A local engineering firm has agreed to pay a $49,300 fine for making illegal political donations to several isle Democrats. Local firm hit
with donation fineThe engineering outfit broke
the legal limit in the Cayetano,
Hirono and Harris campaignsBy Rick Daysog
rdaysog@starbulletin.comBob Watada, the state Campaign Spending Commission's executive director, said ECS Inc. admitted giving more than $80,000 to the campaigns of Honolulu Mayor Jeremy Harris, former Gov. Ben Cayetano, ex-Lt. Gov. Mazie Hirono and former Maui Mayor James "Kimo" Apana.
The fine, which requires the approval of the commission's five-member board at its next meeting on Thursday, is the second highest levied by the commission.
Last year, the commission issued a $64,000 penalty against the engineering firm of Geolabs Inc.
Last month, the commission fined Controlpoint Surveying Inc. $48,000.
Watada said the stiff penalty was justified because the firm not only exceeded the legal limits for political donations, but also funneled them through relatives and employees.
According to Watada, the firm gave $30,000 to Harris' 2000 mayoral campaign, $26,400 to Cayetano's 1998 re-election campaign and $16,600 to Hirono's 1998 effort. ECS also donated $7,000 to Apana's 1998 election.
ECS executives could not be reached for comment.
Under state law an individual or corporation can give no more than $6,000 for the governor's race and $4,000 for other races during a four-year election cycle.
The ECS is just one of dozens of local engineering and architecture firms fined by the commission during the past year, underscoring the need for a major reform of the state's campaign spending laws, Watada said.
A bill that would ban government contractors from making political contributions was passed by the Legislature last year but was vetoed by Cayetano.
A similar measure introduced this year has not yet been scheduled for a hearing, Watada said.
"The system is called pay to play: You have to give contributions in order to get contracts," Watada said.