|
CLICK HERE FOR PRESS KIT
Actions, Media & Press Stories
Senate is playing cynical game with public election bill
David Shapiro, Honolulu Advertiser
April 16, 2008
"... Senators responded by cynically poisoning the House bill for publicly funded elections by amending it to include their increases in corporate contributions--creating a mocking piece of legislation that works at cross purposes with itself."
MORE
Senate should enable voter-owned elections
Editorial, Honolulu Advertiser
March 11, 2008
"Participation in local politics has increased in states where public
campaign funding has been enacted: Maine, Arizona, North Carolina,
Connecticut, New Jersey, New Mexico and Vermont."
MORE
Follow the money into pols' pockets
Dave Shapiro, Honolulu Advertiser
February 27, 2008
"A coalition of public-interest groups is working hard to stop the Legislature from revoking a $1,000 cap on corporate political donations per two-year election cycle that lawmakers say they passed by mistake."
MORE
Campaign reformers rebuke bill to lift limits on corporate donations
Richard Borreca, Honolulu Star-Bulletin
February 27, 2008
"Barbara Wong, commission executive director, said the House bill would 'support the absurd results of the court's ruling that corporations can use unlimited funds from their treasury to make contributions ... overturning 27 years of legislative history that promotes transparency of corporate campaign contributions."
MORE
Group asks lawmakers to consider full public funding of elections
Nancy Cook Lauer, West Hawaii Today
February 26, 2008
"A group advocating full public funding of elections has launched an e-mail and media campaign asking lawmakers to pass a bill allowing Hawaii County Council races to serve as a pilot project."
MORE
Bill proposes public funding of elections
B. J. Reyes, Honolulu Star-Bulletin
February 26, 2008
"A coalition of Big Island lawmakers, public-interest groups, Democratic Party officials and citizens is urging the Legislature to back a proposal to test the viability of publicly financed elections."
MORE
Nearly $5M Sitting in Hawaii Election Fund
KGMB9 News
February 25, 2008
"When you check the box on your taxes to donate to the campaign fund. That money goes into a collection. Now, millions of taxpayer dollars are sitting unused. Some groups want to make it easier for candidates to tap into what's in that fund."
MORE
Groups call for public financing of elections
Honolulu Advertiser
February 25, 2008
"Members of four groups gathered at the Capitol this morning to call for passage of a bill that would allow public financing for Big Island county elections."
MORE
Leaders should enable publicly funded races
Editorial
January 31, 2008
"Judging by the degree of scandal stemming from illicit campaign donations that has tainted elections here, Hawai'i could benefit from having some faith restored.
"State lawmakers should take their cue from the Big Island County Council and let the great experiment begin here."
MORE
County wants to be first on publicly funded elections
Shawn James Leavey, Big Island Weekly
January 30, 2008
"By passing a resolution authored by Ka`u Councilman Bob Jacobson on a 7 to 2 vote, the council expressed its support for HB 661, a bill establishing a public fund for county elections."
MORE
Big Island council passes public election funding
Kevin Dayton, Advertiser Big Island Bureau
January 25, 2008
"The vote marks the first time a state or county body has offered to pilot the proposed new system. Advocates of publicly funded elections have said they plan to pursue the idea of a pilot project on the Big Island at the state Legislature this year."
MORE
Council backs public campaign funds
Jason Armstrong, Tribune-Herald Staff Writer
January 25, 2008
"Seen as a way of neutralizing special interests that pour thousands of dollars into campaigns for local office, the concept would give eligible candidates 90 percent of the average amount winning candidates spent in the past two elections. The money would come from donations taxpayers make to the Hawaii Election Campaign Fund when they fill out their annual state income tax forms."
MORE
Big Island takes a gutsy lead on elections
David Shapiro, Honolulu Advertiser
January 16, 2008
"Give the Big Island County Council credit for guts for volunteering to become the first elected body in Hawai'i to test publicly financed election campaigns.
"... Voter Owned Hawai'i, which has long advocated such a system, says public campaign funding has increased competition for office and voter turnout in states such as Maine and Arizona, while reducing the influence of special-interest money."
MORE
Hawaii council wants to try publicly funded elections
Kevin Dayton, Honolulu Advertiser
January 10, 2008
"The Big Island County Council has endorsed a plan to test publicly funded campaigns in the council races in 2010, marking the first time an elected body in the state has formally volunteered to try public financing."
MORE
Why not let public finance elections?
Kory Payne, Voter Owned Hawai'i
January 6, 2008
"If House Speaker Calvin Say and Senate President Colleen Hanabusa are looking for a solution to the problem with the grants-in-aid system, they should also dig a little deeper to solve the bigger problem of money and politics."
MORE
December 9, 2007
Check our new data on Campaign Donors and Lobbyists!
Honolulu jury awards $3M to Whistle-blower
Jim Dooley, Advertiser Staff Writer
January 26, 2008
"A Circuit Court jury yesterday awarded a former city official more than $3 million, upholding her claim that she lost her job in 2003 for blowing the whistle on what she saw as wrongdoing in the administration of former Mayor Jeremy Harris."
MORE
Money too influential on political campaigns
April 6, 2007
"State lawmakers have been loath to adopt even a pilot program for publicly financed elections. The sole measure that has survived has been gutted of its good intentions. Legislators should restore the bill and get the state started on a program that would cut the influence special-interest cash has on decision-making in Hawaii."
MORE
Bill a good start toward clean elections
March 18, 2007
"... Voters should have a chance to buy access to the political process, since they have to pay for what comes out. The first step is to knock on the door, and let lawmakers know it's important that they get that chance."
MORE
'Voter owned' elections would boost participation
March 20, 2007
"... The fate of the Comprehensive Public Funding bill now lies in the hands of the Legislature's leadership. Will our legislators pass this bill and open the doors to the light of day or slam the doors shut on this opportunity to move forward?"
MORE
Public Trust: Is it finally time for publicly funded elections in Hawai`i?
Cheryl Ambrozic, Maui Times Weekly
March 8, 2007
"... 81 percent of state voters agree that politicians become obligated to campaign donors and campaign contributions influence policies supported by elected officials. ..."
MORE
Public financing of political campaigns in Hawaii backed to rid special interests
VIEWPOINT - Nadine Newlight, The Maui News
March 8, 2007
"... Last week when asked about this prevailing problem, Robert F. Kennedy Jr. in his talk at the Castle Theater offered us a practical solution. It's right now catching on across the islands, and it's called voter-owned elections or 'clean elections.' ..."
MORE
Who's doing what, to whom, for how much?
Carol Bain, The Garden Island
February 24, 2007
"As activists and advocates who work on different issues facing our community,
we see firsthand why so often good pieces of legislation never make it into law.
Whether the issue is energy, sustainable development, housing, or good
government, the rubber always meets the road in the details of what special interests
are giving how-much-money to whom. ..."
MORE
Publicly funded campaigns put voters ahead of lobbyists
ISLE VIEWPOINT
Richard S. Miller
Professor of law emeritus, University of Hawaii
Feb 18, 2007
THE people of Hawaii need and deserve the passage of a public campaign funding bill, now before the Legislature, that will allow candidates for political office to finance their campaigns without donations from powerful businesses. MORE
Clean elections face political exorcism
Honolulu Star Bulletin
February 11, 2007
"Some thought last year's elections would end campaign spending as we know it and incumbents would be turned out. Never happened. Corporate money or not, the incumbents were back with just two losses. ..."
MORE
New York Governor Eliot Spitzer endorses public financing
PUBLIC CAMPAIGN
January 3, 2007
In his "State of the State" address today, newly elected New York Governor Eliot Spitzer (D) outlined his plans to clean up Albany and improve the state's campaign finance goals, with the ultimate goal being full public financing of elections. MORE
'06 results in ME, AZ, and NC
PUBLIC CAMPAIGN
December 11, 2006
With a number of races still left to be decided, Clean Elections candidates in three states-Arizona, Maine, and North Carolina-have won at least 206 state offices in this year's elections. These new office holders include Democrats and Republicans, incumbents and challengers, women, and a diverse reflection of races and ethnicities. RESULTS and SUMMARY
Congress has opening for campaign reform
HONOLULU ADVERTISER
November 20, 2006
The early weeks of the next Congressional session may be the most opportune moment yet for making real progress in campaign financing reform. MORE
A decade after passage, one more vote for the Maine Clean Elections Act
By G. Calvin Mackenzie
KENNEBEC JOURNAL (MAINE)
November 12, 2006
"The goals of the proponents of the Clean Elections Act were to reduce the role of private funds -- especially special interest contributions -- in Maine campaigns, to encourage more people to run for public office, and to level the playing field among candidates in individual races."
MORE
July 12, 2006
VOTER-OWNED-ELECTIONS BEGINS NEW STATEWIDE EFFORT TO INFORM VOTERS ABOUT THE FLOW OF SPECIAL-INTEREST MONEY INTO HAWAII'S POLITICAL CAMPAIGNS AND THE CLEAN ELECTIONS SOLUTION
Public Education Project Starts On O`ahu's North Shore & Leeward Side
Media Release
HERE
Campaign Spending data
HERE
June 27, 2006
COORDINATED NATIONAL "CLEAN ELECTIONS" CAMPAIGN BEGINS
Voter Owned Hawai`i has joined with Common Cause,
Public Campaign Action Fund, Public Citizen, and the U.S. Public Interest Research Group (US PIRG)
in a "Voters First" pledge campaign that is asking all congressional candidates throughout the nation to sign on.
During the next few months in Hawai`i, Voter Owned Elections supporters throughout the State will be asking all candidates,
local and federal, to sign the "Voters First" Pledge.
Details
HERE
On May 4, 2006, YOU helped make history in Hawai`i!
See "New law alters political arena"
HERE
Related Editorial, "Corporate campaign limits will cleanse politics"
HERE
Interested in what we're doing and want to know more, or maybe get involved? Contact VOE Field Organizer
Kory Payne on Oahu @ 808-457-8622 & 808-599-1600.
Read the HONOLULU WEEKLY COVER STORY
on Hawai`i Clean Elections
HERE
DEFINITION OF CHUTZPAH: THE STATE LEGISLATURE
By David Shapiro
HONOLULU ADVERTISER
VOLCANIC ASH
April 12, 2006
It's difficult to decide whether to gag or giggle about a wacky bill moving through the Legislature that seeks to regulate corporate responsibility and unselfish business dealings. This is the same Legislature that encourages corporate irresponsibility by conniving to lift restrictions that limit corporate political contributions to what individual donors can make.
MORE
A CULTURE OF CORRUPTION
Let's Save Our Democracy by Getting Money Out of Politics
By Bill Moyers
WASHINGTON SPECTATOR
April 1, 2006
"Money is choking our democracy to death. Our elections are bought out from under us and our public officials
are doing the bidding of mercenaries. So powerful is the hold of wealth on politics that we cannot say America
is working for all Americans."
MORE
LEGISLATORS WORK HARD FOR THEIR MONEY
By David Shapiro
HONOLULU ADVERTISER
VOLCANIC ASH
Wednesday, March 29, 2006
"The proof that lawmakers like the bad system just fine lies in their stubborn refusal to change it - either by embracing public
funding of elections, as [VOE's John] Higgins' group proposes, or curbing the ability of special interests to so easily buy
influence with campaign donations."
MORE
Wednesday, April 12, 2006
OAHU: SENATOR IHARA "MAHALO" SIGN WAVE
Advocates for Voter Owned Elections held a "Mahalo" sign wave to thank District-9 Senator Les Ihara (St. Louis Heights, Palolo Valley, Kaimuki, Kapahulu,
Ala Wai) for his dedicated support of public funding.
Media release HERE
Great photos HERE - and watch for the
excellent KHPR Public Radio site interview with VOE's Community Liaison, John Higgins to be posted here in an MP3 file asap.
Wednesday, April 12, 2006
TEAM MAUI sign waved TODAY in front of Maui Community College - in Representative Kyle T. Yamashita's District-12 (Makawao-Kula-Olinda-Pulehu-Pukalani). Media release HERE
Team Maui had previously canvassed Yamashita's District on March 25th. VOE researchers agreed that Yamashita is,
to date, "the poster boy" example of the legislator who, once elected, sees special-interest monies literally gushing in to fill their re-election
campaign chests.
Download supporting interactive research docs @
1. Yamashita monies 2002-04 HERE
2. Yamashita monies 2005 HERE
A CULTURE OF CORRUPTION
Let's Save Our Democracy by Getting Money Out of Politics
By Bill Moyers
WASHINGTON SPECTATOR
April 1, 2006
"Money is choking our democracy to death. Our elections are bought out from under us and our public officials
are doing the bidding of mercenaries. So powerful is the hold of wealth on politics that we cannot say America
is working for all Americans."
MORE
March 25, 2006 - TEAM MAUI canvassed Representative Kyle T. Yamashita's
Maui District-12 (Makawao-Kula-Olinda-Pulehu-Pukalani). VOE researchers agreed that Yamashita is,
to date, "the poster boy" example of the legislator who once elected see special-interest
monies literally gushing in to fill their re-election campaign chests.
District-12 media release HERE
NOTE: the next two links contain very large files.
download 2005 Contributions (pdf1) HERE
download 2005 Contributions (pdf2) HERE
March 23, 2006 HONOLULU - VOE advocates presented "surprising data" to State House & Senate Committees
on OIL INDUSTRY campaign to influence legislation.
Read media release and view data
HERE
On Thursday, March 16th, more than twenty members of TEAM WAIPAHU held another District-41 sign-waving event. D-41 is represented by
John Riki Karamatsu,
who has stated he opposes the VOE bill. Click HERE for more photos. Also see 03/11/06 D-41 media release below.
Election war chests are filling up
Mainland firms among those contributing to Big Isle election campaigns
by Jason Armstrong
HAWAI`I TRIBUNE HERALD
03/14/06
"A recently-appointed chairman of the House Consumer Protection and Commerce Committee,
[State Representative Bob] Herkes earlier this month was criticized by Voter Owned Hawaii,
previously called Hawaii Clean Elections, which wants only public money used for Hawaii
political campaigns. The group issued a March 3 statement claiming special interest
contributions to Herkes' re-election campaign skyrocketed after he became committee
chairman."
MORE
03/11/06
House District-41
Media Release HERE
03/07/06
House District-26
Media Release HERE
03/04/06
Campaign expands to neighbor islands.
House District-5
Media release HERE
Resulting media story
HERE
VOE ADVOCATES TAKE TO THE AIR - AGAIN!
View the 03/01/06 KHON TV-2 News story below.
Dial up (56k)
High Speed (DSL / Cable)
02/21/06
House District-49
Media Release HERE
KITV CH-4 NEWS
Saturday, February 18, 2006
VOE TEAM KAILUA CANVESSES D-49
NOTE: Select Internet speed below images to view. Streaming video files are large and take a few moments to load.
Dial up (56k)
High Speed (DSL / Cable)
February 17, 2006
STATE-WIDE VOE GRASSROOTS EDUCATION & MOBILIZATION EFFORT "GATHERING UNPRECEDENTED MOMENTUM"
Media release on mobilization launch
HERE
Clean elections are within Hawai'i's reach
By John J. Higgins
HONOLULU ADVERTISER
COMMENTARY
February 14, 2006
READ HERE
02/14/06
HONOLULU ADVERTISER
. . . We have good people caught in a bad system . . .
02/13/06
HONOLULU STAR BULLETIN:
OUR OPINION
The Legislature is considering proposals to allow public funding of political campaigns
02/13/06
HONOLULU ADVERTISER:
EDITORIAL
such a system is a worthwhile investment of taxpayer money because
02/12/06
HONOLULU STAR BULLETIN
"...an exciting new way of running elections is
12/05/05
USA TODAY
Connecticut Voters take back elections
12/02/05
NEW YORK TIMES
EDITORIAL
Connecticut: It Takes a Statehouse Scandal
12/01/05
VOTER OWNED HAWAI'I
MEDIA RELEASE
Connecticut Legislature Passes Full Public Funding Of Political Campaigns
11/11/05
HONOLULU ADVERTISER
Tanonaka assessed $7,500 penalty
11/10/05
HAWAI`I REPORTER
Local Politicians Ordered to Pay Up
11/30/05
STAMFORD ADVOCATE
Associated Press
Connecticut Senate passes campaign finance reform bill
10/13/05
HONOLULU ADVERTISER
Associated Press
Campaign Spending Commission fines executive $39,000
10/06/05
HONOLULU ADVERTISER
Campaign spending fraud cheats taxpayers
10/04/05
HONOLULU STAR-BULLETIN
Firm fined $100K as example against illegal gifts
03/09/05
HONOLULU STAR-BULLETIN
OUR OPINION
Public funding would reduce campaign corruption
03/09/05
HONOLULU ADVERTISER
EDITORIAL
Campaign reform bills must pass this year
03/07/05
HONOLULU ADVERTISER
Political cash tough to track
03/06/05
HONOLULU STAR-BULLETIN
Now is the time to change the way campaigns are financed
03/05/05
HONOLULU STAR-BULLETIN
Legislative bills advance campaign finance reform
12/28/04
ARIZONA DAILY STAR
Clean Elections panel seeks upgrades
12/26/04
PORTLAND PRESS HERALD
Clean Elections give Maine taxpayers high value at low cost
12/13/04
CLEAN ELECTIONS INSTITUTE
Women make big gains at Legislature through clean elections (PDF)
12/04/04
HONOLULU STAR-BULLETIN
Engineer is fined for illegal donations
11/30/04
HONOLULU STAR-BULLETIN
Two business men get 10-day jail time for illegal donations.
11/25/04
ASSOCIATED PRESS
Top Giving PAC favor GOP candidates 10-1.
11/05/04
USA TODAY
Once again big donors find new ways to skirt the rules...
11/05/04
HONOLULU STAR-BULLETIN
Campaign donor pleads no contest to fund fraud.
A former engineering firm's CEO likely will ask to defer his plea.
07/28/04
HONOLULU WEEKLY
"In the closing days of the 2004 legislative session, lawmakers sidestepped a chance to wrest electoral
power away from big-money special interests and return it directly to the voters.
The opportunity wasn't just missed. It was deliberately thrown away..." MORE
07/07/04
HONOLULU ADVERTISER
EDITORIAL
True campaign reform simple common sense.
07/04/04
HONOLULU ADVERTISER
Campaign reform elusive still.
06/29/04
HONOLULU ADVERTISER
EDITORIAL
Sorry mess of election financing needs reform
04/27/04
HONOLULU ADVERTISER
Draft of campaign finance bill criticized
04/24/05
HONOLULU STAR-BULLETIN
Red knuckles at Legislature
By Richard Borreca
Ethics is becoming a growth industry for state legislatures MORE
04/13/04
HONOLULU ADVERTISER
EDITORIAL
Time has come to fix campaign finance
04/12/04
HONOLULU ADVERTISER
Campaign-reform hopes grow.
03/16/04
HONOLULU ADVERTISER
Campaign case leads to arrest.
03/16/04
HONOLULU STAR-BULLETIN
Harris donor arrested for gifts.
02/04/04
HONOLULU STAR-BULLETIN
Audit of campaign watchdog dies. A Senate committee
kills a measure aimed at the panel probing political donations.
02/04/04
HONOLULU ADVERTISER
Environmental groups and HI Clean unite on legislative priorities.
02/03/04
HONOLULU ADVERTISER
Senators request audit of campaign spending panel.
01/05/04
CNN
Campaign donation scandal rocks Hawaii. Probe proves
embarrassment for state's Democrats.
|
