Gibbons Sets New Records, Is Under FBI Investigation

After only having been in office for six weeks, Gov. Jim Gibbons is under investigation by the FBI for possible corruption:

Federal authorities confirmed Thursday that Nevada Gov. Jim Gibbons is under investigation for failing to properly report gifts or payments from a software company that was awarded secret military contracts when he was in Congress.

The newly elected Republican governor’s office issued a statement saying that while he was a close friend of the company owner, Warren Trepp, there was “no special power” that Gibbons could provide in awarding defense contracts to the company.

Trepp, a former chief trader for convicted junk-bond dealer Michael Milken, also has denied any wrongdoing. He didn’t immediately return calls Thursday to his office at his eTreppid Technologies LLC in Reno.

Gibbons and his wife spent some time on a cruise and did not pay for that and neither for their ride on a private jet. However, the following part is the one that might actually undo him:

“Please don’t forget to bring the money you promised Jim and Dawn,” Trepp’s wife, Jale Trepp, said in a March 22, 2005, e-mail days before Trepp and his wife embarked on the Caribbean cruise with Jim Gibbons and his wife, Dawn, a former Nevada state assemblywoman.

According to the Journal, Trepp responded minutes later saying: “Don’t you ever send this kind of message to me! Erase this message from your computer right now!”

As this already drawing national press attention one has to wonder how long it will take for Gibbons to have to resign. Maybe it's "Hello Gov. Krolicki" before you know it.

Say Good Bye to Gov. Krolicki

Looks like much of the Nevada blogosphere (including this little blog) was much too eager to get Jim Gibbons out of the Governor's Mansion. Turns out he wasn't quite as flunky as we all presumed and actually did resign from Congress before taking his oath as governor. Damn.

Say Hello to Gov. Krolicki

The biggest flunk ever to be elected governor of the Silver State may actually not be governor at all. According to what's been reported around the buzzing Nevada blogosphere this state may not even have a governor right now.

Before I go on, read the full run down on Vote Gibbons Out.

So, technically, Gibbons would have to be removed. Lt. Gov. Krolicki (R) would then take over as Governor and a new election would possibly have to be called.

Here things would become really interesting. Would Gibbons run again? Would it be too embarrassing? Would his wife run? Would Krolicki want to keep the new job? Who would the Democrats nominate? "Dina-Might"? Speaker Buckley? Anyone else?

Will any of this ever happen? Probably not. The establishment will see to that and I doubt that Harry would like to see his Caucus disturbed in any way.