DATE: Saturday, October 4, 1997             TAG: 9710040568

SECTION: LOCAL                   PAGE: B1   EDITION: FINAL 

SOURCE: BY TERRI WILLIAMS, STAFF WRITER 

DATELINE: PORTSMOUTH                        LENGTH:   62 lines

SHERIFF ADMITS USING OFFICE FOR CAMPAIGN HE SAYS EMPLOYEES USE PERSONAL TIME FOR ELECTION WORK

Sheriff Gary W. Waters has acknowledged using his office and state employees to conduct some business for his re-election campaign.

``Why not?'' Waters asked on Friday. ``I don't see anything wrong with using their talents.''

Waters, a Democrat, is running against independent candidate Paul J. Battle and Republican candidate Voyce D. McGinley Jr. for the post.

The sheriff, who has served for 16 years, said the state employees are doing the campaign work during their leave or compensation time. He said the employees fill out leave or compensation forms before working for his campaign.

Stationery from the Portsmouth Sheriff's Office was used for a fax, sent Thursday morning to The Virginian-Pilot, that announced a $100 reward for information on the vandalism of Waters' campaign signs.

Another fax, also on the letterhead, was sent in late August. It stated that ``Gary Waters, incumbent candidate for the office of sheriff in Portsmouth, has received the endorsement of the Minority Police Association of Portsmouth.''

Both faxes were sent by Lt. Elizabeth A. Aronson, a public affairs officer in the Sheriff's Department.

Aronson has accepted full responsibility for sending the faxes on the wrong letterhead, saying she was in a hurry and didn't realize which stationery she was using.

``I made a mistake,'' Aronson said.

Although state election laws do not address the issue, the incidents do raise questions about the use of public money and, possibly, time for political purposes, some State Board of Elections officials say.

M. Bruce Meadows, secretary of the board, reviewed the faxes. He said he encourages all candidates to use only their private money and time for campaign purposes. ``It does not appear the law is broken, but this board would make sure it would advise any candidate that any public letterhead is not used. . . . Any sort of use of taxpayer money would have to be looked at harshly.''

McGinley, the Republican candidate, said he was disappointed to learn about Waters using his office for campaign business. He said he has seen a number of deputies in uniform wearing campaign buttons for Waters' re-election. ``I don't think he should have the opportunity and means to do that, when other candidates don't have the means or facilities,'' McGinley said.

Battle could not be reached for comment.

Waters said he's not doing anything that's not above-board.

``I have to do the best I can with my resources,'' he said. ``I'm not doing anything surreptitiously.''

This isn't the first time Waters has used the incumbent position to his advantage.

While Waters was up for re-election in 1993, it was reported that a number of sheriff's deputies at the City Jail wore ``Re-Elect Waters Sheriff'' on their uniforms. Waters was quoted in a newspaper story during that time as saying, ``Hey, I think that's commendable. You think that's wrong? We have a team down here. You tell me any team that doesn't support the coach.'' ILLUSTRATION: Photo

Sheriff Gary W. Waters KEYWORDS: ELECTION CANDIDATE

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