State investigating complaints on Caldwell Sheriff

CLARK DENIES CLAIMS AND CALLS THEM `RIDICULOUS'

Sunday, October 8, 2006

By Marcie Young
Charlotte Observer Staff Writer

LENOIR -- An N.C. State Board of Elections official is investigating complaints about Caldwell County Sheriff Gary Clark's campaign spending reports and allegations that Clark has threatened Caldwell County residents.

Marshall Tutor, an elections board investigator, visited Caldwell County on Thursday and said he was investigating reports of irregular expenditures in Clark's campaign spending reports.

Tutor said he also was interviewing several people who say they were threatened and that Clark, or those acting for him, were behind the threats.

Clark denied the allegations and said they were "ridiculous, and a grandstanding attempt 30 days before the election." Clark, a Republican, is running for a second term against Democrat Terry Harris in the Nov. 7 election.

Tutor said he was looking at money raised and spent by Clark during this election and during his 2002 campaign, but he would give no details of the complaints.

Clark had raised $47,322.85 since Jan. 1, 2004, according to the most recent campaign finance reports, filed July 13. The report shows $44,029.12 in expenditures.

Tutor would not give details of the allegations that Clark had threatened some county residents. "Right now, it certainly is a he-said-she-said investigation," he said.

The board must see evidence of criminal activity before sending the results of the investigation to the local district attorney's office, he said.

"Trying to prove a threat is almost next to impossible," he said.

Tutor said the investigation is in a fact-gathering stage.

Clark called the complaints "preposterous" and blamed them on disgruntled ex-employees and family members.

Clark said he's willing to talk with people about the perceived threats and would cooperate with an investigation into the behavior of his officers.

Tutor said the board receives more calls in the weeks leading up to election day than during the rest of the year and noted that sheriff races tend to draw the most complaints.

"Sheriff races generate far more competition, animosity and problems than all the other races put together," he said.


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