Bob Watada, executive director of Hawaii’s Campaign Spending Commission based on Oahu, allowed himself a rueful chuckle when asked if elections here are spared some of the mainland-style chicanery in the rest of the U.S. Candidates in Hawai’i, he noted,
Bob Watada, executive director of Hawaii’s Campaign Spending Commission based
on Oahu, allowed himself a rueful chuckle when asked if elections here are
spared some of the mainland-style chicanery in the rest of the
U.S.
Candidates in Hawai’i, he noted, “have to spend everything they get
(in contributions and fund-raisers). And they have to tell us where it (the
money) came from. It doesn’t always happen.”
“Two people (recently) went to
prison” (for spending irregularities in Hawaiian elections),” Watada said. “A
third one is indicted.”
All three of the politicos in trouble campaigned on
Oahu.
Daniel Kihaao, the Legislature’s former Speaker of the House, was
sentenced to two years in a mainland prison, according to Watada, because he
spent political monies on himself.
Kihaao had a heart attack in prison, was
released and has since died, Watada said.
Milton Holt just finished serving
a year inside a mainland prison for his lack of fiduciary self-restraint as a
state Senate candidate, Watada said.
Under indictment now is Sen. Marshall
Ige.
“He didn’t want to tell us where he got the money (he used to
campaign). He said his dead grandmother gave it to him,” Watada
said.
Watada said Ige’s court case is will be handled in the near
future.
The good news is, Watada couldn’t recall any such political hijinks
on Kaua`i.
“So far, it’s all been on Oahu,” he said.
Staff writer
Dennis Wilken can be reached at 245-3681 (ext. 252) and
dwilken@pulitzer.net
