I’m having lots of trouble swallowing Rep. Kaniela Ing’s claim that he deserves to be supported in the 1st District congressional race because he’s a self-proclaimed “progressive.”
The problem is that Ing has now spent months apologizing for his own past behavior.
He’s had to apologize for claiming a university degree he actually didn’t have.
And he’s had to apologize repeatedly for ignoring campaign spending laws over several elections, during which he failed to disclose the majority (60%) of his campaign’s expenses for past legislative races as required by law. He’s asking voters to just walk past the $15,000 fine imposed by the Campaign Spending Commission for dozens of prior violations of state campaign laws.
This isn’t your everyday commission action. It’s serious stuff, and Ing seems to think that a casual “I’m sorry” is sufficient. Although I’ve watched Ing on the news apologizing and mouthing the words “I take full responsibility,” in fact he hasn’t taken responsibility at all. He might have talked about transparency, but at the same time just ignored the mandatory disclosures required by campaign laws. And this went on for years.
One of Ing’s supporters wrote a column in Civil Beat this week calling him “the only real progressive in the (congressional) race.”
Not all Democrats are the same. A Democrat who takes corporate money, who’s been a Republican just before they became a Democrat, who talks about being “for the people” but whose votes imply influence by special interests, are not in this fight for the benefit of Hawaii residents and the American people.
Oops. That comment about Democrats who have previously been Republicans appears to apply to candidate Ing as well.
Back in July 2010, before he was first elected to the legislative, Ing wrote a letter to the editor of the Maui News, and then reprinted it in his own blog under the headline, “Why Hawaii Needs a Republican Governor.”
I am not the fervent Republican zealot who will support any candidate in his party regardless of the candidate’s values. In fact, I am quite the opposite. But although I hold ideals and political philosophies that are of a traditional accordance to those of the Democratic Party, I appreciate the checks and balances that a republican governorship brings to our lopsided State Legislature.
Throughout the past eight years under Republican Gubernatorial leadership, legislation may have not moved as quickly as it could have, but at least our State leaders were forced to be more responsible in the construction of legislation—knowing that vetoes would require a two-thirds vote over-ride.
After the general election, in which Democratic Neil Abercrombie was elected governor, Ing heaped praise on the Republican candidate.
Aiona: great campaign, very classy post-election interview; you truly are a man of integrity and deep-rooted values. Despite our differences in stances on certain issues (actually most), I stand by my vote for someone with strong values, who has a real sence of ‘Ohana, who I feel I can trust, and who could have brought accountability to our lopsided legislature.
When asked about this at a recent candidate forum, Ing denied ever supporting the Republican.
Is Ing really a progressive? Do his commitments go deeper than campaign rhetoric? I don’t know. But even if he is, I’m not interested in supporting a “progressive” who is either comfortable with ignoring the law when it benefits himself, or is so totally incompetent and inept that he really was unaware of his many violations as they were occurring, despite many warnings along the way.
Progressive or not, Ing hasn’t earned our trust. It’s just as simple as that.
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I once found his campaign and his messages refreshing, now I feel like he is stalking me.
Ing has consistently cited his age and connection with young progressives as positives in his campaign. He, above all others, should understand that the consistently of his message will be highly scrutinized because of this. As your post indicates, the internet is not his friend right now, and anyone who has 10 minutes can find ample evidence that he could be very well be as disingenuous as they come. In Hawaii, that is an incredible achievement.
I finally disconnected with his email list the other day because I keep getting the feeling that he is trying to test my memory. That he is operating on the principle that what he says somehow overrides what he does. I find that wildly offensive.
He certainly is not a socialist; but would do well in the DC crowd of either party if he could only side step the state elections process.
Ian that “arrow” you launched not only got the rider, but also the horse he was on.
Nice summary!
I don’t believe a word he says.
Who is more clueless – Ing or anyone who votes for him?
Thanks for putting the prospective on Ige. I’m de- Facing him!
He’s knocked on my door twice during previous elections. From my brief conversations with him, I pegged him as an opportunist with rather flexible principles. When I queried him on the public park smoking ban which he patted himself for getting passed, he brushed off the fact that the bill contained no enforcement provisions, suggesting that we citizens should do the policing.
Mr. Ing’s core convictions are whatever is politically expedient at the time or whatever his domestic partner tells him they are.
You forgot to mention this incident Ian:
“In comments to The Maui News in July, as he was seeking re-election to the state House seat representing South Maui, Ing said he was ticketed for not having insurance while fixing his “undriveable” car on the street outside his Kihei residence.
But police said the citation was issued to Ing when he was driving the car as it turned onto South Kihei Road from Welakahao Road. Ing couldn’t produce proof of insurance when he was stopped for having an expired safety sticker and delinquent vehicle tax, police said.”
Threw stones at Daniel Inouye while living in a glass house. Oops.
Most craven opportunists would have enough sense to drop out of the race now and get a real job. I hear Hawaii needs actual hard-working farmers more than poo-butt “progressives.”
The timing is sooo suspect : Kaniela Ing dared to publicly rebuke sacred cow Inouye’s (alleged) sexual assaults. Immediately he faced all kinds of ethics inquiries and fines. The clear message is don’t cross the Inouye old boy machine or they will take you down hard!
Oh, bullshit. The Ethics Commission began investigating him long before he took an opportunistic swipe at Inouye (without proposing any legislation to actually do anything about the airport naming he claimed to be objecting to).
The only one taking down Ing is Ing.
Ing’s remarks about Inouye were 4 months before this article. Inouye’s machine would’ve gotten this article out much sooner as these facts about Ing have been around for years.
Taking from another tack. I think that the Berniecrat, reformated into this “Democratic Socialist” movement better wise up with the shenaniguns this kid is doing. Kaniela is doing no one in that part of the party any favours right now by doubling down on ideas that are not worth the amount of political capital he is putting in. Furthermore, in various forums and debates I have seen him in, he is coming across as the most angst-filled, temperamental impatient opportunist. He is like very few others out there in the Hawaii political realm.
However, for those others, they knew throwing their name into the hat to be elected was a one-way mission for their political careers. The Democratic Socialists would gain a little bit of respect from me if they dumped this kid off the side of the political road and disown him.