Playboy ad a
hot potato for
Maui senator

Sen. Tanaka said putting his
phone number in the ad
was a 'big boo-boo'

Legislature Directory

By Craig Gima
Star-Bulletin

Common Cause Hawaii and women legislators are raising questions about a newspaper advertisement that promotes a charity softball game featuring Playboy playmates and uses the name and Capitol phone number of state Sen. Joe Tanaka.

"We made a big boo-boo," said Tanaka (D, Kahului), who added he has also received complaints from constituents about the ad, which appeared in the sports section of daily newspapers yesterday and Thursday.

Common Cause yesterday filed a formal complaint with the state Ethics Commission.

"It's not just a charity softball game; it's also a promotion for the Playboy channel," said Larry Meacham, executive director of Common Cause.

The ad promotes a game today at Maui High School with "Playboy's Donna Perry and her fabulous Playmate friends," and also offers a discount coupon to subscribe to Playboy TV.

Meacham said state ethics law prohibits the use of legislator's offices for for-profit companies.

"We just want to remind them that the taxpayers pay for this stuff and it should only be used for taxpayer business," he said.

Tanaka said he did not review the ad and did not know it would use his title and state Capitol office number.

"I told them not to use my office phone because the game is here on Maui; it's not on Oahu," he said.

Tanaka said he has promoted the game for three years and all proceeds go to local charities.

"It's for a good cause. It's a mistake to use my office number and a title," he said.

The ethics law allows lawmakers to use their offices to support local charities if there is a state purpose, said Ethics Commission Executive Director Dan Mollway, who said he cannot speak about specifics of any complaint.

"If you have an advertisement where you have a charitable purpose and also a commercial solicitation, that is going to have to be looked at to see what side of the line it comes down on," he said.

Some female lawmakers questioned Tanaka's judgment. "It may send the wrong message to our children," said Sen. Suzanne Chun Oakland (D, Kalihi).

"It seems to be rather sexist," said Rep. Marilyn Lee (D, Mililani).