| Steven Horsford | |
|---|---|
| Member of the Nevada Senate from the Clark 4 district |
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| Incumbent | |
| Assumed office 2004 |
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| Personal details | |
| Born | April 29, 1973 Las Vegas, Nevada |
| Political party | Democratic |
| Spouse(s) | Dr. Sonya Horsford |
| Profession | Chief Executive Officer, Culinary Training Academy |
| Website | Steven Horsford |
Steven Horsford is a Democratic member and Majority Leader of the Nevada Senate, representing Clark County District 4 since 2004 (map). He is Nevada's first African-American state senate Majority Leader.
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Horsford was born and raised in Las Vegas and has deep roots around Nevada. He attended Ed W. Clark High School in Las Vegas, and the University of Nevada, Reno, where he studied political science and communications but has not yet completed his degree requirements to graduate.[1][2]
He is married to Dr. Sonya Horsford, a professor of educational leadership at the University of Nevada Las Vegas. They have three children, Benjamin, Bryson and Ella.[3]
Horsford is the Chief Executive Officer of the Culinary Training Academy (CTA).[4] As a joint management and labor partnership between participating gaming companies and the Culinary and Bartenders Unions, the CTA prepares more than 3,500 students annually for positions in the hospitality industry.[5]
Horsford was first elected to the Nevada State Senate in 2004 where he represents Senatorial District Four.[6] He has served in six special sessions and four regular sessions of the Nevada Legislature. In the most recent session, he served as chair of the Senate Finance Committee and also served on the Senate Committee on Revenue and the Senate Committee on Legislative Operations and Elections.[7]
In November 2008, Horsford was elected Nevada Senate Majority Leader. He was re-elected in 2010. [7]
Horsford and was intimately involved in securing Nevada’s role in hosting the second in the nation Presidential Caucus in 2008. He was an early supporter of Barack Obama’s candidacy.[8] During the early caucus season, he chaired a steering committee of community leaders that headed the campaign in the state. During the general election, Horsford co-chaired the campaign, helping lead President Obama to victory in Nevada.[9]
Horsford is the national vice chairman of the Democratic Legislative Campaign Committee and is the Democratic National Committeeman for the State of Nevada.[10] He is a member of the Democratic National Committee's Change Commission, and a member of the DNC's Rules & Bylaws Committee.[3]
In June 2004, Horsford resigned from the Southern Nevada Workforce Investment Board following conflict-of-interest complaints associated with Nevada Partners, a nonprofit he directed.[11] Horsford abstained from voting on grants that might go to Nevada Partners. The agency had awarded at least $3.4 million to the organization from 2003 to 2005.[12] In September 2006, a government audit confirmed “serious wrongdoing” and “deplorable practices” by Southern Nevada Workforce Investment Board members.[13] The audit commissioned by Las Vegas and the Clark County Commission noted that Horsford’s company had received over $10.4 million from the board and shown a “complete disregard for government accounting standards and . . . ignorance or disdain for the taxpayer.” [14]
In November 2009, Horsford illegally parked his SUV with his senate license plate visible in a handicapped parking space at a park for six hours.[15][16] Horsford refused to comment on the incident. Subsequently, Horsford pledged to work harder on disabled rights issues.[17]
On August 19, 2010 Horsford was accused of participating in a “pay to play” fundraising scandal where he offered to sell private access in exchange for money. [18] One columnist called the pay to play scheme a “new low in Nevada.” [19] Horsford eventually returned the money.[20]
On April 7, 2011 it was reported that web poker giant PokerStars treated Horsford on a lobbyist paid "junket" to the Bahamas immediately prior to introducing legislation that would benefit the online gaming industry. [21][22] Horsford said of the trip, "It was productive. They made a good presentation." [23] Horsford received $37,500 in campaign contributions from PokerStars.[24]
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