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May. 06, 2008
Copyright © Las Vegas Review-Journal

DIVORCE PROCEEDINGS: First lady holds onto role

Attorney says Dawn Gibbons still plans to perform her duties

By ED VOGEL
REVIEW-JOURNAL CAPITAL BUREAU

First lady Dawn Gibbons dances with husband Gov. Jim Gibbons at the Inaugural Ball in January 2007 at The Venetian.
Photo by Samantha Clemens/Review-Journal

CARSON CITY -- Dawn Gibbons will continue to perform all the functions befitting Nevada's first lady despite her pending divorce from Gov. Jim Gibbons, her lawyer said Monday.

"She doesn't believe that just because her husband is trying to divorce her that she should not be performing acts for the common good," said Reno lawyer Cal Dunlap, a former Washoe County district attorney.

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    • Earlier Monday, Carson City District Judge Bill Maddox signed an order sealing most records in the divorce case and mandated that the divorce trial be conducted in private. For her part, though, the first lady did not want the records sealed or the divorce conducted in private, her attorney said.

    "The first lady believes the public has a right to know about the affairs and activities of the first lady, as well as the governor," added Dunlap, who declined to elaborate.

    The first lady has led the state's anti-methamphetamine effort and pushed for programs to help autistic children. Unless "ordered not to," Dawn Gibbons will continue in these and other duties expected of a first lady, her attorney said.

    Her activity list and personal Web site, which includes pictures showing a loving first couple, still was up Monday on the state's Web site.

    She did not respond to a call Monday or one over the weekend.

    A source who has worked with Jim Gibbons, 63, said the governor would not object to Dawn Gibbons, 54, continuing to act as first lady while the divorce action proceeds.

    Dunlap would not comment on a report from a friend of Dawn Gibbons that according to the first lady, Gov. Gibbons had changed the locks at the governor's mansion and put her clothing in a spare room.

    The first lady did not learn until 9:30 p.m. Friday that her husband had filed for divorce earlier that day in District Court in Carson City, Dunlap said. She was vacationing with the couple's 20-year-old son, Jimmy, in California.

    She since has returned to Nevada, Dunlap said. He said he did not know whether she was staying in the governor's mansion, in the couple's southwest Reno home or with friends.

    In the divorce complaint, Jim Gibbons' attorney listed incompatibility as grounds for ending the couple's marriage of nearly 22 years.

    In his ruling, Maddox said that neither the governor nor the first lady may cash out any insurance or retirement policies or sell or dispose of any property "except in the usual course of business or for the necessities of life."

    The divorce is the first involving a sitting Nevada governor, state Archivist Guy Rocha said.

    Rocha said that former Govs. Robert List and Paul Laxalt were divorced after their terms as governor.

    Two earlier governors, Tasker Oddie and C.C. Stevenson, had been divorced before becoming governor. Nevada has had 29 governors.

    The Maddox order means that little might be made public beyond the four-page divorce complaint, the final judgment and any findings made by the court when the divorce is granted.

    In making the ruling, Maddox cited a state law that allows one party in a divorce action to request the divorce be conducted in private and most documents filed with the case sealed.

    Gov. Gibbons' spokesman Ben Kieckhefer and his lawyer, Gary Silverman of Reno, would not respond to questions Monday about the privacy order or new developments in the case.

    Silverman said Friday that the governor wanted privacy in the case and that he, his staff and his lawyers would not be making further comments.

    In a statement Friday, Silverman said the governor would request a court ruling on the living arrangements of the governor and first lady.

    A state law specifies governors must reside in the seat of government, meaning Carson City. The law creating the governor's mansion stipulates it is the home of the "state executive," meaning the governor, and not the first lady.

    Gov. Gibbons recently was living in the couple's Reno home, while conducting business meetings in the mansion. Dawn Gibbons was living in the mansion.

    Dunlap said he and the first lady have not yet decided whether she voluntarily will move out of the mansion.

    Although the Nevada Supreme Court sponsored a commission earlier this year that led to an order limiting the sealing of court records, its decision did not deal with Family Court matters, court spokesman Bill Gang said.

    Family Court matters, such as divorce proceedings, are regulated by state law, Gang said.

    Maddox cited two laws and a regulation that allow him to seal records and conduct the divorce in private.

    Contact Capital Bureau Chief Ed Vogel at evogel@reviewjournal.com or 775-687-3901.



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    UNLVStud wrote on May 06, 2008 08:34 PM: He's been a public official for over twenty years. Most of his assets were acquired with taxpayer money. We should be able to see what assets he has and how it will be divided. The seal is voluntary and clearly the First Lady doesn't want it in place. He shouldn't hide behind a court ordered seal.

    What else is the governor hiding?


    Jack wrote on May 06, 2008 05:14 PM: So Judy who wrote "Dawn covered for this spineless idiot of a womanizer for years, now he is turning on her. I hope she takes him!" must be a close personal friend of the Gibbons, or maybe she has very "intimate" knowledge the rest of us lack. I have not seen anything to prove Gibbons is a womanizer. But then I have no doubt you voted for Clinton and supported him after it was proved that he was. Substantiate your smearing or keep it to yourself.


    Al katraz wrote on May 06, 2008 03:21 PM: Here's Gibbo's chance to do something for Nevada. Divorce her, and give her the boot. virtually everyone in the political business knows that this woman is in it for nothing but herself. If she wants to perform an act "for the common good" she should move...to another state.
    I bet Chrissy Mazzeo is already hiring a decorator for the mansion.


    Me wrote on May 06, 2008 01:08 PM: Gov Gibbons has proven he's an idiot...time and time again.
    Well, apparently so is his wife.
    Birds of a feather.....


    nvnospin wrote on May 06, 2008 12:47 PM: She should continue with her duties. The "Luv Guv" is continuing with his official and unofficial affairs.


    Free Nevada wrote on May 06, 2008 12:31 PM: Toni Lanni (CEO of MGM-MIRAGE) is live on CNBC right now being grilled by Maria Bartaromo...saying he's not slowing construction on $8.1bn City Center, or the $5bn Atlantic City or the development with the Sahara people despite record sell-offs on his stock, declining sales in almost all areas, bankruptcy of the Trop, fears the area is being overbuilt, etc. Said he's 60-90 days from finalizing financing on City Center? (Isn't it done?) Talking about Abu Dabi development with his new partners there ...when pressed, did admit that not all of the 40K rooms will be built as fast due to slowdown. Talking about Singapore, Egpyt, China, etc.. not worried about rest of country dropping or over building due to his "30 years" ho ho ho of experience which is too long for young Maria, etc. blah blah blah. I suspect we can't quickly impeach and elect a new governor as happened in California, but hopefully we can put this behind us. If MGM MIRAGE is wrong with all this spending, they'll have a fine time going private like Harrah's and Stations ...and even if they do, where does that leave Nevada (with all the big players privately held!)


    Free Nevada wrote on May 06, 2008 12:18 PM: NLV Resident, you are clearly high on crack. The only thing that the Gibbons have in common with Windsors is that they are loosely both members of the human species. Seriously, Prince Charles is not right for Nevada.

    I think Arnold and Maria have set a great example in California.

    'When he showed Morley Safer his wife's office, he quipped, "I show you Maria's office quickly, which is back here. She, of course, has to be further away from my office because she's a Democrat."

    Not just any Democrat, but a Kennedy. ,,, As for his endorsement of President Bush, he later joked that it got him a cold shoulder at home, saying, "There was no sex for 14 days." '

    http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2004/10/28/60minutes/main652046.shtml


    Judy wrote on May 06, 2008 10:34 AM: Dawn covered for this spineless idiot of a womanizer for years, now he is turning on her. I hope she takes him!


    Helen Weils wrote on May 06, 2008 10:27 AM: hey Dawn, we didn't elect you. It's time to leave! We don't need your liberal bs.


    Dr J wrote on May 06, 2008 09:50 AM: Gov. Gibbons is a phony and a horrible example for us. Time for a recall.


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