Speaker mimics assemblyman, hopes he’ll get help

CARSON CITY – Assembly Speaker Marilyn Kirkpatrick jokingly mimicked Assemblyman Steven Brooks’ “Jesus-on-the-cross” photo that appeared in Friday’s Review-Journal.

She then said she hopes he will take a few days off and get some help instead of showing up at the Legislature on Feb. 4, the first day of the 2013 session.

“Mister Brooks said he was ill,” said Kirkpatrick, D-Las Vegas, following a morning Interim Finance Committee meeting in the Legislature. “Maybe he will take some time off. I hope he feels better.”

But Kirkpatrick said there is no move to block Brooks, D-Las Vegas, from taking his seat when the Legislature opens.

He was arrested Saturday on felony charges on allegations that he threatened her. And he has continued to make bizarre comments all week, including in a Thursday Review-Journal interview.

Kirkpatrick said she feels protected in Carson City and “has a great family at home.”

She said the Legislature needs to get past the Brooks matter and concentrate on state matters.

“I am not concerned; we need to move on,” she said. “We are spending too much time on this and need to move on.”

Rick Combs, administrator of the Legislative Counsel Bureau, said he is “very confident” that Kirkpatrick and everyone else in the Legislative Building will be protected during the session.

“We have 29 sworn officers,” he said. “They ought to be able to protect this building.”

Contact Capital Bureau Chief Ed Vogel at evogel@reviewjournal.com or 775-687-3901.