Coronavirus pandemic protocols, a bribery scandal and debate over a bill to make fundraisers illegal during the legislative session all combined this year to keep Big Island lawmakers from holding the Honolulu fundraisers that historically added big boosts to their reelection campaigns.
Under SB 555, passed by the Legislature and signed by Gov. David Ige on July 12, campaign fundraisers will be banned starting next year for all elected state and even county officials during the 60-day legislative session that starts in mid-January and ends in April, as well as during special sessions.
Hawaii joins some 22 other states with some form of ban on state lawmakers receiving campaign contributions or holding fundraisers during legislative sessions, according to data compiled by the National Conference of State Legislatures.
Sitting government officials and other candidates will still be allowed to accept donations to their campaigns during that period, however. And noncandidate fundraisers, such as those sponsored by political parties, are still allowed under the new law.
The Hawaii Republican Party and the Oahu League of Republican Women PAC were the only noncandidate groups that held fundraisers during the 2022 legislative session, according to reports from the state Campaign Spending Commission.
West Hawaii Today polled the island’s eight sitting lawmakers who have in the past held fundraisers in Honolulu during the legislative session.
Neighbor Island officials are especially affected by the new law, as the session events in Honolulu tend to bring in fresh campaign money that might not be as easily raised so far from the Capitol.
State Sen. Loraine Inouye, for example, said her campaign war chest hit negative numbers this year, but she said she still feels she raised enough to keep her campaign going despite the challenges.
Inouye, a Democrat currently representing North Hawaii who has since been redistricted into her former Hilo district, had in the past held a $150-admission annual February fundraiser at the Mandalay restaurant in Honolulu.
“We have no fundraisers this year as well as last year,” Inouye said. “The reason is because of COVID. We all wanted to be cautious. We abided by just being cautious and not having fundraisers.”
Sen. Joy San Buenaventura, a Puna Democrat, said neighbor island candidates need the infusion from the fundraisers in order to stay competitive. She’d held $100-$1,000 Honolulu fundraisers during the legislative session in 2018, 2019 and 2020 but hasn’t had one since.
“Neighbor island candidates in poor districts like mine need to raise money in Honolulu especially where out-of-state PACS have threatened to run and fund a candidate against me due to a vote they were unhappy with or my positions on vaccinations and testing,” San Buenaventura said.
The pandemic was also the main concern for Rep. Richard Onishi, who’d last held a fundraiser during the legislative session in 2018.
This year, “I decided to hold the fundraiser in June after I had decided to run for re-election and before the filing deadline, and after I believed that we could hold the event in a safe and clean environment to protect from the spread of COVID to those that attended,” he said.
Other candidates were more concerned about holding session fundraisers during a debate over the entire practice, especially in a session marked by two lawmakers pleading guilty to federal charges of accepting bribes from a regular campaign contributor.
Former state Sen. J Kalani English, a Democrat from Maui and majority leader of that chamber, was sentenced to 40 months in federal prison. Former state Rep. Ty Cullen, an Oahu Democrat who also pleaded guilty, is expected to be sentenced in October.
Rep. Nicole Lowen, a Kona Democrat, held $100-$2,000 Honolulu fundraisers during the legislative session in 2018 and 2019
“I’ve never been that comfortable with holding fundraisers during session, but there is sort of an unspoken understanding that it’s expected and that this is what we are ‘supposed’ to do,” Lowen said. “With COVID and then this session’s increased scrutiny of this practice due to the corruption charges against former legislators, it was an easy choice not to hold one. I’m glad that SB 555 passed and draws a bright line for everyone.”
Rep. Mark Nakashima, a North Hawaii Democrat, also held Honolulu fundraisers in 2018 and 2019, but not since.
“Yes, this year as we debated the fundraiser law, and as chair of the House Judiciary Committee which has jurisdiction over fundraising legislation, there was a conscious decision on my part to not hold a fundraiser during the legislative session,” Nakashima said. “I do point out that shortcomings of my two former colleagues have nothing to do with a lapse of ethics but a more serious lapse of morals.”
Two newer members of the Big Island’s legislative delegation, South Kona/Ka‘u Democratic Rep. Jeanne Kapela and Hilo Democratic Rep. Chris Todd, want to see legislation go farther to help restore public trust to the legislative process.
Todd, appointed to the House seat in 2017 and re-elected subsequently, held $100-$2,000 Honolulu fundraisers during session in 2018, 2019 and 2020. He said after the federal bribery cases surfaced, he went through all his recent donations and returned those “where I felt I was appropriate.”
“Like a lot of my colleagues, I was horrified by the corruption scandals that came to light a few months ago and I am hopeful that the Legislature is serious about restoring public trust,” Todd said. “In light of the recent string of indictments, it’s very clear that politics needs to change, and I’m looking forward to serious reform. … I feel that we all have a responsibility to lead by example and do everything we can to earn renewed confidence.”
Kapela, first elected in 2020, did hold a Honolulu fundraiser in 2018, but hasn’t since.
“In my view, SB 555 didn’t go far enough. We should prohibit legislators, or anyone acting on their behalf, from holding fundraisers during session. People should not be able to buy influence from policymakers while their bills are being heard. That’s a form of political bribery,” Kapela said. “I plan to introduce legislation next session to strengthen campaign finance reforms, like banning the practice of bundling donations together, prohibiting legislators from using their campaign accounts to donate to other candidates, and establishing a more robust public funding program for local elections.”
Sen. Dru Kanuha, a Kona Democrat, held two $100-$2,000 Honolulu fundraisers during the 2020 session, but hasn’t since. He couldn’t be reached for comment by press-time Friday.