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A divorce proceeding that's become nasty and the subject of national gossip, plus an ongoing succession of problems continues to raise questions as to what Republican Gov. Jim Gibbons is going to do next to damage his political standing.
It's almost as if Gibbons v. Gibbons has another meaning — is the governor his own worst political enemy?
In a state known for easily obtained divorces, Gibbons' divorce from his wife of over 20 years, Dawn, has been anything but easy.
Word started to spread in late February 2008 that the Gibbonses weren't enjoying marital bliss in the Governor's Mansion. A family meeting was scheduled to discuss the future of the marriage.
Shortly after, the governor said no decision had been made to separate or divorce from his wife and that the matter was personal and he was “not going to work it out in the newspapers.”
In April, it was reported that Gov. Gibbons moved out of the Governor's Mansion in Carson City and into his home in Reno. On May 2, the governor filed for divorce, citing incompatibility.
On May 28, Dawn's lawyer filed divorce documents detailing that the governor's "disingenuous, shallow, and transparent protestations that his relationship with another man’s wife is a mere friendship, his infatuation and involvement with the other woman is the real, concealed and undisclosed reason for his voluntary departure from the marriage."
In the divorce documents, it was noted that the "other woman" bears a striking resemblance to Chrissy Mazzeo, a cocktail waitress that Gov. Gibbons allegedly assaulted before winning the gubernatorial election.
While the governor maintains that he does not have a girlfriend, he used his state phone to send the woman his wife claims he is involved with 850 text messages in one month.
While they have both agreed to stop making public comments on the divorce proceedings, the public is still talking.
And party leaders are backing off in their support of him.
The governor’s short but eventful tenure has been marked by unforeseen challenges, as well as problems of his own making. His political appointments have drawn fire and he has been politically tone-deaf to severe problems facing the state, including the foreclosure crisis and Southern Nevadans’ deteriorating confidence in the health care system following a hepatitis C outbreak at a well-known medical clinic. An FBI investigation of his relationship with a defense contractor remains unresolved.
