From a comment left here yesterday:
You implied that many of the people contributing to Hannemann were involved in the Harris incidents. Can you please name them and show us your sources…
Yes, but…
First, focusing on those who have been named in past scandals is akin to planning to fight the last war. It usually takes you in the wrong direction and leads to overlooking what’s happening currently.
Second, there’s nothing illegal or improper about these contributions, as far as I can see. That’s no surprise. Getting burned publicly for violating campaign spending laws is probably a pretty good guarantee that future campaign contributions will be strictly by the book.
And, third, I haven’t done a complete analysis of contributions from those caught in prior probes. For a more complete answer, I’ll have to track down a list of all those caught up in the enforcement actions stemming largely from the Jeremy Harris campaign.
Remember SSFM, the engineering firm that was hit with a record $303,000 fine by the Campaign Spending Commission in 2003 for illegal contributions?
During this election cycle, SSFM President Michael Matsumoto contributed $6,000, the maximum allowed by law, to the Hannemann campaign in November 2009, and company VP Norman Kawachika added another $6,000 in June 2010.
Matsumoto’s wife, Theolinda, also contributed $6,000 on June 22, 2010. Matsumoto’s son, Paul, a physical therapist, gave $6,000 on the same day.
Total of these SSFM-related contributions: $24,000.
Gary T. Okamoto, president of Wilson Okamoto & Associates, and his wife, Lori Okamoto, were fined $44,500 in 2003 for making contributions under false names.
The Hannemann campaign reported receiving $6,000 from Gary Okamoto on June 30, 2009, and $6,000 from Lori Okamoto on June 28, 2010. Myron Okubo, senior vp of Wilson Okamoto & Associates, gave $2,000 on the same day, as did Barry Toyota, another company officer. Michael Fujita, a planner with the firm, gave $1,000 on June 17, 2010, and $300 in November 2009.
Total from those associated with the firm over the past 18 months: $15,300.
Brian J. Bowers, president of KFC Airport Inc., was fined $31,000 by the Campaign Spending Commission in 2004 for false name donations.
Business registration records show the officers of KFC Airport are Bowers and Dexter Kubota, vice-president, secretary, and director. The two also control a sister company, Bowers + Kubota Consulting.
Bowers and Kubota each contributed $6,000 to Hannemann on June 30, 2009, and a number of other employees added smaller contributions.
![[text]](http://ilind.net/misc /2010/bowers.jpg)
Total: $26,000.
Then there’s R.M. Towill Corp.. Company president, Russell Figueiroa, was hit with a $50,800 fine by the Campaign Spending Commission in April 2006.
And here’s a current list of contributions from individual company officers and employees to the Hannemann campaign since the beginning of 2009:
![[text]](http://ilind.net/misc /2010/towill.jpg)
Company total in this cycle, a nice round number: $54,000.
In any case, that’s enough to give you a flavor. Now it’s 6 a.m. and time to go walking.
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if they do nothing illegal — they will say you are being unfair
but they miss the point — fill a room at $500 per plate to grandstand about big money rail — and you destroy any belief that people have that they have fair and objective decision-makers in power
the system requires disclosure — and disclosure isn’t just a formality, it provides an opportunity for people to respond at the polling place
Thanks. Now an you please analyze if any firms caught in either the Harris scandal or the Cayetano scandals have contributed to Ambercrombie?
When did this blog become an FM radio station that takes requests?
Could you please play “My Way” by Frank Sinatra and dedicate it to Muliufi? Mahalo!
Perhaps this is a measure of Civil Beat’s impact?
Just spin doctoring, check kailuaresident’s previous posts. His loyalties are clear. The attempt is to distract from the point being made against his candidate. Don’t get sidetracked by it, ian.
Towill’s manini investment in Mufi Hannemann is bring big windfall from our taxpayers’ monies. Not bad, eh?
I would never vote for bullies and crooked politicians.
“I would never vote for bullies and crooked politicians.”
then, you will never vote.
Kimo, now that’s an enlightened point of view about politicians.
years ago, 9decades) our family were friends with Diana Hansen. We all helped campaign for her. Sign wave, the whole shootin match. Even tho that was small keed time, I instinctively knew she was not of that ilk. That she maybe would be chewed up and spit out from that snake pit that is politics.
what happened? RIIIIGHT!
This chorus of “bully” and “crooked” constantly aimed at Hannemann has no more meaning that the croaking of so many buffo toads. You repeat the accusations over and over without a shred of proof.
We vote Keith. We might not have all the angles sewn up, all the quid pro quos paid and IOUs posted, but we do vote. And us frogs know what vultures look like, and we feel the shadows flying overhead. With luck there will be more of us than you guys.
Ribbit.
While you guys are looking for vultures (they’re aren’t any in Hawaii) you get run over by a Toyota Tercel.
Oh yes, we do have vultures. They walk on two feet. One was recently seen in Waikiki wearing an aloha shirt and dinner jacket.
That’s pretty esoteric….
“I would never vote for bullies and crooked politicians.”
At least you probably won’t vote for someone who wins in this money oriented campaign culture.
I’m on your side, I just make the tough choice as I go along. I sometimes leave a race without a vote and sometimes make a choice of the bad over the badder.
But I do hope Neil gets the primary win though it will be tough. The Mufioso is only getting started.
Term limits, campaign finance limits, and last but not least lobbyist control. Then people may begin gaining confidence in the elected representative.
You wouldn’t believe the number of grown ups I have met lately who haven’t voted for years, all for different reasons too.
To paraphrase Joni Mitchell “They won’t pass campaign finance reform, its just a dream some of us had.”
What state that has passed campaign finance reform now has responsive government? Or that has term limits? Or lobbyist control (whatever that means)?
This chorus of “bully” and “crooked” constantly aimed at Hannemann has no more meaning that the croaking of so many buffo toads.
Interesting analogy. do not know what it means.
Apparently, Keith (man who rolls) has not read this…
http://www.hawaiilibertychronicles.com/?tag=mufi-hannemann
and to all da FOB haoles: yes. there are planny vultures…. in Hawai’i.