Anthony used staff time, government equipment to promote ‘Protect Women’s Sports’ task force

• Ethics commission voted 3-2 against Lt. Gov. Stavros Anthony.
• Anthony says he should be allowed to advocate for issues he feels passionately about.
• Ethics commission director says government resources can’t be used to promote personal projects.

A Nevada ethics panel fined Lt. Gov. Stavros Anthony $3,000 over use of state resources to promote a task force to keep trans athletes out of women’s sports.

Anthony, a Republican, is running for reelection.

The March 18 vote against Anthony was 3 to 2 by the Nevada Commission on Ethics.

In addition to the fine, he’s required to obtain ethics training within 60 days and develop a social media policy for his office.

Anthony created the “Task Force to Protect Women’s Sports” in late 2024 after the Nevada women’s volleyball team made national news by refusing to play San Jose State University for having a transgender player on its team.

“I decided I was very passionate about protecting female athletes,” he testified before the Nevada Legislature in February 2025. “I wanted to support the University of Nevada, Reno volleyball team who came out very courageously on their stand. That is why I created this task force.”

Anthony’s official government X account shared posts about task force events, and staff from the state’s Office of Small Business Advocacy — under Anthony’s authority — sent out emails about the task force. Anthony’s chief of staff testified the task force was not a function of the office.

The ethics commission’s vote served to “admonish the lieutenant governor for his actions in violation of the ethics law,” its motion said.

The Reno Gazette Journal contacted Anthony and his attorney, the ethics commission and Lindsey Harmon, a reproductive rights advocate who made the initial ethics complaint, for comment. None immediately responded.

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Stavros Anthony’s defense of his actions

Anthony’s attorneys argued in legal filings that he did not violate any state laws “because there are no statutes, rules, regulations, policies or other authority prohibiting Mr. Anthony from advocating on political issues, supporting political causes, or from forming the Task Force.”

They added he had no financial interest in the task force, and that elected officials should be allowed to advocate for political positions.

“Under such a standard as urged by the Director (Ross Armstrong of the ethics commission), a public officer, for example, speaking at an official function or writing in official correspondence, stating that he or she is passionate about such issues as veterans’ rights or health care could be found to have violated ethics laws,” his attorneys wrote in a filing.

Ethics director’s argument against Anthony

Armstrong responded in a filing that the case was not about being able to advocate for causes one believes in.

“It’s about the undisputed use of specifically allocated taxpayer funds through staff, time, property and equipment on his significant personal interest rather than the government interests of the Office of the Lieutenant Governor and the Office of Small Business Advocacy,” Armstrong wrote. “Doing so violates the Ethics Law.”

He noted that Anthony’s government staff used state email systems to set up and coordinate efforts of the task force, promoted it on their government X feeds, and created talking points, press releases and other materials supporting it.

Armstrong added Anthony “used influence over subordinates to benefit the Task Force.”

Mark Robison is the state politics reporter for the Reno Gazette Journal, with occasional forays into other topics. Email comments to mrobison@rgj.com or comment on Mark’s Greater Reno Facebook page.

LAS VEGAS (FOX5) — Tax season is underway, but some Latino families in the Las Vegas area say they have questions and concerns before getting started — and trust is a central part of the conversation this year.

Organizers at Southern Nevada Tax Assistance say their goal is to help families file safely and correctly. But this year, they say they are seeing something different: hesitation.

Hesitation and distrust on the rise

Nonprofit organization Somos Votantes, which focuses on helping Latinos in the community, says it is hearing from more families who are unsure who they can trust when it comes to filing.

“That’s why Southern Nevada Tax Assistance — they’re a group of IRS-certified volunteers,” said Angel Lazcano.

Somos Votantes held a free filing event Wednesday to connect families with trusted, no-cost help. Volunteers said the stress of tax season is something many in the community have long felt.

“Personally, growing up, I’ve always heard how much, how stressful it is around this time of year, especially getting closer and closer to tax day,” one volunteer said.

Ghost preparers a recurring threat

That concern is not new. Connie Buckley, founder of Nevada Tax Assistance, said every year scammers known as ghost preparers target people who may not fully understand the filing process or whose first language may not be English.

“They create fraudulent tax returns. People don’t know what to expect on their taxes, so they don’t know that it’s wrong. And then two or three years later, the IRS sends them a letter that says something’s not right here,” Buckley said.

Fears about sharing personal information

For many Latino families, concerns this year go beyond scams, with some expressing fears about sharing personal information when filing.

Buckley addressed those concerns directly. “The recommendation always is — let me put it this way — when you get your tax forms from your employer, like the W-2s, the 1099s, those are also transmitted to the IRS. So the IRS knows that you made money and they are expecting to see your tax return to reconcile that,” she said.

Buckley also warned that choosing not to file can create larger problems. “If you owe taxes, there are a lot of penalties that they will assess against you, against what you owe. And now you’ve got yourself into an even bigger hole than you would have been in if you just filed your taxes when they were due,” she said.

Organizers say that no matter a person’s status, filing taxes remains important, and they want to make sure families can do it safely. Free tax filing help is available across the Las Vegas Valley for those who need it.

Copyright 2026 KVVU. All rights reserved.

The Nevada Commission on Ethics on Wednesday dismissed a 2023 complaint against Henderson City Councilman and former Metropolitan Police Department Assistant Sheriff Jim Seebock over the use of his police uniform while campaigning for a public office.

The eight-member panel’s decision cleared Seebock of accused violations of the state’s ethics laws.

Commissioners noted that since at least Dec. 21, 2023, Seebock has not been the subject of another ethics complaint that has been reviewed by the commission’s review panel.

The decision was reached through a stipulated deferral and dismissal agreement that also said Seebock has voluntarily sought ethics training and asked the commission for help with ethics questions since becoming a Henderson councilman.

Seebock’s attorney Sam Mirkovich said at Wednesday’s meeting the finding was “absolutely the right one,” and Seebock celebrated the ruling in a statement released by a spokesperson shortly after the decision.

Seebock deferred to the statement when reached by phone Wednesday.

“I want to thank the Nevada Commission of Ethics on their due diligence concerning an ethics complaint filed against me three years ago,” the statement said. “Today’s complete dismissal reflects no violation was ever committed and I stand fully exonerated.”

The Ethics Commission announced in June 2023 that it was investigating the complaint against Seebock, alleging that his campaign sent mail to voters with a photo of Seebock, who retired after 30 years at Metro, in his uniform and badge.

Nevada’s ethics law states a “public officer or employee shall not use the public officer’s or employee’s position in government to secure or grant unwarranted privileges, preferences, exemptions or advantages for the public officer.”

Although the panel had previously cited a 2019 letter sent to the Nevada Sheriffs and Chiefs Association about how law enforcement uniforms could not be used when campaigning, including for one’s self, commissioners on Wednesday pointed to similar cases that have been resolved, including a 2021 complaint against Gov. Joe Lombardo. Commissioners had agreed to delay making a determination in Seebock’s case until those cases were decided, according to the agreement.

The ethics case against Lombardo, who served two terms as Clark County sheriff and was also accused of using his uniform and badge in campaign advertisements, ended in September.

In that case, the governor admitted to a non-willful violation of ethics law and agreed to pay a $5,000 civil penalty.

Contact Casey Harrison at charrison@reviewjournal.com. Follow him on X, @Casey_Harrison1.