The Hawai‘i Campaign Spending Commission has fined Mayor Bryan Baptiste $6,000 for exceeding the state limit for contributions to community groups by $17,255 over four years. The five-member commission levied the fine during a meeting Wednesday on O‘ahu after determining
The Hawai‘i Campaign Spending Commission has fined Mayor Bryan Baptiste $6,000 for exceeding the state limit for contributions to community groups by $17,255 over four years.
The five-member commission levied the fine during a meeting Wednesday on O‘ahu after determining that Baptiste and Friends of Bryan Baptiste, his campaign committee, went well beyond the permitted $4,000 for a four-year period when contributing to a total of 124 groups between winning his first term as mayor in 2002 and his second and final term in office in 2006.
The commission also found that Baptiste made improper contributions to seven of the 124 groups by donating between the time he filed nomination papers on July 18, 2006 and his election that November.
Barbara Wong, executive director of the Campaign Spending Commission, said the group had the authority to levy a fine three times that of the excess amount donated.
“He could have paid $51,000 (in fines),” she said, adding that many of the contributions in question were between $10 and $15.
Following negotiations with Matt Takata, Baptiste’s campaign treasurer, a $6,000 fine was agreed upon “based on what the commission has fined in the past,” Wong said.
But the commission wants to clamp down on these types of violations, she said.
“We try to remain consistent (in the levying of fines), though going forward, (the commission) did announce after this case the fines will increase for this type of fine,” Wong noted.
Takata was not available yesterday to comment on whether Baptiste’s campaign team was aware of the $4,000 contribution limit.
The Mayor’s Office declined to comment beyond a written statement.
“It recently came to my attention that we have given too much to nonprofit and community organizations. My philosophy has always been community first, and I’ve always tried to support community to the fullest extent possible,” reads the mayor’s statement.
According to Wong, a government contractor discovered the violation during audits of Hawai‘i politicians’ campaign spending reports from 2004, 2005 and 2006. The audit found that all public office-holders — with the exception of Baptiste and state Sen. Brian Taniguchi, D-Manoa/McCully — stayed within their campaign contribution limits.
Last month, Taniguchi was fined $950 by the commission for exceeding his contribution limit between 2002 and 2006 by nearly $3,000, Wong said.
Wong emphasized that neither Baptiste nor Taniguchi were specifically targeted in the audit, as there was a three-year backlog in reviewing reports when she took over the post.
“It had nothing to do with selecting or auditing somebody,” she said.
Among the 123 Kaua‘i groups that received the largest contributions from Baptiste were: Kauai 4-H Livestock Committee, $911; Marine Corp. League, $500; Kauai Visayan Club, $350 and Kauai Filipino Women’s Club, $280.
Of the seven groups that improperly received funds after Baptiste filed nomination papers, the largest amount wen to: Rotary Club of Kelepa Sunrise, $100, and the University of Hawai‘i/Anna Sloggett Endowed Scholarship Fund, $100.
According to Baptiste’s statement, his campaign team may not have done a thorough job in keeping tabs on his contributions
“Seemingly, this time, we weren’t properly tracking what was given to them,” he continued. “I take full responsibility for this happening. I apologize and I am cooperating with the Campaign Spending Commission on this matter to resolve it as quickly as possible.”
Wong said the mayor has kept his door open on the matter.
“The mayor and the commission met, and he took responsibility, and his committee was very helpful,” she said. “He was very cooperative and was very easy to work with.”
