Eddie Lorton’s Facebook Problem: Patterns, Pressure, and Public Misrepresentation
For months, Eddie Lorton’s Facebook page has functioned less like a serious mayoral platform and more like a running feed of grievance posts, partial narratives, and recycled “memories” that misstate how the Reno city government actually works.
Dec 24, 2025
On their own, each post might be dismissed as sloppy or uninformed. Taken together — and combined with Eddie’s private conduct — they reveal a troubling pattern.
This article documents that pattern and why this behavior is problematic for anyone seeking to be Reno’s mayor.
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Facebook “Memories” and the Defense
One recurring tactic Eddie uses is reposting old Facebook “memories” to revive prior accusations, which are often incorrect. When I wrote about one such post, Eddie claimed publicly that I “didn’t know what a Facebook memory is.”
In my article, I acknowledged that the post might be a memory — and explained that this did not change the substance of the issue. The problem was not the date. The problem was that Eddie was misrepresenting city processes and offering an incomplete account of events.
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Stonegate: Taking Credit from Others
Eddie repeatedly told me he raised the issue of the Regional Planning Commission’s required approval for the Stonegate project at an August 12 planning meeting. He pushed me to name him in an article as the person who “flagged” the issue.
Multiple people who were present at that meeting told me Eddie did not speak. They said that those who did raise the issue were Councilmember Meghan Ebert and former Councilmember Toni Harsh.
This matters because Eddie’s pattern is to take credit for actions he did not take, then to pressure others to publicly validate that version.
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Smearing the Press When They Don’t Cooperate
After Bruce Parks, Chair of Washoe GOP, publicly said Picon Press “lacks credibility,” Eddie followed up in the comments by claiming the “same with Mike’s Reno Report.”
This is a familiar tactic: when factual reporting contradicts a preferred narrative, discredit the messenger. It is especially notable given Eddie’s prior attempts to influence my coverage privately.
You cannot both demand favorable coverage and then attack the outlet when you don’t get it. Apparently, Eddie Lorton does not believe in freedom of the press.
Link, Eddie Lorton throws a fundraiser
A Case Study in Governance Illiteracy
On December 15, 2025, Eddie reposted a 2024 “memory” criticizing City Manager Jackie Bryant’s salary. This exposes a misunderstanding of city government.
The city manager executes policies passed by the city council. The mayor is not the city manager’s boss and has no unilateral authority over staff operations.
Publicly attacking the city manager while running for mayor is not “transparency.” It is how you guarantee that, if elected, city staff could choose not to cooperate with you.
City government runs on trust, competence, and working relationships. Eddie’s posting behavior actively destroys all three.
The Tracker Claim and the Beadles Connection
Eddie reposted a December 15, 2022, memory claiming he had nothing to do with the tracker placed on Mayor Hillary Schieve’s car.
Yet Eddie received a campaign donation of $4,799 in 2020 and another $4,799 in 2022 from Robert Beadles, who later admitted he had hired the private investigator who placed the tracker.
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Eddie is aligned with Bruce Parks, Chair of the Washoe GOP, and Beadles is an executive team member of that same organization, approved by Parks.
Eddie continues to deflect from a political network that engaged in conduct widely viewed as unethical and alarming, while benefiting financially from that network.
Open Meeting Act Claims That Don’t Hold Up
Eddie has repeatedly alleged Open Meeting Law violations where none exist:
Meadowood Mall (2016): Eddie reposted a memory alleging an open-meeting violation. The allegation has been examined and found to be false. See the Dec. 12 “Accusations” article linked above.
Indian community event: Eddie claimed a quorum violation when council members appeared on stage to show support. Merely attending an event does not constitute a meeting or quorum violation under Nevada law.
These claims reflect either ignorance of the Open Meeting Act or a willingness to weaponize it rhetorically. Someone running for Reno Mayor should know better.
GSR Arena: Fear Without Facts
Eddie claimed that contaminated soil at the GSR Arena site posed a significant problem and framed his post as “protecting the people’s money.”
The facts:
The contamination was remediated in two days.
No public funds were spent up front.
Tax Increment Financing does not activate until after the project is built and generating revenue.
This was not transparency. It was fear-posting. Where was Eddie when the GSR TIF agreement was underdiscussion?
Eddie later attended a concert at the GSR and accepted hospitality while criticizing the GSR’s project. That is not how you build relationships to get things done.
Tom Biscardi, who hosted Eddie, is described as a “Barnum and Bailey” type promoter who made movies about searching for Bigfoot and who claimed to have found a dead Bigfoot that turned out to be made from a Gorilla suit and some roadkill.
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Attacking the RDA While Needing the RDA
Eddie has called for the dismantling of the Reno Redevelopment Agency. As mayor, he would have to work with the RDA. Attacking an agency you would depend on is not reform. It is self-sabotage. This is especially troubling, as Eddie says he would sell the downtown properties if elected mayor, but he would need the RDA’s cooperation to get it done. How cooperative would they be with Eddie?
Code Enforcement Hypocrisy
Eddie has criticized downtown code enforcement, saying the city is “trying to regulate folks out of business.”
Eddie owns a property at 555 E 4th St. that some call blighted. The tenant is Club Underground, a rave-style nightclub.
If elected, he would need to work with the same city management and council he now demonizes.
The Pattern Is the Story
This article is not about one post, one claim, or one disagreement.
It is about a consistent pattern:
Misstating how city government works
Claiming credit for actions taken by others
Recycling old accusations without context
Pressuring coverage behind the scenes
Attacking journalists when persuasion fails
This is not how you build trust. It is how you burn it. One wonders whether Eddie is serious about running for mayor or just likes attention.
Reno deserves leadership grounded in facts, process, and an understanding that public office requires more than indignation and Facebook memories.