His presentation in court contrasted sharply with those expectations.

There is a Facebook page that has been making memes about Lorton since 2018. Click the image to view it, but be warned that some of the memes are rude and reflect how people feel.

How Lorton’s behavior reflects on him as a Candidate

Mayoral candidates are expected to handle:

• angry constituents

• mockery and satire

• unfair attacks

• online comments

• hostile public meetings

If a candidate appears rattled by a single meme, people ask:

How would Lorton handle disputes, protests, budget fights, media attacks, or any city crises?

There is a litany of people who go after Lorton and troll him. He is well known for becoming triggered and for making implied threats on Facebook, but then plays the victim.

Lorton relied on speculation rather than facts

Throughout his testimony, Lorton suggested:

• Someone might “hide in the bushes.”

• Someone might “shoot him in the doorway.”

• Someone might “snap for no reason.”

• Someone might “come in the house at night.”

But under cross‑examination, he acknowledged:

• There had been no uninvited appearances

• No credible threats had been made

• He did not understand the meme until it was explained to him

• He learned about the videos only after filing for the TPO

This contrast between speculation and admitted fact will shape public perception of Lorton’s preparedness and judgment.

Eddie Lorton says that he takes memes seriously. He will call a single meme without context a death threat and run to the court for protection.

Lorton contradicted himself multiple times

Examples from the record include:

• Claiming he knew the respondent’s “history,” → later admitted he did not

• Claiming he understood the meme → later saying his attorney had to explain it

• Claiming he feared videos → then admitting he had not seen them until later

• Claiming he removed the respondent from his campaign list → later acknowledging he had not and was still texting them

Contradictions under oath can affect how credibility is interpreted.

Eddie Lorton and the Lawsuit Pattern: What Decades of Court Filings Reveal About a Reno Mayoral Candidate

Take a look at Eddie’s long history of weaponizing the court system, see this article.

The judge shut down attempts to introduce political actors

The judge stated clearly that the case was not about:

• Politics

• The mayor’s race

• CAPS complaints

• Campaign issues

Yet Eddie attempted to reference:

• Hillary Schieve

• Connor McQuivey

• Political retaliation

• Campaign drama

This created the impression of using a court process for a political conflict.

Eddie Lorton and his lawyer, Rich Salvatore, share a chummy moment celebrating their work taking people to court over memes.

The Contrast Voters Will Notice

Lorton described a single meme as causing him to:

• fear for safety

• worry about family

• Install extra cameras

• keep a firearm nearby

• seek a court order

• all while claiming that he is not easily frightened.

This makes Lorton’s behavior look like a thin-skinned overreaction or a manipulator.

In politics, perception often matters more than legal nuance, but Eddie doesn’t seem to get that.

Reno’s July 4th Parade and Where Eddie Lorton Really Stands

Eddie is no stranger to political theater; he is taking credit for the parade but has done nothing to make it happen beyond attending a meeting, during which he asked the City of Reno to pay $100,000, and then went on social media saying that he is having a parade.

The judge’s concern about the meme did not translate into support for Lorton’s narrative

The judge noted the meme was “somewhat concerning,” but also:

• Limited the case strictly to intent and perception

• Excluded unrelated evidence that Eddie tried to introduce

• Declined to consider the political context

• Did not want to hear from unrelated witnesses

This placed the weight of the case on Eddie’s credibility, and the hearing record contains multiple moments that undermine his credibility.

The attorneys’ performances created a contrast

According to the hearing record:

The respondent’s attorney:

• Controlled the narrative

• Impeached testimony cleanly

• Highlighted contradictions

• Demonstrated gaps in Eddie’s knowledge

• Corrected Eddie on the legal meaning

Lorton’s attorney:

• Lost multiple objections

• Attempted to broaden the case and was stopped

• Introduced irrelevant witnesses

• Raised political issues that were excluded

• Struggled to rehabilitate Eddie’s testimony

For voters, an attorney’s performance often reflects on a candidate’s judgment.

How Eddie Lorton Funds His Campaigns and Why He Never Wins

Eddie Lorton has been running the same losing strategy for four campaigns, and he is still doing the same: no changes, no modernization.

How the Public May Interpret This Hearing

Reading the transcript or watching the video, observers will conclude:

• Eddie Lorton is thin‑skinned

• Eddie Lorton is easily triggered

• Eddie Lorton is paranoid

• Eddie Lorton struggles to stay focused

• Eddie Lorton uses the courts in political disputes

• Eddie Lorton does not present well under pressure

• Eddie Lorton does not project mayoral temperament

It appears that the TPO application was made in retaliation for articles written about Lorton, in an attempt to stop them. It is a political stunt that gets attention for Lorton as he runs for mayor. The danger to Lorton is that more articles will be written, as he bungles his campaign for the fifth time.

There is another hearing on this matter on May 27, at 8:30 AM in the Justice Court at 1 Sierra St., Department 6, Judge Hascheff. The public is welcome to attend, and see Eddie Lorton in action, and decide whether he has what it takes to be mayor.

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