HONOLULU -- The Federal Election Commission has cleared former Councilman Mike Gabbard of a complaint that he received improper campaign donations in 2004, when he ran unsuccessfully against Rep. Ed Case to represent Hawaii 's 2nd Congressional District.

Big Island resident Alex Achmat made the complaint, claiming Gabbard was receiving large campaign donations from people with modest incomes. Achmat claimed that those people were then reimbursed by others who wanted to circumvent campaign spending limits.

The FEC dismissed Achmat's complaint as meritless, saying he did not offer any proof that Gabbard's donors were being reimbursed by others.

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