Judging from Rep. Joe Souki’s campaign records, the Maui Democrat’s grassroots have gone missing.
Souki’s campaign raised a total of $49,725 during the 2012 election cycle.
Of that amount, 84 percent of the total, or $41,750, came in amounts of more than $100, the threshold for public disclosure of contributors.
And in a quick check of those contributors identified in Souki’s reports to the Campaign Spending Commission, I couldn’t find one contribution from a person qualified to vote for the candidate. Virtually all the large contributions came from corporations, PACs, lobbyists, and other interests based outside of his district.
It’s possible there were some actual constituents buried among the 16 percent who contributed in amounts of $100 or less, but not necessarily.
I noted that Souki held a mid-session fundraiser earlier this year in a meeting room off the lobby at the Outrigger Ohana East hotel. Campaign records show the campaign paid only $248.44 for use of the room, a bargain given that food for the fundraiser was not provided by Outrigger.
You can see all of Souki’s campaign reports at the Campaign Spending Commission website, and a good summary overview is available here.
Any traffic cam makers among his contributors?
Naah, just their lobbyists.
The 84/16 split between large and small donors is the most telling info here but, without more, it’s not necessarily as bad as one might infer. That is especially the case as to your observations about Outrigger. Let me explain.
Regarding the donor split, I would want to know where the split falls for other state legislators. Also, whether 84/16 unusual for someone who’s been in office as long as Joe Souki, who is a committee chair, Neighbor Islander, or whatever, is unusual. I know that the big/small split between Obama and Romney clearly showed that Obama was backed more by the “little guy” and Romney more by the “fat cats” but I can’t tell here because there’s no basis for comparison.
Also, it’s really hard to draw any inferences about the Outrigger connection/donations/expenditures. Joe Souki is one of a number of NI legislatiors who have for many years resided at the Ohana East during session. Maybe “tenants” get a preferential rate on function room rental and catering. In that vein, a low room rental rate is not at all uncommon when the hotel is catering because the latter is where they make their money (a 10:1 ratio here, apparently). Then there’s the $1,500 Outrigger contribution (“kickback”?); I wonder how that compares to other contributions made by them.
I’m not suggesting that you do all this digging/comparison work for us and I do appreciate you raising the question. I’m just urging people to be cautious about what inferences they draw based on the limited info presented here.
In my experience, while it isn’t unusual to have large donors weighted heavily towards those lobbyists and special interests, it is unusual to lack a single voting constituent coming in with more than $100 in aggregate contributions during a two year election period.
Fair enuf. And you have more of that experience than almost anyone I can think of. But could it also be that, after all these years, people in the district know they have his service in return “merely” for their vote, and don’t need to give money to get that service, whereas lobbyists hafta give money because they have no vote to give (and want something more valuable in return anyway)?
wow, Ian… thanks for your research work! I don’t know who all the donors are, but I’m familiar with the names of the GMO lobbyists, so I guess no labeling GMO legislation will pass, just like in City Council.