Lifepac Homepage

Life Issues/Family Ethics Political Action Committee

of Southwest Washington

Excerpts: "All year, Brian Baird, you were a happily married man, running for
Congress. You showed us photos of your wife, Mary. She was the one holding
your hand along a riverbank; she was the one with whom you shared a Kodak
embrace, heads close, smiling. You told us that you two avoided the "peace
of an empty nest" by becoming host parents to a Bosnian teenager.

Today, you are the newly elected Congressman of Southwest Washington, and it
appears the nest has been empty for months.
The Bairds separated Sept. 10 and Baird signed divorce papers two days after
the election, The Times' David Postman reported. Mary Baird says her husband
wanted a divorce in April but asked her to keep it secret during his
campaign.

Honesty was a big theme in Baird's campaign. He railed against
Republican-sponsored attack ads, calling them misleading to the political
process. "Voters demand and deserve honesty and integrity from their public
officials. . . . All the time we hear about how people are disgusted with
negative and deceptive advertising," he said.

Getting divorced is a private matter between the Bairds. Misrepresenting
oneself while running for office makes it public, and duping the voters for
personal profit sends up a warning flare."

Full article can be obtain through Fort Vancouver Regional Library's ProQuest service. You will need a valid library card number.

Columbian, Apr 11, 2000.

Excerpts: "Baird will marry Rachel Nugent, a former teaching colleague, during Easter weekend at a small civil ceremony in Tacoma. It will be the third marriage
for Baird, 44, and second for Nugent, 42.

"Nugent, who has been divorced for several years and has no children, is an
associate professor of economics at Pacific Lutheran University in Tacoma ... Baird was a psychology professor at PLU until his 1998 election to Congress.

"Three days after his first election in 1998, Baird and his second wife,
Mary, filed for divorce in Olympia, where they resided. She had two children
from a previous marriage. Baird had none ...

"But critics said Baird's delay until after the election was deceitful
tantamount to false campaign advertising. They noted early campaign
brochures pictured the entire family."

Full article can be obtain through Fort Vancouver Regional Library's ProQuest service. You will need a valid library card number. Alternativly, it is available for a charge through The Columbian.

The Oregonian, Apr 11, 2000.

Excerpts: "On Monday, Baird's office said he has decided not to answer any questions about his upcoming marriage or his relationship with Nugent. "He feels it's a private matter," said Poppy Meier, his press secretary.

"Meier said the couple decided around Christmas 1999 to get married. She said
she did not know when Baird's relationship with Nugent began or whether it
was a factor in Baird's divorce.

Full article can be obtain through Fort Vancouver Regional Library's ProQuest service. You will need a valid library card number.

If this information has helped you with your vote, please Donate a few dollars now to help LifePac with its candidate research work.