Dem AG running for higher office dodges questions on bid to free man who killed pregnant woman

FIRST ON FOX: Nevada's Democratic Attorney General Aaron Ford is refusing to explain why he personally backed a clemency bid for a convicted killer who took the life of a pregnant woman while out on bail for a series of armed robbery attacks on Vegas tourists, dodging questions on camera as he campaigns to be the state's next governor.

State records in Nevada show Ford was listed as the sole sponsor for Norman Smith’s commutation application at a Sept.

16 Nevada Board of Pardons Commissioners meeting.

Smith was serving time for killing a pregnant woman in a convenience store parking lot—a crime committed while he was out on bail for a series of armed robbery attempts committed against Vegas Strip tourists, according to court documents and local reporting at the time.

Despite Ford's backing, the board ultimately denied the clemency bid, while Ford skipped the commutation hearing that was scheduled and later walked away from a questioner asking him to justify the decision to sponsor Smith's application at a Las Vegas airport.

Ford's sponsorship of the convicted killer's early release bid comes as he mounts a gubernatorial run against Republican Gov.

Joe Lombardo, who has repeatedly attacked the attorney general's record on public safety and criminal justice reform.

WHITE HOUSE DENIES TRUMP INFLUENCED BY 'PARDON BROKERS' AFTER '60 MINUTES' INVESTIGATION When confronted about the sponsorship, Ford's campaign told Fox News Digital the attorney general missed the hearing due to an out-of-state family medical emergency and argued that sponsoring an application is merely a routine procedural step allowing the Board of Pardons to decide on a specific clemency request—but the campaign repeatedly refused to explain why Ford chose to elevate Smith's specific case.

"Are you Aaron Ford?" a conservative tracker asked the gubernatorial candidate as he deplaned in Las Vegas after flying to Arizona, the same day as Smith's Sept.

16 commutation hearing.

"I am," Ford replied to the tracker, who went on to tell the Nevada Attorney General that she has been "following his stuff" on social media.

"Nice to meet you." The tracker continued with small talk until pivoting to a question about the decision to sponsor Smith's clemency bid.

"I have a question, are you—you're sponsoring Norman Smith's pardon, right?" BIDEN CLEMENCY BLITZ LEFT DOJ SCRAMBLING AS MANY COMMUTATONS BYPASSED NORMAL VETTING, EMAILS SHOW "Uhh, don't know which one you're talking about, but anyway—good to see you," Ford responded before shuffling away with his wife following their trip to visit their college-aged son who was said to be sick.

Fox News Digital pressed Ford's team on what his son was facing in terms of an ailment but was not provided an answer.