Posted on: Tuesday, July 20, 2004
EDITORIAL
Dark side of political financing needs light
Hawai'i has known for years that among the biggest contributors to local political campaigns are the consultants, architects and engineers who get the bulk of (mostly non-bid) government business.
This has been explained as simply a natural desire on the part of the contributors to keep in office those with whom they are comfortable.
After all, the theory goes, why wouldn't you want to keep in office an administration or official who already knows you and recognizes the quality of your work?
This argument is used to deflect suggestions that there is a quid pro quo going on; that lucrative government jobs are handed out directly in exchange for substantial contributions.
A recent wide-ranging criminal and civil investigation into local campaign financing practices is slowly but surely ripping away at this mask of deception.
The biggest bombshell thus far was an on-the-record admission in court that campaign contributions, in this case illegal contributions, were made to ensure government contracts would go to local rather than Mainland companies.
The case involved Lee Takushi, a senior officer of SSFM International, who admitted he channeled $28,000 of company money to the campaign committee of Mayor Jeremy Harris.
Takushi's attorney, Brook Hart, told the court the money was given to the Harris campaign specifically to help protect contracts for the firm.
SSFM did get more than $7 million worth of contracts during Harris' tenure as mayor.
Neither Harris nor any of his campaign officials have been charged with wrongdoing.
Hart contended that Takushi's actions were more in line with a 50-year-old tradition in Hawai'i politics than they were a deliberate attempt to break the law.
SSFM has already been fined hundreds of thousands of dollars by the Campaign Spending Commission for funneling illegal, excess campaign contributions to politicians as varied as Harris, former Gov. Ben Cayetano, former Lt. Gov. Mazie Hirono, former Mayor Frank Fasi, former Maui Mayor James Apana and former City Councilman Arnold Morgado.
It might be possible to argue that the recent rash of indictments, fines and pleas is simply the result of people doing business as usual while the rules of the game shifted underneath them.
That ignores the fact that the law has always been there; the fact that it was enforced only loosely does not change that fact.
And actually, there is a cure for this unhealthy system that does not require tougher laws or tougher enforcement.
All it will take is for politicians and candidates to simply announce that, as a matter of policy, they will not accept contributions from government contractors.
And, if elected, they should announce that they will not award contracts to anyone who gave to them in any given budget year.
It's quite simple, really.
