Las Vegas Sun

March 28, 2024

Erquiaga denies aiding former in-law’s campaign

CARSON CITY -- Deputy Secretary of State Dale Erquiaga says it's a "bunch of nonsense" that he's working as a campaign strategist for his former mother-in-law, GOP congressional candidate Patty Cafferata.

A "concerned citizen" wrote in March to Attorney General Frankie Sue Del Papa, complaining that Erquiaga is "once again conducting a campaign against Mr. (Jim) Gibbons" by helping Cafferata.

The anonymous letter suggests Erquiaga has a conflict of interest. The secretary of state's office handles elections in Nevada.

Erquiaga was married to Cafferata's daughter from 1985 to 1993 and they have two children. To complicate the matter further, Treasurer Bob Seale, also a GOP congressional candidate, is the godfather to one of the children.

Erquiaga said there's nothing to the complaint and he's not helping his former mother-in-law. He suggested the letter came from a worker in one of the other campaigns.

Gibbons, Seale and Cafferata are the major candidates vying for the GOP nomination to succeed Rep. Barbara Vucanovich, the mother of Cafferata.

Erquiaga took a leave of absence two years ago to work for former Secretary of State Cheryl Lau in her unsuccessful run against Gibbons for the GOP nomination for governor.

The attorney general's office turned the issue over to the state Ethics Commission, which will consider the case at its April 18 meeting in Reno. Erquiaga has waived confidentiality of the matter.

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