Washoe County DA cleared of ethics charges

CARSON CITY -- Washoe County District Attorney Dick Gammick has been cleared of charges that he violated ethics laws in his re-election campaign last year.

The Nevada Commission on Ethics decided Thursday to dismiss complaints that Gammick used government property during the campaign, the Reno Gazette-Journal reported.

After hearing a day of testimony, the panel voted 5-1 to drop a complaint that Gammick inappropriately used his county vehicle at a University of Nevada, Reno football tailgate party on Sept. 17. Gammick testified that he needed the vehicle because he was on call 24/7 and had just left a murder scene in Sparks when he went to the game.

The commission voted unanimously to dismiss a complaint that Gammick violated ethics laws when he spoke before the Republican Jewish Coalition on Aug. 30. Among other charges, he was accused of handing out county-owned pens with his name and asking for campaign support.

Commission Chairman John Moran said Gammick might have made "some bad decision-making" that gave the appearance he was using his position to secure privileges, but that didn't rise to the level of a violation.

"He will be more careful in the future," Moran said. "I think Mr. Gammick will do a lot of things differently."

Gammick said he was pleased with the panel's findings.

"I will take the comments to heart and see about changing a few things," he said.

Gammick, a Republican who was first elected in 1994, defeated Democrat Roger Whomes in November to win a fifth term. Whomes' campaign manager, Chris Wedge, filed the ethics complaint against Gammick last fall.

Wedge testified that incumbents should not use their office or government property to promote campaigns because they enjoy an advantage over challengers stemming from superior name recognition.

Gammick's lawyer, Rew Goodenow, told the commission that the complaint was politically motivated and Gammick's actions did not violate any ethics laws.

"There is no evidence that the public incurred any cost for either of the events," Goodenow said. "There were not bribes, threats or expenditure of public funds."

A state investigatory panel in December decided there was enough evidence to warrant a hearing before the full commission.