During his term, El Paso transitioned from a mayor-council form of government to one with a "weak mayor" and appointed city manager.
On Tuesday, May 9, 2006, the National Center for the Employment of the Disabled (NCED) (renamed Ready One Industries in March 2006), of which Wardy was President and CEO, was raided by over 65 agents with the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), General Services Administration, US Army and Internal Revenue Service.
The raid, which began at 8:00 am and lasted well into the evening, was part of an ongoing probe into contracts awarded.
The company won contracts based on a promise that at least 75 percent of workers filling government orders would be severely disabled.
[citation needed] Wardy was detained and questioned by police and the FBI after a screener at the El Paso International Airport detected a loaded handgun in his carry-on luggage on Wednesday, March 7, 2007.