RawStory: GOP governor blasts 'Hands Off' protesters who he says have their 'hands out'

By Erik De La Garza April 9, 2025 8:25PM ET

Gov. Joe Lombardo (R-NV) vented his frustrations about the growing protests to President Donald Trump’s administration – including the crop of “Hands Off” rallies popping in throughout Nevada – which he told Republicans he was troubled by.

“The other thing I want to talk about is the little protest that was taking place in front of the Capitol over there,” Lombardo said, according to an audio clip of a GOP fundraising event this week that began making its rounds across social media on Wednesday.

In it, Lombardo told gatherers that it was clear the true message of the “Hands Off” rallies revolved around Americans not wanting to work.

“The theme of the protests across the United States, not just here in Carson City, was ‘Hands Off’ right? And it’s really troubling to me for that to be the title of the protest – ‘Hands Off’ – because in my opinion, the theme of the Democratic Party is ‘hands out,’ right?”

After the Lincoln Day Dinner crowd applauded the GOP governor’s remarks, he added that the central message of the protest was: “What do you mean you want me to go back to work?"

"It’s ridiculous," he said.

Lombardo concluded that it was important for the public to recognize that the “strategy associated with the Democratic Party is stay at home, and what can the government do to give handouts to us to ensure that we continue to support the government and reelect the people who represent the government in that manner.”

As Lombardo began his remarks about the protesters angry over Trump’s policies, one attendee in the audience yelled: “They suck!”

“There you go,” Lombardo responded to laughter in the crowd. “I won’t say that, he said that, but yeah.”

Hear the clip below or at this link.