[ OUR OPINION ]
LEGISLATORS, both federal and state, are notorious for sparing themselves from requirements they thrust on the rest of society. Governor Cayetano has voiced concerns that Hawaii legislators made themselves exempt from a ban they approved on receiving campaign contributions from government contractors. He has expressed reservations about whether to sign the bill into law. In this case, however, legislators are not part of the problem. Campaign finance reform
needs governor’s OK
THE ISSUEGovernor Cayetano is considering whether to sign a bill prohibiting contributions by government contractors to candidates for executive offices.
The Legislature approved a bill that would ban contributions by large corporations, labor unions and banks to political campaigns for county or state executive offices. It would allow such contributions by political action committees established by unions or companies, but would not allow corporate money to be used.
Corruption has occurred when companies make large contributions to political candidates and, in return, received preferential treatment in being selected for government contracts. Mayor Harris has been accused of accepting nearly $750,000 in contributions arranged by city contractors during his 2000 re-election campaign. Some companies have been fined for violating contributions limits, and the city prosecutor is reviewing possible criminal violations. The ongoing investigation clearly was a key factor in Harris's decision to drop out of the governor's race.
Federal contractors are not allowed to contribute to federal candidates, including those running for Congress. Ideally, the state legislation would have followed that model, but its failure to include contributions to state lawmakers is not crucial.
The reality is that companies seeking city or state contracts have little to gain by giving heaps of money to state legislators or, for that matter, City Council members. Since government contracts are awarded by city and state administrations, legislators at both levels lack the authority to reciprocate. That is why the bill appropriately prohibits contractor contributions to candidates for governor, lieutenant governor and mayor.
During the past legislative session, companies that have benefited from the current system lobbied ferociously against the bill banning contractor donations. They argued that the bill would infringe on their First Amendment rights, but the U.S. Supreme Court has upheld the federal law, which is similar in many ways to the state bill. At least eight other states have put restrictions on the connection between government contracts and campaign contributions. The contractors' main concern is that the bill would disrupt a corrupt system from which both they and politicians benefit.
A veto of the bill would perpetuate the practice of companies receiving government contracts in return for campaign gifts. If Cayetano is displeased about the bill's imperfection, he should allow the bill to become law without his signature.
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