John Carbaugh, 60; Ex-Foreign Policy Advisor to U.S. Sen. Jesse Helms

John Carbaugh, 60, an advisor to former U.S. Sen. Jesse Helms (R-N.C.) who promoted foreign policies with a highly anti-communist edge, died March 19 at the Cleveland Clinic of a brain aneurysm and a staph infection.

Although little known to the public, Carbaugh had considerable clout on Capitol Hill while working for the now-retired Helms, who once was a key member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee.

Latin America became a focal point for Carbaugh’s “shadow State Department” efforts. He often conveyed political support to right-leaning dictators, many with tainted records on human rights. Among the leaders he supported were Roberto D’Aubuisson in El Salvador and Anastasio Somoza in Nicaragua.

Carbaugh was born in Greenville, S.C., and graduated from the University of the South in Sewanee, Tenn. He earned a law degree at the University of South Carolina.

He was an aide to Sen. Strom Thurmond (R-S.C.) before serving on Helms’ staff from 1974 until 1982. He served on several Reagan administration task forces and, until his death, ran a business offering strategic advice to foreign trading companies, particularly in Japan.