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On May 30, 2007, the ''[[New York Times]]'' reported that Gibbons has a 28% approval rating in Nevada. |
On May 30, 2007, the ''[[New York Times]]'' reported that Gibbons has a 28% approval rating in Nevada. |
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=== Currently under investigation for bribery === |
=== Currently under investigation for bribery === |
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On November 1, 2006, the ''[[Wall Street Journal]]'' published a story stating that Gibbons had earmarked several millions of dollars to a company owned by Warren Trepp, as well as added additional funds to a pre-existing government contract with Trepp's company. The report noted that Trepp had paid for a $10,000 dollar cruise for Gibbons and his wife, which Gibbons failed to report, and $100,000 in campaign contributions. A former Trepp business partner claimed that Gibbons was also given gambling chips — convertible into cash — and cash directly. <ref>[http://www.tpmmuckraker.com/archives/001915.php#more TPM Muckraker]</ref> |
On November 1, 2006, the ''[[Wall Street Journal]]'' published a story stating that Gibbons had earmarked several millions of dollars to a company owned by Warren Trepp, as well as added additional funds to a pre-existing government contract with Trepp's company. The report noted that Trepp had paid for a $10,000 dollar cruise for Gibbons and his wife, which Gibbons failed to report, and $100,000 in campaign contributions. A former Trepp business partner claimed that Gibbons was also given gambling chips — convertible into cash — and cash directly. <ref>[http://www.tpmmuckraker.com/archives/001915.php#more TPM Muckraker]</ref> |
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The U.S. Attorney for Nevada at time of the investigation was [[Daniel Bogden]], who was one of seven federal prosecutors forced out of his job by the Bush administration in December 2006. <ref>[http://www.tpmmuckraker.com/archives/001915.php#more TPM Muckraker]</ref> |
The U.S. Attorney for Nevada at time of the investigation was [[Daniel Bogden]], who was one of seven federal prosecutors forced out of his job by the Bush administration in December 2006. <ref>[http://www.tpmmuckraker.com/archives/001915.php#more TPM Muckraker]</ref> |
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===Alleged sexual assault === |
===Alleged sexual assault === |
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On July 20, 2007, [[Declan McCullagh]] from [[News.com|CNET News.com]] reported that Gibbons accidentally revealed the password to his e-mail account, which was posted in a publicly available location on his Web site. The password was posted so that aides could send out weekly e-mail updates to Gibbons' constituents. Another file found on the Web site showed the number of subscribers to his mailing list. Other documents showed various telephone and fax numbers.<ref>http://news.com.com/8301-10784_3-9747705-7.html</ref> |
On July 20, 2007, [[Declan McCullagh]] from [[News.com|CNET News.com]] reported that Gibbons accidentally revealed the password to his e-mail account, which was posted in a publicly available location on his Web site. The password was posted so that aides could send out weekly e-mail updates to Gibbons' constituents. Another file found on the Web site showed the number of subscribers to his mailing list. Other documents showed various telephone and fax numbers.<ref>http://news.com.com/8301-10784_3-9747705-7.html</ref> |
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==Beliefs and ideologies== |
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===Civil Rights=== |
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The following is taken directly from OnTheIssues.org: |
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*Rated 7% by the ACLU, indicating an anti-civil rights voting record. (Dec 2002) |
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*Voted YES on making the PATRIOT Act permanent. (Dec 2005)<ref>http://www.ontheissues.org/House/Jim_Gibbons.htm</ref> |
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===Education=== |
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;On education as governor |
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In January of 2007, Governor Gibbons asked Nevada lawmakers to approve his budget that slightly cut the percentage of education funding in Nevada to increase the percentage for public safety and human services programs. <ref>http://www.klas-tv.com/Global/story.asp?S=5964242</ref> |
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<br> |
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;On education as a congressman (the following is taken directly from OnTheIssues.org) |
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* Rated 10% by the NEA, indicating anti-public education votes. |
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* Voted YES on allowing school prayer during the War on Terror. |
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* Voted Yes on letting schools display the words "God Bless America". |
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* Supports a Constitutional Amendment for school prayer. <ref>http://www.ontheissues.org/Governor/Jim_Gibbons_Education.htm</ref> |
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===Foreign policy=== |
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*Voted NO on deterring foreign arms transfers to China. (Jul 2005) |
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*Voted YES on reforming the UN by restricting US funding. (Jun 2005) |
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*Voted NO on keeping Cuba travel ban until political prisoners released. (Jul 2001) |
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*Voted YES on withholding $244M in UN Back Payments until US seat restored. (May 2001) |
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*Voted NO on $156M to IMF for 3rd-world debt reduction. (Jul 2000) |
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*Voted NO on Permanent Normal Trade Relations with China. (May 2000) |
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*Voted NO on $15.2 billion for foreign operations. (Nov 1999) <ref>http://www.ontheissues.org/Governor/Jim_Gibbons_Education.htm</ref> |
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===Yucca Mountain=== |
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Jim Gibbons approved a plan to let the U.S. Department of Energy use the state's water to explore the planned [[Yucca Mountain]] nuclear waste site.<ref>http://gov.state.nv.us/PressReleases/2007/2007-07-17_YUCCAMountainHaltWaterDrilling.htm</ref> According to the ''[[Las Vegas Sun]]'', "Neither Gibbons nor his aides have offered public explanations for the governor’s perplexing moves. In particular, they have not explained how giving federal authorities more time to build a case for Yucca Mountain or appointing a Yucca advocate to the nuclear projects board could possibly be interpreted as being in line with the state’s opposition to the plan."<ref>http://politics.lasvegassun.com/2007/07/gibbons-on-yucc.html</ref> Sen. [[Harry Reid]] (D-NV) said "this amounts to surrendering in Nevada's decades-long fight against the project."<ref>http://www.lvrj.com/news/8569362.html</ref> Rep. [[Shelley Berkley]] (D-NV) said “This demonstrates to me that he either doesn’t know what he’s doing or he’s reversed his position.”<ref>http://politics.lasvegassun.com/2007/07/gibbons-on-yucc.html</ref> |
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===Taxes=== |
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;As governor<br /> |
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Jim Gibbons pledged during his 1996 campaign for governor to not impose new taxes on businesses or individuals in Nevada. <ref>http://www.nevadaappeal.com/article/20070624/OPINION/106240098&SearchID=73288959451804</ref> Businesses asked for tax increases to pay for new roads in Nevada, but Gibbons did not acquiesce.<ref>http://www.nevadaappeal.com/article/20070516/ELECTIONS/105160085&SearchID=73288959451804</ref> |
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;In Congress<br / > |
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*Voted YES on replacing illegal export tax breaks with $140B in new breaks. (Jun 2004) |
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*Voted YES on Bankruptcy Overhaul requiring partial debt repayment. (Mar 2001)<ref>http://www.ontheissues.org/Governor/Jim_Gibbons_Education.htm</ref> |
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==Opinion polls== |
==Opinion polls== |
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* "Anybody who is against that [corporate-funded inaugural bashes] obviously must be a communist."<ref>[http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/6844539 ''Corporate cash backs Bush inaugural bash''] — MSNBC, 1/19/05</ref> |
* "Anybody who is against that [corporate-funded inaugural bashes] obviously must be a communist."<ref>[http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/6844539 ''Corporate cash backs Bush inaugural bash''] — MSNBC, 1/19/05</ref> |
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* "Look at the movie '[[Wag the Dog]], I think [President Clinton's military actions on the day of scheduled impeachment hearings] has all the elements of that movie. Our reaction to the [[1998 United States embassy bombings|embassy bombings]] should be based on sound, credible evidence, not a knee-jerk reaction to try to direct public attention away from his ([[Bill Clinton]]'s) personal problems."<ref>[http://votegibbonsout.blogs.com/votegibbonsout/2004/03/did_gibbons_aid.html ''Did Jim Gibbons Aid Al Qaida?''] — votegibbonsout.blog.com 3/31/04</ref> |
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*"... I learned an important lesson, never to offer a helping hand to anybody ever again", following the alleged assault involving Chrissy Mazzeo in October of 2006.[http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/15510506/] |
*"... I learned an important lesson, never to offer a helping hand to anybody ever again", following the alleged assault involving Chrissy Mazzeo in October of 2006.[http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/15510506/] |
Revision as of 15:42, 25 August 2007
Jim Gibbons | |
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28th Governor of Nevada | |
Assumed office January 1 2007 | |
Lieutenant | Brian Krolicki |
Preceded by | Kenny Guinn |
Personal details | |
Born | Sparks, Nevada | December 16, 1944
Political party | Republican |
Spouse | Dawn Gibbons |
Profession | Geologist, attorney, pilot |
James Arthur "Jim" Gibbons (born December 16 1944) is the 28th governor of the U.S. state of Nevada. A Republican, he is a former member of the United States House of Representatives, having served from 1997 to 2006.
Biography
Born in Sparks, Nevada, Gibbons interrupted his studies at the University of Nevada, Reno during the Vietnam War to serve in the United States Air Force (1967–1971). He also attended Southwestern University School of Law, in Los Angeles, and the University of Southern California for post-graduate studies. A graduate of the US Air Force Air Command and Staff College and the Air War College, he joined the Nevada Air National Guard in 1975 and served as its vice commander from 1990 to 1996, participating in the first Gulf War. During his military career, Gibbons earned nineteen service medals, including the Legion of Merit and Distinguished Flying Cross. In civilian life, he has worked as a lawyer in private practice, an airline pilot for both Western Airlines and Delta Air Lines, a hydrologist and a geologist. Gibbons is a Latter-day Saint; his wife is a Presbyterian.[1]
Political career
Gibbons served in the Nevada State Assembly from 1989 to 1993, during which time he was called to active service in the Gulf War as an RF-4C Flight Leader. During the conflict, he was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross for extraordinary achievement while participating in a mission in which he flew his unarmed aircraft on a vital reconnaissance mission to acquire politically sensitive imagery of enemy targets in Kuwait.
Including the DFC, Gibbons has received a total of nineteen service medals throughout his military service, such as the Legion of Merit, Air Medal with Two Oak Leaf Clusters, Aerial Achievement Medal and Air Force Commendation Medal with One Oak Leaf Cluster.
1994 gubernatorial election
While working as a pilot for Delta Air Lines and serving as an assemblyman in the Nevada House, Gibbons ran for Nevada governor in 1994. As the Republican nominee, he lost to Democrat incumbent Bob Miller, having received 156,875 votes to Miller's 200,026.
U.S. Congress
He was elected to the House in 1996 for Nevada's 2nd congressional district, and served as vice chairman of the House Resources Committee, as well as on the Armed Services Committee, the Homeland Security Committee, and the Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence. His wife, Dawn Gibbons, was elected to the Nevada State Assembly in 1998.
Governor
2006 gubernatorial election
Gibbons announced in late 2004 that he would not run for a sixth term in 2006, instead opting to run for Governor of Nevada. He won the August 15 party primary handily, defeating state senator Bob Beers and Lieutenant Governor Lorraine Hunt. In the general election (described as "most contentious, ugly and negative in history" [1]) he faced Democratic nominee Dina Titus, who is the Minority Leader in the Nevada State Senate. Gibbons received 278,984 votes to Titus' 255,675. Titus won Clark County, Nevada's most populous, but was beaten by Gibbons in every other county. Gibbons called Titus "an admirable opponent," although Titus declined to echo his sentiments, saying ""We disagree on basic policies, and neither one of us is going to change our minds for the other." [2] Gibbons mocked Titus in a campaign ad, dubbing her as "Dina Taxes."
Gibbons resigned his House seat on New Year's Eve, and was sworn in as governor just after midnight on New Year's Day, a highly irregular event in Nevada history. Many believe Gibbons did this in order to undo a late term appointment to the position of Nevada's Gaming Control Board Chairman by his predecessor, Governor Kenny Guinn [2]
Initiatives
- Failed attempt at reimbursement
In August, 2007, Governor Gibbons attempted to from the Mexican government expenses inquired by the state of Nevada for the health care of Mexican nationals[3]
Scandal
On May 30, 2007, the New York Times reported that Gibbons has a 28% approval rating in Nevada.
Alleged sexual assault
In October 2006, a woman accused Jim Gibbons of attempted sexual assault in a parking garage. Gibbons claimed he was helping her to her car. They both admitted to drinking alcohol at McCormick and Schmick's restaurant in Las Vegas.
In the initial aftermath of the event, Las Vegas Sheriff Bill Young, a long time supporter of Jim Gibbons and donor to his gubernatorial campaign, cited lack of evidence in the case and refused to bring evidence of the attack to the District Attorney. His accuser did not initially want to pursue pressing charges, saying she just wanted "to be left alone." But when the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department was forced to open the incident case file after inquiries by Las Vegas media, the Las Vegas Review Journal and the Las Vegas Sun released her name and the woman was thrust into the public eye. She later said she was being pressured to not talk to the police about the incident by people close to Jim Gibbons.[4] In fact, the Gibbon's campaign hired a private investigator to "talk" to the woman shortly after the incident occurred.[5]
Under pressure from the media and eventually the accuser, Bill Young famously taunted the accuser to "bring it on," and sign a formal complaint. This is a highly irregular step as most victims of assault are not required to sign a complaint before an investigation can begin. Nevertheless, she signed the complaint and there was a further investigation. The evidence was given to the Las Vegas District Attorney, David Roger, who also donated to the Gibbons' Campaign. Charges were never filed in the case.[6]
The Gibbon's gubernatorial campaign manager, Robert Uithoven, speculated in an e-mail to Gibbons' supporters that Dina Titus, Gibbons' opponent, hired the woman to entice Gibbons. Titus retorted that to do this she would have had to control where Gibbons went, who he was with, and even the weather (Gibbons claimed he was helping the woman to her car in part because of the weather).[7]
Employing an illegal nanny
In October 2006 as Gibbons was campaigning for governor, it was brought to light that he and his wife Dawn had employed Patricia Pastor Sandoval, a then-illegal immigrant from Peru, as a housekeeper and babysitter. Dawn, a state representative, denied the allegations, claiming that Sandoval had merely been a friend who had helped out around the house and was given clothing and household goods, but was not an employee. An employment contract from between Mrs. Gibbons and Sandoval, however, appeared to disprove that assertion as it clearly laid out the terms and conditions of Sandoval's hiring. Documents filed during Sandoval's 1988 application for working papers also contradicted earlier statements by Mrs. Gibbons that the family had not known that the woman was in the nation illegally. [8]
Sandoval states that she was employed from roughly 1987 to 1993. She also states that she was asked to hide in the basement and refrain from answering doors at certain times in order to ensure that her illegal status did not become public knowledge and jeopardize Gibbons' political career. In 1995, Dawn Gibbons filed a police complaint against Sandoval, alleging that she was attempting to extort money by threatening to go to the media with a story involving her illegal employment. Jim and Dawn Gibbons, however, later decided not to pursue the matter. [9]
In response to the revelations, Jim Gibbons' campaign issued a statement accusing Democratic candidate Dina Titus of fomenting the controversy to distract from the real issues of the race, but did not issue a denial of Sandoval's claims. [10]
Plagiarism
A speech given in February 2005 by Rep. Gibbons in Elko, Nevada was actually plagiarized from a copyrighted speech delivered in 2003 by then Alabama State Auditor Beth Chapman at a "Stand up America" rally.[11]
Interference with an ongoing investigation
On August 3, 2007, the Las Vegas Review Journal printed the following:
A newly available document states that Gov. Jim Gibbons "has admitted" that he urged federal authorities to pursue criminal action against a software developer whose business dispute with a friend of Gibbons has prompted a federal investigation. The statement is made in a legal motion filed last year, but kept secret until Tuesday, when it was unsealed at a judge's order. [12]
Criticism and controversy
Favors for mining industry donors
Land for mining industry
In November 2005, Gibbons and Representative Richard Pombo (R-CA) co-authored an amendment to the Federal Budget Reconciliation Bill easing restrictions of sale of federal lands to mining companies. This amendment attracted fire from environmentalists, anti-growth advocates, and even some Republican Senators [13] concerned about the measure's effects on hunting and fishing. Although the bill (and amendment) narrowly passed the House, the stated opposition of many Democratic Senators and the concerns voiced by Republican Senators make the amendment's future uncertain.
Easing mercury standards
Journalist Chris Mooney has criticized Gibbons for using rhetoric in place of sound science to base judgments, particularly in regard to a 2005 report Gibbons produced with Pombo that some saw as underplaying the effects of mercury poisoning[14].
Undeclared donations to legal defense fund
Gibbons set up a legal defense fund just before the November, 2006 gubernatorial election to help pay for legal expenses incurred after a woman accused him of attempted sexual assault. Gibbons neither reported the legal defense fund to the appropriate U.S. House of Representatives committee (even though he was a sitting congressmen at the time and was required by House rules to do so), nor did he report donations to his legal defense fund as contributions to his gubernatorial campaign, citing the money was for "personal use" and not for "political purposes."[15]
Outlook password accident
On July 20, 2007, Declan McCullagh from CNET News.com reported that Gibbons accidentally revealed the password to his e-mail account, which was posted in a publicly available location on his Web site. The password was posted so that aides could send out weekly e-mail updates to Gibbons' constituents. Another file found on the Web site showed the number of subscribers to his mailing list. Other documents showed various telephone and fax numbers.[16]
Opinion polls
Source | Date | Approve | Disapprove | Undecided |
---|---|---|---|---|
Reno Gazette-Journal poll | August 20, 2007 | 33% | 49% | |
New York Times[17] | May 30, 2007 | 28% |
Quotations
- "Tree-hugging, Birkenstock-wearing, hippie, tie-dyed liberals [in Hollywood should]… go make their movies and their music and whine somewhere else…. It's just too damn bad we didn't buy them a ticket [to become human shields in Iraq]."[18]
- "Anybody who is against that [corporate-funded inaugural bashes] obviously must be a communist."[19]
- "... I learned an important lesson, never to offer a helping hand to anybody ever again", following the alleged assault involving Chrissy Mazzeo in October of 2006.[3]
- "I would have loved to have been the committee chairman and when the choice was made to go with Pete Hoekstra (R-Mich.), of course that disappointed me...but as my mother would say, when one door closes, another opens up",[20] regarding Gibbons' non-selection for chair of the House Intelligence Committee, and the possibility that he could instead run for Governor.
Electoral history
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Republican | Jim Gibbons | 278,998 | 47.9 | ||
Democratic | Dina Titus | 255,684 | 43.9 |
References
- ^ Inaccuracy Fixed: Gibbons Mystified by Inaccurate Listing — Las Vegas Review Journal 5/19/06
- ^ http://www.nevadaappeal.com/article/20070111/OPINION/101110088&SearchID=7328341662344
- ^ http://www.lasvegassun.com/sunbin/stories/sun/2007/aug/09/566641134.html?gibbons%20mexico
- ^ http://www.lasvegassun.com/sunbin/stories/sun/2006/oct/26/566684187.html
- ^ http://www.reviewjournal.com/lvrj_home/2006/Nov-05-Sun-2006/news/10640003.html
- ^ http://www.reviewjournal.com/lvrj_home/2006/Oct-26-Thu-2006/news/10448591.html
- ^ http://www.valleyblogs.com/sebelius/2006-10-23/id_1779
- ^ KLAS
- ^ KLAS
- ^ KLAS
- ^ http://www.reviewjournal.com/lvrj_home/2005/Mar-04-Fri-2005/news/25992087.html
- ^ http://nl.newsbank.com/nl-search/we/Archives?p_product=LVRB&p_theme=lvrb&p_action=search&p_maxdocs=200&p_text_search-0=Jim%20AND%20gibbons&s_dispstring=Jim%20gibbons%20AND%20date(8/1/2007%20to%208/3/2007)&p_field_date-0=YMD_date&p_params_date-0=date:B,E&p_text_date-0=8/1/2007%20to%208/3/2007)&xcal_numdocs=20&p_perpage=10&p_sort=YMD_date:D&xcal_useweights=no
- ^ http://www.govexec.com/dailyfed/1105/112805cdpm3.htm
- ^ Thank You for Polluting — Seed Magazine
- ^ http://www.reviewjournal.com/lvrj_home/2007/Mar-06-Tue-2007/news/12987013.html
- ^ http://news.com.com/8301-10784_3-9747705-7.html
- ^ [http://select.nytimes.com/gst/abstract.html?res=F30914F93F540C738FDDAC0894DF404482&showabstract=1 STATEHOUSE JOURNAL; A Rocky Start for Nevada's Chief
- ^ Demanding an Apology — Fox News 3/4/05
- ^ Corporate cash backs Bush inaugural bash — MSNBC, 1/19/05
- ^ Gibbons Mulls Bid For Governor — Reno Gazette Journal, 1/13/05
External links
- Nevada Governor Jim Gibbons, official state site
- Template:CongBio2
- National Governors Association — Nevada Governor Jim Gibbons biography
- Follow the Money — Jim Gibbons 2006 campaign contributions
- On the Issues — Jim Gibbons issue positions and quotes
- Template:VoteSmart