Creepy, ain't he?

As a rule, which voice of deference to the all-powerful gambling, er, gaming industry is selected to sit on the board that pretends to regulate the industry (when the reality of course is the other way around) is precisely the type of fight in which an entrenched force of outsiderdom like the Gleaner does not have a dog.

So when Nevada's Sociopath in Chief Jim Gibbons ousts one guy from the Gaming Control Board to replace him with another, as reported by the AP Thursday, well, all things being equal, yawn.

But the manner in which the aforementioned weirdo accomplished his little personnel shuffle illustrates, yet again, the undeniably bizarre nature of Nevada's new governor.

Jim Gibbons said it was crucial that he be sworn in at the stroke of midnight on Jan. 1 for security concerns. A statement issued from Gibbons' office at the time said that "Although state agencies know of no credible threat, recent world events and New Year's celebrations raise the potential for problems during Nevada's first government transition since the terror attacks of 9-11." A Gibbons spokester clarified to the media that by "recent world events" the governor was referring to Saddam Hussein's execution.

It was specious and implausible from the start, and at first the midnight swearing-in seemed to reflect little more than typical Gibbons' buffoonery, the proto-commander momentarily enamored with being the boss of something, laced with perhaps a dash of adolescent enthusiasm for warmongering. Bemusing and absurd, yes, but, like so much else having to do with the man, essentially pointless.

But Thursday it became incontrovertibly clear that the midnight swearing-in did in fact serve a tangible purpose, and that purpose was to make Gibbons governor in time to undercut and replace a Gaming Control Board appointment that was scheduled to take effect at midnight.

In other words, Jim Gibbons' very first statement as governor to the people of Nevada, released immediately upon his official elevation to the job, was a lie.

Well, here again, politician opens mouth, lie spews out, and we're tempted to offer yet one more hearty "yawn." And in Gibbons' case, well, come on, there are websites that exist largely to track and inventory his lies.

But it wasn't just any lie. It was a lie that cynically used the calamitous events in the failed Iraq war as a cover story, and most outrageous of all, even invoked the deaths of 9-11 as part of the ruse. All in the name of settling a tawdry spat with his predecessor over a bureaucratic appointment.

The new governor apparently has very little sense of right and wrong, seemingly no regard for the truth, a nonexistent sense of proportion and a gaping void where his conscience should be. No wonder none of his congressional colleagues wanted to have anything do with him. He's a sick puppy.

That he can't be believed, on any matter large or small, let alone trusted, goes without saying.

Comments

[Nevada Scandalmonger]

Man, it's only Day Four of the Gibbons' Gubinalia! Keeping up with the constant rush of goofiness is going to kill me!

[KidFromVegas]

Kill you...come on you thrive on this stuff, I know I do...

[Paine]

Two things that good reporters would ask:

1. Why was it so vital for The Gibber to get this guy onto the Control Board? What does he owe him and what's the corruption involved--because if it involves The Gibber, it involves corruption.

2. Why didn't the all-important enforcement position go to the newly available Bill Young? He did enough to bury The Gibber's attempted assault. You'd think Bill would have had right of first refusal as payment.

[Johnathan L. Abbinett]

Thank GOD someone is keeping an on-going chronical of this constant crap on Gibbons!

[Obiter Dicta]

"The new governor apparently has very little sense of right and wrong, seemingly no regard for the truth, a nonexistent sense of proportion and a gaping void where his conscience should be. No wonder none of his congressional colleagues wanted to have anything do with him. He's a sick puppy."

Talk about restating the obvious - didn't we already have plenty of evidence as to Gleaner's statement: (1) Chrissy Mazzeo (2) nannygate (3) award of sweetheart gov't contract as a political reward

Guess the only consolation is that this idiot doesn't have a Karl Rove type around to help him inflict serious damage on our state. Less than 4 more years and counting . . .