Campaign panel delays
action on Gabbard

A request to drop most changes
will be taken up next month

---

Star-Bulletin staff

The state Campaign Spending Commission has delayed action on a request from its executive director, Robert Watada, to drop eight of nine charges against Board of Education member Carol Gabbard.

A private citizen, Nancy Gillespie, had filed a complaint that Gabbard violated campaign spending laws by not reporting she used her home and business post office box, e-mail address and fax machine for campaign purposes.

Gabbard called the charges "harassment."

But Gillespie and others said Gabbard has benefited significantly and may have exceeded campaign spending limits because of the use of the private and business equipment.

Watada had said the actual benefit was minimal.

Commissioner Della Au and Mona Chock, however, said Watada's decision to allow Gabbard to simply amend a campaign spending report to include a school board ad that featured herself and six other candidates deserved more study.

The commission is expected to rule at its Aug. 21 meeting.