The Nevada Commission on Ethics on Wednesday fined Lt. Gov. Stavros Anthony for using state resources to promote his task force on transgender-identifying athletes.
In a 3-2 vote, the commission determined Anthony violated state ethics laws. As part of their formal rebuke, members imposed a $3,000 civil penalty and mandated completion of ethics training. There is no criminal liability for ethics violations.
Critics said Anthony used taxpayer dollars to advance his personal interests and that it constituted political campaigning, outside of his formal duties. Anthony argued that promoting the task force was within his legal rights in his official capacity to oversee state tourism, “which is deeply tied to Nevada’s thriving sports industry.”
The commission’s determination centered on Anthony’s use of state resources, including his official email and social media accounts, to support a task force he created in January 2025 to keep biological males who identify as female from playing in women’s sports. The ethics commission said the use of state resources to support the initiative crossed the legal line, as outlined in NRS 281A.400(2), (7), and (9).
“I need to remind everybody here that there’s no law, there’s no rule, no regulation, no policy that prohibits the lieutenant governor from advocating a specific position,” Attorney Gus Flangas, who represented Anthony, previously told lawmakers.
Democrats initially led criticism of Anthony for promoting the task force on women’s sports. In a February 2025 hearing, Assemblymember Selena Torres-Fossett (D), chairwoman of the chamber’s Education Committee, claimed issues involving transgender-identifying athletes did not fall under the formal duties of Anthony’s office, which includes chairmanships of the Commission on Tourism and the Advisory Board on Outdoor Recreation.
“To be clear, you are using staff time because that would be a resource, and that is at a cost to the state, where we could be allocating those resources to the actual responsibilities of the office. Is that correct?” she questioned Anthony during the hearing.
“Yes, I have employees that are helping me with the task force and actually with everything that I do in the lieutenant governor’s office,” Anthony replied. “I decided that one of my responsibilities as lieutenant governor was to support these female athletes.”
Weeks later, the Nevadans for Equal Rights Committee filed the ethics complaint against Anthony, similarly alleging that supporting the task force did not fall under his duties as lieutenant governor and that he violated state law by using state resources for the task force.
“It is entirely Anthony’s own invention, forms no part of the duties of a Lt. Governor, and is a figment of his own quest for political relevance,” Lindsey Harmon, a member of the Nevadans for Equal Rights Committee, said. “Any official time or resources spent on this effort is clearly in violation of state ethics laws and is a gross misuse of our state’s resources.”
When he created the “Lieutenant Governor’s Task Force to Protect Women’s Sports,” Antony said it related to his position as president of the state Senate, a generally ceremonial role.
“It’s my responsibility to promote and push along legislation that I believe is important,” he told the Nevada Independent at the time.
Anthony’s office has also argued that the task force is tied to his duties for overseeing and promoting tourism in Nevada.
“The Lieutenant Governor’s role includes promoting and overseeing state tourism, which is deeply tied to Nevada’s thriving sports industry. Each year, women athletes and their families travel from across the country and around the world to compete in and support high-level competitions hosted in our state. Ensuring a fair and safe competitive environment is not only a matter of principle but also essential to maintaining Nevada’s reputation as a premier destination for sporting events,” his office said in a statement.
“Our office remains committed to upholding the integrity of women’s athletics, ensuring that female athletes can compete on an equal playing field—consistent with federal law, legal precedent, and the core values of competitive sports,” the statement continued.
Before the ethics commissions’ final determination on Wednesday, the panel determined last summer that it had “credible evidence” that Antony violated ethics laws, but proposed dismissing the complaint if the lieutenant governor completed a series of “corrective actions” to address the issues. Anthony declined to enter into a deferral agreement and instead requested that the commission further consider the matter.
