Both daily newspapers report today on the money raised for what is expected to be a hotly contested campaign for governor.
Poor Star-Bulletin. Richard Borreca’s story was accompanied by a table that transposed the two columns of figures, so that candidates appear to have all spent more than they have raised. Definitely a painful beginning their reporting on money and politics in 2010. The Advertiser story avoided that kind of problem, but neither newspaper did much more than report totals raised and spent, although Derrick DePledge provided a listing of top contributors on his The Notebook blog. Neither newspaper included links to the candidate reports themselves, which can easily be found on the Campaign Spending Commission web site.
I did take a quick look at the contributions to Mufi Hannemann and Neil Abercrombie, and quickly compiled a list of their top contributors, those contributing $5,000 or more to the respective campaigns.
Hannemann reports the usual suspects–developers, hotel execs, and consultants. But those school bus contracts we’ve been hearing about must involve a lot of dough, because the owners of Gomes School Bus Service and Roberts Hawaii, along with family members, combined to drop $48,000 into the Hannemann coffers. I guess they are hoping that a new governor will keep those buses rolling. Officers of Kobayashi Development Group combined to give more than $32,000. Also noted–a $6,000 contribution from Pam Omidyar. I’ll have to take a longer look at the list as I have time.
Over on the Abercrombie side of the ledger, I was surprised to see Joe Pickard, president of Environet Inc and a former Hannemann backer, along with other members of Pickard’s family, give a total of $24,000. There must be an interesting political story there!
I’m out of time this morning, so I’ll just have to return to this topic later.
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I never knew professional homemakers made so much coin!
Kidding aside, wasn’t one of the things that got people in trouble during the Harris pay to play investigations was laundering contributions through your wife and kids to your preferred candidate?
Speaking of campaigns, I’m quite surprised you haven’t posted any thoughts about Ed Kubo’s campaign for circuit court judge. I define the efforts of him and his supporters as a campaign, because he/they have a website (sameoldpolitics.com), a Twitter feed (@sameoldpolitics), and a Facebook page (MJ Castillo Barkley). They are also having a support rally at the Capitol today.
Bizarre.
Good you told us about the transposed columns. That didn’t occur to me, so I thought the candidates were engaging in deficit spending! LOL.
Interesting; for the senate race, Inouye has $3 million. I have the big 0.00; but I believe that him trying to derail the Al Franken amendment because of the defense industry contributions, speaks to him of being to cavalier with power and position. I will run against Inouye.
Here is more on Inouye’s earmarks, and my comment on what the blogger’s last comment:
http://www.apaforprogress.org/senator-inouyes-earmarks-under-fire#comment-2673
I, too, was a bit stunned when I saw Joe Pickard’s contribution to Neil.
If you get the story, I’m eager to hear it.
Joe Pickard had a falling out with da Maya.
That’s why girlfriend Vicki Gaynor is also
a contributor.