Firm fined $11,000
in campaign probe

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By Rick Daysog
rdaysog@starbulletin.com

The state Campaign Spending Commission will fine a local engineering firm $11,000 for making illegal political donations to several local Democrats.

The commission has reached an agreement with Fujita & Associates Inc. to settle charges that the company made $29,700 in excessive contributions to former Gov. Ben Cayetano, Honolulu Mayor Jeremy Harris, ex-Lt. Gov. Mazie Hirono and former Maui Mayor James "Kimo" Apana.

Nearly all of the excessive contributions were laundered through company employees and relatives, in apparent violation of state law, the commission said.

The settlement requires the approval of the commission's five-member board, which meets Thursday.

An attorney for Fujita had no comment.

Fujita is one of more than 60 local city and state contractors fined by the state Campaign Spending Commission during the past two years for making illegal political donations.

Bob Watada, the commission's executive director, said illegal donations underscore the need to tighten the state's campaign finance laws.

A proposal introduced by the Lingle administration calls for a ban on political contribution by companies that receive city and state contracts. The bill also advocates stiffer penalties for donors that violate the state's campaign laws.

"In order to get contracts, they're doing whatever it takes to get around the contribution limits," Watada said. "This is a practice we have to curb."