Complaint to be heard against Lingle campaign

Associated Press

KAILUA, Hawai'i — The Campaign Spending Commission will hear a complaint by a Big Island couple who said they were intimidated into contributing $100 each to the 1998 gubernatorial campaign of Republican Linda Lingle, an official said.

Tom Russi and Christine Paul are asking the commission to fine the Lingle campaign $1,000 for each occurrence and to draft legislation that would prevent similar tactics in the future.

The couple said Jon Itomura, commission general counsel, informed them their complaint will be heard Aug. 14 in Honolulu.

In the complaint, Russi and Paul said Frank Jung, a Kona attorney and West Hawai'i campaign coordinator for Lingle, wrote to them asking each for a campaign contribution on behalf of Lingle. At the time, Jung was representing the couple in a lawsuit regarding medical benefits.

"Because Mr. Jung had accepted our $5,000 — plus retainer — and had been working off of it for the previous nine months at the time Linda Lingle had asked for our contribution, we felt very intimidated into contributing," Russi and Paul said in their complaint.

Jung said he was confident the investigation would find no wrongdoing.

He confirmed he made the request, but said it was part of a mass mailing, and when Russi and Paul asked for their money back, the Lingle campaign quickly complied.

"There was no intimidation," Jung said. "When he objected, we returned the money."

Russi and Paul also have filed a complaint against Robert Watada, the commission's executive director, for turning down their initial complaint.