Governor fights to keep records away from accuser

Gov. Jim Gibbons has filed an emergency request for a protective order to keep his phone records from the woman who accused him of assault in 2006.

His lawyers filed the request in federal court seeking to prevent the Clark County district attorney's office from releasing Gibbons' phone records to Chrissy Mazzeo, the cocktail waitress who accused Gibbons of assaulting her in a Las Vegas parking garage in the run-up to the 2006 gubernatorial election.

Gibbons' lawyers contend releasing the records will violate an earlier court order. That order prevents Mazzeo from obtaining evidence in her civil lawsuit against the governor, court records said.

But the lawyers also said they are concerned about Gibbons' privacy.

"The privacy of the individuals whose telephone records are sought must be considered," his attorneys wrote in their request.

No date has been set for a hearing related to the request.

The request for a protective order relates to Mazzeo's 2008 civil lawsuit against Gibbons, former Clark County Sheriff Bill Young, political consultant Sig Rogich and others.

Mazzeo attorney Robert Kossack subpoenaed Gibbons' phone records from the district attorney's office, which has records in connection with the 2006 investigation into the incident.

"A protective order is necessary to preclude the production of telephone records as sought in the subpoena," Gibbons' lawyers said.

Kossack said he thinks the governor's records could show that Gibbons called the sheriff and others after the incident.

"What are they trying to hide? That's the question," he said Wednesday.

Many of the cell phone records have been released publicly, including records showing Rogich communicated with Young after the incident.

Mazzeo said she drank cocktails with Gibbons, Rogich, a friend and several other women on Oct. 13, 2006, at McCormick & Schmick's in the Hughes Center complex near Flamingo and Paradise roads.

Afterward, Gibbons offered to walk Mazzeo to her car. She alleges he assaulted her in a nearby parking garage.

Mazzeo's lawsuit alleges her right to due process and equal protection were violated during the garage incident and the subsequent police investigation.

She alleges Gibbons, Rogich, Young and others orchestrated a cover-up.

Las Vegas police questioned Gibbons but never charged him.

After the incident, Mazzeo said, she could not find work in Las Vegas and was blacklisted from working in casinos.

Contact reporter David Kihara at dkihara@reviewjournal.com or 702-380-1039.