Posted on: Wednesday, August 22, 2001

Spending commission to continue Gabbard inquiry

By Alice Keesing
Advertiser Education Writer

The Campaign Spending Commission voted yesterday to continue its investigation into Carol Gabbard, with at least one commissioner indicating that she wants to focus on Gabbard's ties with her husband's organization that opposes same-sex marriage.

Gabbard is facing a complaint that she did not report contributions of newspaper advertising and the use of a telephone, fax and post office box that she received from either herself or the Alliance for Traditional Marriage and Values during her successful campaign for the Board of Education.

The charges were filed by a private citizen, Nancy Gillespie.

"Carol Gabbard ran the most expensive campaign for the Board of Education in Hawai'i's history, a nonpaying job no less," said Tracey LaGondino, who represented Gillespie at yesterday's meeting. "It is no wonder that people are looking over her campaign spending reports."

LaGondino said there is an "an obvious entanglement" between Gabbard's campaign and the ATMV and that the alleged unreported contributions would bring Gabbard over the $4,000 spending limit.

Gabbard's husband, Mike Gabbard, is president of the alliance, which campaigned against same-sex marriage in 1998.

Yesterday's meeting was the continuation of a battle between the Gabbards and Gillespie and others who campaigned against Gabbard during last year's election. Gillespie and others objected to Gabbard's involvement with what they called anti-homosexual groups and said Gabbard would use her position on the board to influence policies concerning gay students.

Carol Gabbard yesterday said, "This is more shibai. Homosexual activists are making accusations without any foundation."

Campaign Spending Commission Executive Director Robert Watada had recommended that the five-member commission dismiss eight of the nine charges.

"Based upon what information we have been given ... there wasn't anything that would rise to what we would consider a major violation," Watada said after yesterday's meeting. Any dollar value attached to the use of the phones or fax machines would be minimal, he said.

However, the commission voted 3-2 not to dismiss the complaint and to further investigate Gabbard's campaign.

Commissioner Della Au said she wants to look more into the connection between Gabbard and ATMV.

"The overlap really does concern me," she said.