Nevada Governor Criticized for Vetoing Gay Marriage in Midst of Divorce Trial

Staff Writer, May 13, 2009

The governor of Nevada, Jim Gibbons, has recently come under fire for vetoing several bills that would allow gay couples to enjoy the same marriage rights as heterosexual couples. These freedoms include the areas of estate planning, medical decisions, community property and child custody. Though the state’s legislature has successfully passed two bills- one which will allow such domestic partnerships and the other, which outlaws job discrimination based on sexual orientation- the governor has said that he will veto the former.

He is being criticized by gay rights activists because Gibbons, himself is embroiled in a bitter divorce proceeding. In 2008, he filed for a divorce after allegedly having an affair with a playboy model, Leslie Durant. He also sent more than 860 text messages to another woman, Kathy Karrasch from his state-owned cell phone.

Gibbons believes that allowing gay couples the same domestic rights as straight couples will undermine the sanctity of marriage. However, his own behavior, as many would say, significantly undermines the sanctity of marriage. Some of his constituents believe that Gibbons should “practice what he preaches” and make sure that he use better justifications for his use of the power of veto.

The bill’s sponsor David Parks has said that it may be possible for the legislature to override the governor’s veto.