StarBulletin.com

Though not illegal, appropriations raise questions


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POSTED: Monday, November 09, 2009

Hawaii companies that would benefit from earmarks sponsored by U.S. Sen. Daniel Inouye that are in the Senate version of the fiscal year 2010 defense appropriations measure. The firms' workers have contributed to Inouye's campaign committees since 1997.

» Pacific Marine/Navatek Ltd., Honolulu: $2.2 million to build model of amphibious vehicle. $16,300 in contributions, including $9,800 from CEO Steve Loui.

» Oceanit, Honolulu: Two $5 million earmarks for a network of telescopes to track objects in space. $22,900 in contributions, including $11,000 from CEO Patrick Sullivan.

» Referentia Systems Inc., Honolulu: $4.5 million to create 3-D images of battlegrounds. $17,200 in contributions, including $5,000 from CEO Nelson Kanemoto.

» Akimeka LLC, Maui: $2.5 million for a system to distribute intelligence information among agencies. $17,800 in contributions, including $2,600 from President Vaughn Vasconcellos. He also donated $1,200 this year to Inouye's leadership political action committee.

» Pacific Defense Solutions LLC, Maui: $4 million for “;electro-optical assets”; that peer into space. $7,600 in contributions, including $1,200 each this year from President Wesley Freiwald and CEO Donald Forrester.

» Makai Ocean Engineering Inc., Kailua: $2 million for a system to process large amounts of “;battlespace”; data. $2,400 in contributions from Vice President Reb Bellinger.

 

Political action panels

» Raytheon Co.: $1.6 million for an integrated information system for Hawaii National Guard/civil defense officials. $18,000 in contributions.

» Northrup Grumman Corp.: $2 million to develop systems at the Hawaiian Range Complex, a collection of onshore and offshore sites used for military training. $19,000 in contributions.

» Boeing Co.: $20 million to operate Maui Space Surveillance System. $27,000 in contributions.

» Lockheed Martin Corp.: $3 million for a counter-sniper system. $28,000 in contributions.

» Textron Inc.: $6.5 million to Space Surveillance System. $24,000 in contributions.

Source: Federal Election Commission reports and documents from Inouye's office