Governor requests more records sealed

Gov. Jim Gibbons is again seeking a protective order preventing his telephone, financial and other records from being released publicly.

Gibbons, through his attorneys, is asking a federal judge to keep confidential "medical records, personnel files, financial records, and telephone records" that may be released in a lawsuit filed against him by a woman who accuses him of assaulting her in a parking garage in 2006.

The request claims that releasing the records will violate Gibbons' privacy.

The request stems from a lawsuit filed by Chrissy Mazzeo, who is suing Gibbons, the Las Vegas police, political consultant Sig Rogich and others. She claims Gibbons assaulted her and then used his influence to cover up the allegations.

Rogich filed a request last week seeking to prevent the release of records of incoming and outgoing calls involving third parties not connected to the lawsuit.

Rogich, president of Rogich Communication Group, says keeping his business contacts private are "paramount to the success of his business."

A federal magistrate judge in June ordered Gibbons to turn over his phone records to Mazzeo's attorneys but granted his request to keep the records private. The records cannot be given to anyone not directly involved in the lawsuit.

The governor's new request goes further and seeks to have nonphone records kept under wraps as well.

It also seeks to keep phone records of people not involved with the lawsuit from being publicly released.

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

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

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

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