A Honolulu political action committee that ran negative ads slamming incumbent Kohala county councilwoman Margaret Wille is being looked into by the state Campaign Spending Commission, following complaints from a political activist. ADVERTISING A Honolulu political action committee that ran
A Honolulu political action committee that ran negative ads slamming incumbent Kohala county councilwoman Margaret Wille is being looked into by the state Campaign Spending Commission, following complaints from a political activist.
Forward Progress, a super PAC formed earlier this year by Pacific Resource Partnership, is funded entirely by another PRP entity, the Hawaii Carpenters Market Recovery Program, a pro-construction PAC.
Political activist Karen Chun late last month filed complaints against Forward Progress and the Carpenters Fund, alleging incomplete filings and the failure of the Carpenters Fund to name any of its contributors. At issue for Chun is a Maui County Council race, where an incumbent is being challenged by a candidate who favors more development and the use of genetically modified organisms in agriculture.
“They list all of their donations as being from themselves,” Chun told Stephens Media Hawaii on Tuesday. “This is the typical PRP operating technique of not telling the truth.”
Chun is asking the Campaign Spending Commission to compel the Carpenters Fund to disclose the original sources of its contributions.
The commission is scheduled to take up the complaints at its Oct. 22 meeting in Honolulu, said Associate Director Tony Baldomero.
“We’re looking into the complaints,” he said.
The Carpenters Fund had contributed $260,529 to Forward Progress as of Aug. 9, according to the most recent campaign spending reports. Unlike traditional PACs that are limited to $2,000 per council candidate, super PACs such as Forward Progress can raise and spend an unlimited amount for and against candidates, as long as they don’t coordinate their campaigns with the candidates.
Although Forward Progress paid for three negative mailers against Wille before the Aug. 9 primary, it hasn’t reported any negative advertising expenditures through that date in its filings with the Campaign Spending Commission. The reporting forms provide check-off boxes for whether the expenditures support or oppose a candidate and spaces for filling in the candidates’ names.
Like the Maui council incumbent, Wille is being challenged for her opposition to GMO. Forward Progress mailers label her as voting against farmers and making farming and ranching more difficult and food more expensive.
Baldomero was unfamiliar with the anti-Wille mailers until questioned by Stephens Media Hawaii. He said he forwarded them to Forward Progress for clarification.
“We’re inquiring with Forward Progress to see what in fact should have been checked … are these coming for a specific candidate,” Baldomero said.
The three anti-Wille mailers, along with negative radio spots, also accuse the first-term incumbent of raising council members’ salaries while cutting salaries for staff and ending free bus rides for students, seniors and those with disabilities.
Forward Progress has also paid for mailers promoting Wille challenger Ron Gonzales, and has hired three Honokaa canvassers to work the District 9 neighborhoods on Gonzales’ behalf.
Gail Jackson, a Waikoloa resident and Wille supporter, said canvassers came to her neighborhood last month. She said they asked questions about which candidates she supported, but were vague about whom they worked for. They commented on the Wille signs in her yard, she said.
Jackson had also received the anti-Wille mailers before the primary.
“It’s really very difficult to tell who Forward Progress is supporting,” she said.
“Oahu PACs involved in outer island governance by overwhelming spending in elections is extremely disturbing,” she added.
Hawaii Carpenters Market Recovery Program is a $17.3 million nonprofit whose goal is “To study and explore ways of eliminating potential problems that inhibit the economic development of the carpentry industry in Hawaii,” according to its 2012 federal tax filings. A call to its Honolulu office was answered by an automated system identifying the office as Pacific Resource Partnership.
John White, listed on disclosure reports filed with the Campaign Spending Commission as chairman of both PRP and Forward Progress, did not return telephone messages at any of the offices by press time Wednesday.
PRP first came under investigation by the Campaign Spending Commission after settling a defamation lawsuit filed by former governor and Honolulu mayoral candidate Ben Cayetano.
Chun was skeptical that her complaints will have much of an impact on the affiliated PACs.
“When Forward Progress is slapped for its misleading dealings, they’ll just create a new one,” she said.
Email Nancy Cook Lauer at ncook-lauer@westhawaiitoday.com.
