Carol Gabbard cleared of campaign violations

By Curtis Lum
Advertiser Staff Writer

The state Campaign Spending Commission has dismissed a complaint against Board of Education member Carol Gabbard.

She was accused of nine violations, including failure to report contributions of newspaper advertising and the use of a post office box. The complaint, filed by Nancy Gillespie, said Gabbard had received the contributions from either herself or the Alliance for Traditional Marriage and Values, led by her husband, Mike Gabbard.

The commission threw out the complaint Tuesday and determined it was "without merit," said commission Executive Director Robert Watada.

He said only one accusation had any substance, involving a newspaper ad paid for by the alliance that included a picture of Carol Gabbard. Watada said that should have been considered a contribution to her campaign and included in her spending report.

The Gabbard campaign agreed to amend its report, Watada said, and no action was taken against her.

Gabbard has been criticized by gay-rights groups since her campaign. The Alliance for Traditional Marriage and Values campaigned against same-sex marriage in 1998.

"People can be sure that such attempts by homosexual activists to smear my reputation will continue in the future," Gabbard said. "But they can also be sure that I will not allow such attacks to deter me from carrying out my service to our families and schoolchildren."