Another ethics complaint has been filed against Republican Lt. Gov. Stavros Anthony—and against three of his staff members—marking the third time Anthony has received an ethics complaint in the last year and a half.
The complaints, shared exclusively with The Nevadan, outline how Anthony allegedly permitted taxpayer-funded employees to campaign for GOP candidates during state business hours leading up to the primary election.
The complaint was filed by Republican Douglas County Commissioner Danny Tarkanian, who was also a candidate for Nevada attorney general, but lost to Adriana Guzmán Fralick, an attorney, in the June primaries.
According to the complaint, Tarkanian sent a text message to Anthony on May 26 to ask if he was aware his employees were “actively campaigning” for his opponent during work hours, and informed Anthony it was an ethics violation.
“This notice is significant because it placed Lt. Gov. Anthony on actual notice of the alleged conduct, gave him an opportunity to investigate and correct the problem and triggered a responsibility to preserve records, review employee conduct, enforce office policies, and ensure that public time and resources were not being used for political or campaign purposes,” the complaint states.
Nevada law prohibits government employees from using their positions, public equipment, and facilities for private, personal, campaign-related, or political purposes. It also states supervisors cannot misuse their position or staff time for private interests.
The employees involved include Chief of Staff Rudy Pamintuan, Senior Advisor of Southern Nevada Amy Wood, and Deputy Chief of Staff and Rural Liaison Garrett Tamagni.
Despite the warning issued to Anthony, the staff members continued to post partisan political content after May 26 during business hours.
Across the four separate ethics complaints, Tarkanian provided nearly 1,000 screen shots from the staff’s social media posts from January to June. The posts include candidate endorsements, campaign videos, campaign-event promotion, attacks on opposing candidates, partisan memes, and repeated promotion of Anthony.
Notable candidates who were positively advertised include Fralick, State Sen. Carrie Buck (R)—who were both endorsed by President Donald Trump—and former State Sen. James Settelmeyer (R), who was endorsed by Lombardo.
The slew of new ethics complaints follows a trend of prior complaints filed against Anthony, all alleging he’s used state resources to advance partisan and personal interests. Anthony has especially faced heightened scrutiny as he seeks reelection come November.
Asaf Grofman, Nevada State Democratic Party spokesperson, told The Nevadan that Anthony “is embroiled in a culture of corruption so flagrant that even Republicans are filing ethics complaints against him.”
Anthony’s office did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
Prior ethics complaints against Anthony
Anthony has violated state ethics laws before.
In 2025, the Nevadans for Equal Rights Committee filed an ethics complaint against Anthony after discovering his employees helped with his “Task Force to Protect Women’s Sports,” an initiative to bar transgender girls from participating in girls sports.
In March, the commission ruled Anthony violated state statutes for using his official email and social media accounts to promote his private interests. Commissioners, however, dismissed the complaint that he inappropriately used taxpayer-funded employees to support the task force.
The other ethics complaint against Anthony was filed in January, alleging he mirrored his personal social media account on X to mimic his work account, to promote his recently published book for financial gain.
Aside from ethics complaints, Anthony has also been accused of age discrimination.
Sally Christensen, a prior staff member to Anthony who had worked with him for many years, alleged she was pushed out of her position due to her age. Christensen was replaced by his senior advisor, Wood, who is younger, a conservative activist associated with Turning Point—and has a sizable social media following.
The replacement came ahead of Anthony’s reelection bid, according to The Nevada Independent.
Anthony will face off against Assembly Majority Leader Sandra Jauregui (D). Jauregui previously criticized Anthony for his rocky tenure, calling him the “most corrupt lieutenant governor in Nevada’s history.”
Anthony isn’t the only one in his office who’s received ethics complaints.
His chief of staff, Pamintuan, was recently fined by the Nevada Ethics Commission for using government resources for private matters. Pamintuan was fined $1,000 and is required to take ethics training.
In a written statement to The Nevadan, Jauregui contends that “there is a persistent MAGA culture of corruption” with Anthony.
“The rich and powerful are using taxpayer dollars for their own personal benefit while prices are skyrocketing, and healthcare and jobs are getting cut for Nevada families,” Jauregui wrote in an email to The Nevadan. “Enough. I’m running to end ethically bankrupt Stavros Anthony’s time in office.”
