Hawaii Solutions, the Republican political action committee which entered three Oahu races with negative attack ads under somewhat mysterious circumstances, filed its report to the Campaign Spending Commission prior to yesterday’s deadline (see “Father-in-law of GOP state senate candidate is officer of “independent” Super PAC“).
The group reported receiving contributions of $$20,099 during the period August 10 to October 20, 2014, most from just four sources. All these contributions were dated October 8, 2014.
The group reported spending $13,501, and ended the period with $10,706.03 on hand.
Heidi Wong, who is listed at a Kuliouou address, contributed $15,000. Mark Garriga of Ocean Springs, Mississippi, made three contributions totaling $2,900, all on the same day. Lokahi Cuban of Booth Road is reported to have given four $500 checks on the same day. And Nancy Nino of Hawaii Kai, identified as the owner of Aloha Organizers, added three contributions totaling $99.
In 2010, Heidi Wong listed her employer as the Hawaii Republican Party, and now lists her occupation as “homemaker.”
Campaign records show Wong made several other contributions between the beginning of the year and the August 9 primary election. She contributed $5,000 to Duke Aiona’s campaign, $3,000 to Aiona’s running made, Elwin Ahu, and $2,000 to Rep. Richard Fale, who is running for the District 23 Senate seat.
News reports identify a Mark Garriga as an attorney who represented Republican U.S. Senator Sen. Thad Cochran against an election challenge filed by his primary election opponent. It is not clear whether the Garriga who contributed to Hawaii Solutions is the same person. Records going back to 2006 show Garriga has not contributed to any other candidate or political committee in Hawaii.
Cuban had not contributed to any other candidate or political committee in Hawaii prior to this year’s primary election, according to Campaign Spending Commission records.
The expenditures reported by Hawaii Solutions for printing and mailing flyers attacking Democratic candidates do not indicate the candidate or the race associated with each expenditure. This means that it is impossible to determine how much was spent on each race.
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Sometimes these reports lead us to more questions than they answer. For example, how is it that a candidate can raise over $150,000 in six month, most of which are > $100, but have no contributions > $100 from July 24 – August 25? (Candidate was in the primary.)
Or how about the candidate who amended a report going back 3.5 years to report forgiven debt?
If we’re going to continue allowing PACs and outsiders to fund our elections, then we need to make changes in reporting requirements.
Comment from earlier Fale story:
Funny coincidence that the wife of the Senate candidate Fale (daughter of the Treasurer of “Hawaii Solutions”) works for Communications Pacific. This is the same Communications Pacific (formerly owned by, and named Hill and Knowlton) that worked for the LDS in the efforts to defeat same-sex marriage in Hawaii in the late 1990s. I wonder if there are any current connections between Communications Pacific and the LDS (or HRI) or if there may be possible additional linkages between Communications Pacific and the Senate candidate (and or “Hawaii Solutions”).