Bills target panel that investigates campaign

By Jim Dooley
Advertiser Staff Writer

State Sen. Cal Kawamoto, whose political campaign finances are under investigation by the Campaign Spending Commission, has introduced bills that would allow the Senate to fire the commission executive director without cause and to appoint members of the commission itself.

"We want the proper people in (the Campaign Spending Commission)," Sen. Cal Kawamoto said. Bruce Asato • The Honolulu Advertiser

But Campaign Spending Commission executive director Robert Watada said it was "kind of suspect," given that Kawamoto's campaign finances are under investigation by the commission.

Administrative functions of the commission are "insulated from political influence, but these bills would bring about direct control by the Senate," Watada said.

Kawamoto, chairman of the Senate Committee on Transportation, Military Affairs and Government Operations, said the state pays $4 million annually for the Campaign Spending Commission, and "there needs to be some legislative oversight."

He acknowledged that the Legislature established the commission to shelter it from political influence. But he said yesterday, "They're dealing with our lives and all of that kind of stuff. We want the proper people in there."

One of Kawamoto's bills would require Senate approval of the commission executive director and allow the Senate to "dismiss the executive director at pleasure upon a majority vote of the Senate."

Currently, the executive director is hired by the five-member Campaign Spending Commission, which is appointed by the governor from a list of nominees supplied by the state Judicial Council, an advisory body appointed by the state Supreme Court.

Another Kawamoto bill introduced Wednesday would make the Senate and House each responsible for appointing one member of the Campaign Spending Commission. The governor would appoint the remaining three members. All the appointments would be made from nominees suggested by the Judicial Council.

Watada said yesterday the commission had received a citizen complaint last year about charitable contributions made by Kawamoto's political campaign and how the campaign was reporting contributions it received for an annual Waipahu community picnic event it sponsored.

The contributions from individuals and companies were listed not as contributions to the campaign but as donations by the campaign to the community event, Watada said.

The Campaign Spending Commission's review of those matters is on hold because the attorney who was handling the review no longer works for the commission, he said.

"We're hiring a replacement right now," he said.

Kawamoto said he was not bothered by any connection made between the new legislative measures and the commission investigation.

"Anybody can charge me with anything they want," he said. "But that's not going to prevent me from not doing my job, OK? My job is government operations. It's under the purview of my committee."

Reach Jim Dooley at jdooley@honoluluadvertiser.com or 535-2447.