Controversial Nev. Assembly speaker steps down
By Kyle Roerink, Las Vegas Sun
After facing a firestorm of criticism for racist comments he made publicly, incoming Assembly Speaker Ira Hansen announced that he would not lead the chamber during the upcoming legislative session.
After announcing to his legislative colleagues that he was stepping down, Hansen issued a news release Sunday saying the controversy surrounding him had been an “orchestrated attack.”
“The deliberate character assassination and the politics of personal destruction have totally distorted my views and record,” he said in the release. “Ultimately, this whole attack has very little to do with my views. The powers that be are planning a massive, more than $1 billion, tax increase and I stood in the way as speaker. I have already served two terms as an assemblyman without any of these vicious attacks. It was only when I had risen to leadership that this smear campaign occurred. That is the real reason for this and it is vital the public understands that.”