Republican Jim Gibbons with his wife, Dawn, holding the Bible, is sworn in as Nevada's 29th governor on New Year's Day by Chief Justice Bill Maupin in the chambers of the Nevada Supreme Court in Carson City. It was the second swearing-in for the governor on Monday. Photo by The Associated Press
CARSON CITY -- Five of Nevada's six statewide constitutional officers were sworn in at the Supreme Court chambers Monday morning, but for Gov. Jim Gibbons, the event was superfluous.
Gibbons had been sworn in just seconds after midnight at his home in Reno, citing security concerns and a desire to ensure a seamless transition.
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Immediately after being sworn in, Gibbons made two significant appointments to his cabinet, naming Larry Martines, who has had a long career in police and security work -- including work for the CIA -- as the state homeland security director; and law enforcement veteran Phil Galeoto as state Department of Public Safety director.
"Nevadans should be assured that their leaders are in place, ready for any emergency," Gibbons, the state's 29th governor, said as the new year was less than an hour old.
Gibbons said that while state agencies knew "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." Spokesman Brent Boynton said "recent world events" was a reference to the execution of former Iraqi dictator Saddam Hussein.
Gibbons' predecessor, Republican Kenny Guinn, had been governor since January 1999.
"I knew continuity was important, and I wanted no gap in security," Gibbons said. "We're in a new reality since the September 11 attacks, and the people of Nevada expect the governor to be on top of things.
"I was told about this process by Joe Manchin, the governor of West Virginia," Gibbons said. "And he told me when we met over at the National Governors Association, 'You should do a midnight swearing-in on the day you take office. That way there is no question about any events, you are there.' "
While the midnight swearing-in was a first for Nevada, Gibbons said it has been done in many other states. "California has done it. Connecticut has done it recently," he said.
The only news organization Gibbons' staff alerted about the midnight swearing-in was The Associated Press. Gibbons said he didn't want a "media frenzy" at his home on New Year's Eve.
"I wanted it to be small and personal, with some friends who mean a lot to me," he said. Each of the guests at the midnight swearing-in "has stood by my side during the toughest times," said Gibbons, who was accused by a Las Vegas cocktail waitress of assaulting her three weeks before the election. He denied any wrongdoing but saw his early lead dwindle as a result of the claims.
When Gibbons took the oath of office the second time, with the other constitutional officers in the Supreme Court chambers, his hand was shaking. He said the shaking was not nervousness or excitement but rather an inherited trait that has grown worse with age. He did not elaborate.
Also sworn in by Chief Justice Bill Maupin were Lt. Gov. Brian Krolicki, Secretary of State Ross Miller, Treasurer Kate Marshall, Controller Kim Wallin and Attorney General Catherine Cortez Masto. All the constitutional officers are Democrats except for Gibbons and Krolicki.
Dozens of family and friends crowded into the Supreme Court chambers to observe the ceremony, which only took a few minutes.
After the midmorning event, Gibbons walked over to his new office in the capitol and signed his first proclamation as governor, marking today as a day of remembrance for the late President Gerald Ford.
Gibbons talked a bit about his budget, on which he said he and his transition team are working "night and day." The nearly $7 billion state general fund spending plan must be sent to the printer on Friday. Gibbons must present the plan to state lawmakers Jan. 22, when he delivers his State of the State speech.
Gibbons said he won't recommend expanding all-day kindergarten to all schools in Nevada, but would retain the existing program making it available to at-risk schools. "We have some great ideas about education that I think are going to actually supersede the benefits that would come from those that recommend all-day kindergarten," he said.
Guinn had included all-day kindergarten in the proposed budget he and his staff drew up before leaving office.
Guinn also wanted to see his $50 million-a-year program to help schools improve learning and test scores continue, but Gibbons said he has not decided on that yet.
Gibbons said he supports spending some of this year's surplus on one-time projects, including on widening Interstate 15 from the Spaghetti Bowl in downtown Las Vegas to Craig Road. Guinn had recommended $170 million in funding for the road project.
Gibbons said he also will enhance the state's rainy day fund for fiscal emergencies.
Miller said he will get to work right away on a federal inquiry into Nevada's corporate filing practices. There is a concern that Nevada's filing practices do not do enough to protect against fraud, he said.
Cortez Masto said her first official day on the job today will be a continuation of the past two weeks: preparing to transition from former Attorney General George Chanos, a Republican.
With the appointments of Galeoto and Martines, Gibbons has completed most of his key appointments.
Martines had a long career with the Los Angeles sheriff's department and went on to become a consultant in counterterrorism. He had overseas security assignments with the CIA and also had contracts with the Department of Defense and Department of Justice.
Galeoto spent 24 years with the Reno Police Department. He recently returned from Iraq where he was director of the Baghdad Police College. He also worked as a tribal police chief in Minnesota and did police work in California.
