Neil and Campaign Contributions

Neil believes current campaign spending laws create a culture where candidates are too focused on raising money, and as a result, the average person feels frozen out of the public process. In Neil’s view, every person counts the same, no matter if the contribution is $5, $50, $5,000, or 5 hours a week volunteering for the campaign. Neil has always kept political fundraising activities strictly separated from his duties as a public official. He follows all campaign laws and encourages people to participate in the political process in whatever way they can.

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QUESTION: What are Neil’s views on campaign fundraising?

ANSWER: When Neil ran his first campaign in Hawaii, there were campaign spending limits in place, which he believes leveled the playing field for candidates and reduced the influence of private interests. The U.S. Supreme Court has since overturned spending limits and campaign finance reform efforts are now mostly focused on limiting campaign contributions. In Neil’s view, these efforts have not worked because there are always loopholes that are exploited.

Under the current campaign finance laws, candidates are too focused on raising the most money and outspending their opponents. As a result, the average person and potential candidates feel frozen out of the public process.

Neil believes we need to reexamine the idea of campaign spending limits to increase voter participation, to attract more diverse candidates, and to restore the public’s confidence in politics.

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QUESTION: What are the campaign’s policies on fundraising?

ANSWER: Neil's campaign believes that every person counts the same, regardless of the donation amount. Whether someone gives $5, $50 or $5,000, or 5 hours a week as a campaign volunteer, in Neil’s eyes, every person counts the same.

The campaign adheres to all state campaign fundraising laws and its own fundraising policies. All fundraising activities by Neil’s campaign are done in accordance with the Hawaii Revised Statutes, including complying with requirements set by the State of Hawaii Campaign Spending Commission.

Bill Kaneko, the campaign manager, must approve all fundraising events. The campaign’s policies are to request donations in a respectful manner, without pressure and without any promises in exchange for contributions. The campaign also respects individuals’ decisions to support other candidates.

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QUESTION: Are Neil’s fundraising practices similar to those that have been called into question about Mufi Hannemann’s June 9 fundraiser in Pittsburgh?
 
ANSWER: NO.  Neil and his campaign staff go to great lengths to ensure that all fundraising activity complies with the law.

Instead of answering questions about a fundraiser in Pittsburgh that is under investigation, Honolulu Mayor Mufi Hannemann blamed the problems on mistakes by his campaign volunteers and then pointed his finger at Neil Abercrombie and Duke Aiona.  
 
Specifically aimed at Neil was a discredited charge against local biofuel pioneer and campaign honorary co-chair Kelly King (see below). The Honolulu Mayor also tried to criticize AFG fundraiser notices as if they were something other than in total compliance with the law.
 
Jack Endo, campaign treasurer and a Certified Public Accountant, is responsible for all campaign transactions, including fundraising activities locally and on the Mainland. The reason one person is in charge of all AFG fundraisers, as noted by filings with the state Campaign Spending Commission, is to ensure consistency and compliance with campaign spending laws.

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QUESTION: Did Neil secure a Congressional earmark for Pacific Biodiesel because the company’s co-founder has contributed to Neil’s campaign.

ANSWER: NO. Neil has always kept his campaign fundraising and Congressional activities separate.

Implications that Neil had secured a Congressional earmark (special funding requests by members of Congress) for Pacific Biodiesel in return for contributions to his campaign are false.

Kelly King is one of the campaign’s honorary co-chairs and a co-founder of Pacific Biodiesel, a Kahului-based company dedicated to establishing community-based biodiesel.

In early 2009, Kelly approached Hawaii's Congressional delegation to ask for their support in obtaining funding for a project to develop a local, sustainable renewable fuel source for the military in Hawaii. Neil believed this is an important project worthy of funding because it moves Hawaii toward clean energy and helps the military meet requirements to become less dependent on foreign oil.

Neil was transparent throughout every step of this process. Neil posted information on his Congressional website about earmarks he requested and then later a list of earmarks approved by the House and Senate.

Kelly later donated to Neil’s campaign because of their shared vision of a sustainable Hawaii. In the summer of 2009, the campaign approached Kelly to become one of the four honorary co-chairs for her commitment to alternative energy and her community leadership. Kelly is a volunteer with the campaign and is not involved with the campaign’s day-to-day activities.

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QUESTION: Did Neil receive campaign contributions from defense contractors, such as BAE Systems, because those companies wanted to receive earmarks.

ANSWER: NO. Diverse groups of people – from teachers, retirees, small business owners to large companies – support Neil and have donated to his campaign. For the first nine months of the gubernatorial campaign, almost half of the 2,176 donations were for $100 or less, demonstrating the strong grassroots support for Neil.

As with the Pacific Biodiesel project, Neil kept his Congressional activities separate from his campaign fundraising. BAE Systems is a defense contractor that also does work to advance science and technology. BAE Systems’ work includes the Hawaii Marine Mammal Awareness, Alert and Response System and Pacific Missile Range Facility on Kauai, the largest missile and testing range in the world.

Neil supported these projects because they created high-tech jobs here and because they protect Hawaii’s marine mammals from human-induced sound, such as the Navy's submarine detection systems, in the ocean. There is no correlation between giving to Neil’s campaign and receiving an earmark.

Obtaining earmarks is a competitive and transparent process. In Neil's office, it was always a process of matching local needs with available federal funding. It first began with extensive meetings with officials from the state, City and County of Honolulu, military commands and facilities, and the University of Hawaii about their funding needs. The list of funding requests was then prioritized based on the project’s importance and public benefit, and all funding requests were posted on Neil's congressional website. Requests for earmarked funding related to Defense appropriations are also vetted by the Department of Defense. They were then voted on by the appropriate Congressional committees and by the full House and Senate.