Gibbons accuser: Case being held up

The software developer who has accused Gov. Jim Gibbons of accepting kickbacks in exchange for steering millions in military contracts to a Reno-based company is claiming that the government is blocking his attempts to get new lawyers.

Dennis Montgomery stated that the government isn't allowing his former attorneys to turn over vital information about the case to new attorneys until the Justice Department reviews it, according to a newly filed court document.

He says the government wants to review the material so it can destroy sensitive or secret information, the document states.

"This is a wholly improper attempt to invade the attorney-client and work product privileges," the court document states.

Earlier in July, Montgomery's attorneys Michael Flynn and Carla DiMare sought to withdraw from the case, saying Montgomery's conduct made it difficult for them to represent him and citing money issues.

Montgomery recently hired Washington-based attorney Robert Bennett to represent him in the government's probe into Gibbons, and Deborah Klar, of the California-based firm Liner, Yankelevitz, Sunshine & Regenstreif, to represent him in civil litigation with his former employer, eTreppid.

However, the U.S. Department of Justice on July 16 stated that it didn't want the new attorneys to take over until the government examined documents to make sure no classified documents or information would be shared between the old and new attorneys.

Montgomery is in a legal fight with eTreppid over ownership of software that is used in secret military contracts.

He has claimed that eTreppid's founder, Warren Trepp, gave Gibbons cash and lavish cruises. In return, Gibbons has steered military contracts to eTreppid, Montgomery has stated.

Gibbons and Trepp have denied any wrongdoing.