Media feeding frenzy on NV R Gov candidate alleged sex assault

[ProgressiveEconomist]

to break on ABC World News Tonight?

About half an hour ago, ABC News posted on their website a broadcast-length story over the byline of an on-air correspondent, Bill Redeker. Does this mean the Gibbons-Mazzeo story is about to become a national media feeding frenzy?

The ABC story added a detail I hadn't noticed before. Gibbons allegedly waited 20 minutes outside the restaurant where he had met her for Chrissy Mazzeo to leave and go to her truck!

From http://abcnews.go.com/Politics/print?id=2608490 :

"Nevada Governor's Race Gets 'Flirty and Dirty'; 'He said, She Said' Tale of GOP Candidate Isn't Staying in Las Vegas

By BILL REDEKER

Oct. 26, 2006 "What happens in Las Vegas, stays in Las Vegas." Right? Not if you're a politician running for the highest office in the state. That's what Republican Rep. Jim Gibbons, who is campaigning for governor of Nevada, has learned. In a classic case of "he said, she said," Nevada newspapers and television stations have embarked on a political feeding frenzy. And it's getting nasty. Or as one individual described the events leading up to an emerging scandal in the race, "flirty and dirty." ... Gibbons denies it. He told reporters at a news conference that he was walking Mazzeo to the parking garage to find her vehicle when she slipped and he grabbed her arm to keep her from falling. He said she only looked at him, said nothing, and walked away.

"I was not stumbling. I did not trip. I did not need help off a wet pavement," Mazzeo said in a news conference she called Wednesday. The two also disagree over how much each imbibed on the evening in question. Both have claimed they each had only a couple glasses wine; each has accused the other of drinking much more.

Had enough, yet? It gets seamier. ... Mazzeo said the threats from Gibbons' camp, transmitted by Puhek, included a prediction (by Puhek) that "they'll kill your baby and your family."...

But wait, there's more. The police acknowledge receiving three 911 calls from Mazzeo on the night of Oct. 13. ... (Mazzeo) also repeated her original claim to police that she and Puhek lingered for about 20 minutes in the bar after Gibbons and his adviser left. "He was waiting by the bushes," she said. "Why else would he be waiting in the rain?" Mazzeo's attorney, Richard Wright, said Puhek told his client, "There's money in this. You will get money from signing this," a reference to a statement recanting her claims. Wright also claimed there's evidence that will corroborate Mazzeo's account of what transpired. Hotel security systems, photos a police technician took of Mazzeo's purported injuries, phone records and interviews with witnesses all exist, he said."

[Hav]

1. .

Oh, this year, it's never boring when you have Republicans making the news.

[TheLeftyMom]

3. absolute power corrupts absolutely!

N/t

[Straight Shooter]

2. Part of the frenzy, sad to say, is because Mazzeo is really good-looking.

And maybe it's because Gibbons has a reputation among the locals that is "common knowledge," and now he's finally done something stupid and his target decided to fight back.

OTOH, maybe it's just open season on stupid Republicans, at long last. :D

[Throwing Stones]

4. Feeding Frenzy

Ha Ha




Ha Ha

[WI_DEM]

5. I hope this helps Jack Carter in the Senate race too

[WI_DEM]

6. I just read the article and there are too many inconsistencies to

give it legs. For instance, the friend is discounting her account and the police say there are inconsistencies. I'm not saying it didn't happen the way she said--but the media will focus on the inconsistencies and I doubt it will evolve into a wide open scandal at this late date.

[Canuckistanian]

7. And what about all those video cameras?

A caller to Randi Rhodes said that Vegas has video cameras EVERYWHERE.

And yet, not a single frame of this event has surfaced, even though it happened in several places.