The State - News from March 7, 1986

The original chapter of Mothers Against Drunk Driving in Sacramento is broke, and the chapter president lays part of the blame on MADD founder Candy Lightner. Marcia Dauenhauer, president of the Sacramento-Placer County chapter, said contributions have dwindled to a trickle and “as of today, we can’t pay the rent.” Dauenhauer said MADD’s image was tarnished by a power struggle between Lightner and the organization’s board of directors last fall that eventually led to Lightner’s resignation. Dauenhauer added: “The part that was most damaging . . . was the exorbitant salary she was drawing.” The Sacramento Bee reported that Lightner had asked for increases that would have raised her earnings of more than $75,000 to $125,000 by 1988. Lightner founded MADD after a 13-year-old daughter was killed by a drunk driver in 1980. MADD’s international headquarters moved last year to Hurst, Tex.