Las Vegas Sun

March 29, 2024

Flashpoint for Dec. 8, 2005

Give Jim Gibbons credit for one thing: indomitability. In the face of newspapers excoriating him, members of his own party abandoning him and policy experts lambasting him, he is sticking by his mining law reform tucked into a budget bill. Gibbons has insisted his critics just don't get it. He has written an op-ed piece. And he had a conference call with reporters Wednesday to explain how he knew what he was talking about and pretty much no one else does. Many analysts say this will result in millions of acres of public land being sold off to developers. Gibbons insists not. One question: Why can't he find just one person to come to his defense? Preferably not a miner or his committee boss.

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