Nevada High Court Rules Guv Gun Records Open to Public Scrutiny

Image via Wikipedia

Siding unanimously with The Reno-Gazette Journal, the Nevada Supreme Court ruled concealed weapon permit records of lame-duck Gov. Jim Gibbons are accessible under Nevada's Public Records Law [NRS 239.010].

The 14-page ruling by Nevada's High Court said  Washoe County District Court Judge Janet Berry wrongly decided the records involving the alleged improper handling of Gibbons' permit were not subject to the Public Records Law.  The Supreme Court distinguished that weapons permit applications are confidential, but that an applicant's identity or any records of a subsequent inquiry, suspension or revocation are not.

The Supreme Court ordered Judge Berry to redact any confidential information before releasing the records to the Gazette-Journal, which sued County Sheriff Mike Haley in 2008 to obtain the governor's post-permit documents. Gov. Gibbons  gave up his concealed weapons permit, ceding that he had not completed the requisite training for his nine pistols, although he signed  an application saying he had.

The incumbent Gibbons' reelection efforts were derailed in June when he lost the GOP primary. Goes to show that even without nine pistols, one can still shoot oneself in the foot.

What's Emailed in Vegas, Stays in Vegas

Image via Wikipedia

In Reno Newspapers, Inc. v. Gov. Jim Gibbons (Event No. 53360), the Reno Gazette-Journal has asked the Nevada Supreme Court to issue an order granting public access to Emails sent by incumbent Republican Gov. Jim Gibbons and other state officials when the Emails pertain to govenment-related matters.

According to a story in The Las Vegas Review Journal, The Gazette-Journal has requested approximately 100 Emails from Gov. Gibbons,which purportedly include messages exchanged with Leslie Durant and Kathy Karrasch, two women alleged to have been romantically involved with the governor.  Counsel for the daily appealed to Nevada's highest court after Carson City District Court Judge James Todd Russell ruled against imposing a policy that would settle whether emails by government officials constituted public records under Nevada's Public Records Law (NRS 239.010).

A decision from the Nevada Supreme Court is not expected for several months.