State Senate’s Hardy resigns post

State Sen. Warren Hardy, R-Las Vegas, resigned from the Legislature on Tuesday in order to focus on lobbying for the builders association he works for.

The similarly named Assemblyman Joe Hardy, R-Boulder City, plans to run for the Senate seat with his support, Warren Hardy said. The two Hardys are not related.

Warren Hardy, a two-term senator with a reputation as an amiable moderate, serves as president of the Associated Builders and Contractors. With the construction industry in distress these days, the trade group can save money by making Hardy its main lobbyist at the Legislature rather than hiring others to do that job, he said.

"I have to put feeding my family ahead of serving in the Legislature," Hardy said.

Hardy's existing position had led to accusations of conflict of interest, including an ethics complaint brought by unions that was knocked down by the Supreme Court recently. The court ruled that the state Ethics Commission doesn't have jurisdiction over the legislative branch.

Hardy always maintained there was not a conflict between his positions as association president and senator. But in stepping down Tuesday, he said he couldn't be simultaneously a legislator and a legislative lobbyist.

Hardy also denied he was availing himself of what critics call a revolving door between lawmakers and lobbyists, noting that he worked as a government affairs consultant before his election.

One of four Republican senators who joined Democrats in passing a $781 million package of tax hikes in the recently concluded session, Hardy drew fire from some in his own party for not being sufficiently fiscally conservative.

Hardy submitted his resignation to Gov. Jim Gibbons Tuesday. No replacement is expected to be named unless a special session has to be called between now and the 2010 election.

Contact reporter Molly Ball at mball@reviewjournal.com or 702-387-2919.