Hirono scolds Hogue on harbors vote
Security upgrades divide the candidates for a U.S. House seat
Democratic U.S. House candidate Mazie Hirono is criticizing opponent Bob Hogue for what she calls his lack of support for funding security upgrades at state harbors.
Although Hogue noted that he and other GOP colleagues voted against the funding measure in 2003 because it was a "raiding of special funds," he declined comment on whether he felt Hirono was distorting his record.
"I'm not going to respond to any kind of negative campaigning," he said.
Hirono raised the issue yesterday at a forum sponsored by the Hawaii Association of Realtors and the Honolulu Japanese Chamber of Commerce. Hogue was unable to attend the event because of a prior commitment on Maui.
When asked what proactive steps she would take to combat terrorism if elected to Congress, Hirono said she would push for implementing recommendations made by the 9/11 Commission that called for upgrading security at ports nationwide.
She then noted that Hogue, a state senator, voted against the funding to upgrade security at Hawaii harbors in 2003.
"I just thought I'd point that out," she said.
The proposal, House Bill 1230, Conference Draft 1, would have set aside money from the airport special fund and the harbor special fund to institute security measures throughout the airport and harbor systems. Gov. Linda Lingle used her line-item veto power to defeat the measure.
Hogue voted against the bill along with three of his four GOP colleagues, Sens. Fred Hemmings, Sam Slom and Gordon Trimble. Republican Sen. Paul Whalen supported the measure.
"During that time period there were a number of bills that were raiding special funds, and we voted against that," Hogue said yesterday in a telephone interview.
Hirono and Hogue are facing off to represent rural Oahu and the neighbor islands in the U.S. House.
Throughout his campaign, Hogue has characterized himself as an "average person" and stressed a positive campaign that he says is needed to cut through partisan bickering.
Hirono has countered that the constituents of the 2nd Congressional District, a traditionally Democratic area, need more than a "nice guy" as a representative, and has attempted to tie him to unpopular policies of the Bush administration.
"I'm working really hard for the next five weeks to get my message out, and it is a message of contrast between me and Bob Hogue," she said. "Bob Hogue is a Bush-backing Republican, and people need to know that."