Following governor’s lead, columnist lets rumor mill run wild for a day

Social events at which state judges mingle with lawyers and get to know them as “real people” are routine. But when a young female attorney, inhibitions loosened by alcohol, flashed a Nevada Supreme Court justice recently, well, that wasn’t routine.

Here’s a woman who someday could be arguing cases before Justice Bill Maupin, the recipient of her “I’m a real person” flash. (How real she was wasn’t readily determined.)

If only the story were true.

Justice Maupin told me Friday it never happened. We both believe he would have noticed if it had happened. Justice isn’t that blind.

Normally, an unconfirmed story wouldn’t make it into my column. I confirm tips; I don’t report rumors.

But thanks to Gov. Jim Gibbons, the bar for journalists has been lowered. You might think it couldn’t get any lower, but it has. Reporting on rumors is now OK.

Most public officials, when asked about rumors, decline to comment. This is why “no comment” was invented. Sometimes it can even squelch a story. But our governor, through his comments, created a story where none existed, a wacky story that made him look loopy.

When asked by Reno Gazette-Journal reporter Ray Hagar about an “organized Democratic kind of conspiracy that is driving a lot of issues, such as the Wall Street Journal thing,” Gibbons didn’t even wait for the questioner to finish.

Instead of “no comment” or “I don’t comment on rumors,” Gibbons jumped in: “I’ve heard the same things, Ray. I have heard that actually the Democratic Party paid to have these Wall Street Journal articles written.”

Gibbons now is known as the Republican governor who says a respected national newspaper takes bribes to print stories. Strong stuff. If only it were true instead of laughable.

“When people start laughing at you, you’re in trouble,” one GOP consultant said about Gibbons’ Wall Street Journal comments. “When you become comic relief, you can’t get much done.”

Gibbons has been all over the place when it comes to stating clearly whether he actually believes these rumors, starting with his precise “I don’t know if I believe it or not.” Eventually he sort of said he didn’t. But he didn’t have any trouble repeating the rumor. And when a governor says something like that, it’s definitely news.

So for this one column, I’m going to follow Gibbons’ leadership and report on rumors — rumors I have heard, then tried and failed to confirm. So they might not be true. Normally I wouldn’t waste your time with unconfirmed information. But thanks to Jim Gibbons, the standards are lowered for this one day. After this, I abandon tabloid standards and return to mine.

Rumor No. 1: Two Las Vegas doctors have agreed to plead to one count each of tax evasion and then testify in the doctors/lawyers insurance fraud investigation. I’m saying this even though one of the doctors flat-out denied it, but it is a good rumor. If only it were true.

Rumor No. 2: A key figure in the insurance fraud case is now cooperating with federal officials. I heard it again Friday. I can’t confirm it, but thanks to Jim Gibbons, I’m printing it. If only it were true.

Rumor No. 3: A certain District Court judge has a bailiff provide neck and foot massages. If only it were true.

When the Wall Street Journal reported that the governor of Nevada was being investigated by a federal grand jury, it wasn’t based on unconfirmed rumor. That was true.

But remember how long it took Gibbons to admit it was true? He acknowledged it about the same time he hired attorneys to represent him. Before that, he said he didn’t think it was true because no government officials had informed him of the investigation into his relationship with his pal, defense contractor Warren Trepp of Reno. He would have done better with “no comment” that time, too.

I’m disappointed that the rumor about the young attorney flashing Justice Maupin isn’t true. I was looking forward to opining about the lack of professionalism and judgment she demonstrated.

Instead, I’m forced to opine about the lack of professionalism and judgment that Gov. Gibbons demonstrated. And that’s no rumor. It is true.

Jane Ann Morrison’s column appears Monday, Thursday and Saturday. E-mail her at Jane@reviewjournal.com or call 383-0275.