GOP says Dem
gathering broke lawAt issue is whether an
announcement of candidates
was a rally or a press conference
Republicans say that 13 Democrats in the Legislature violated state ethics laws by holding a campaign rally at the Capitol without the proper permits.
Brennon Morioka, GOP chairman, said yesterday that the 13 were "illegally campaigning on state property during official business hours."
The Democrats held a news conference at 2 p.m. Tuesday to announce some of their candidates for the state House.
"Its very surprising that the entire Democrat Party thought little of our state ethics laws by violating them so blatantly during a news conference to kick off the November campaign," Morioka said.
Rep. Scott Saiki, who attended the news conference but was not named as one of the 13 elected officials, said there was no violation.
"What we did was hold a news conference to announce their candidacies. It was not campaigning. It was not a rally. It was not a demonstration. It was a press conference," Saiki said.
Morioka argued in his complaint to the Ethics Commission that "political campaigning to gain or retain public office is 'private business,' and state facilities may not be used to conduct 'private business.'"
But Saiki (D, Moiliili-McCully) noted that Democrats and Republicans have staged small demonstrations at the state Capitol as they filed for their office when the elections were handled by the lieutenant governor's office.
"It was a press conference. We wanted to identify our candidates for office," Saiki said.
"What the public should be concerned about is, if this complaint is an indication of the type of campaigning that will occur this year, we are in for a very long summer," Saiki added.
Republicans held a similar news conference at the state office tower last month when some of their candidates filed for office.
The Ethics Commission ruled in 2000 on a complaint by the GOP from the 1998 campaign when public labor unions held a stop-work meeting and rally on the Capitol grounds to listen to a campaign speech by former Gov. Ben Cayetano, who was running for re-election as a Democrat.
The commission said the unions' rally did not violate state law because it was an allowed union activity, and noted that the Capitol could be used for political events.
"The Capitol grounds are a public forum and, although owned by the state, can be used by anyone for political statements," according to the ruling in April 2000.
Morioka's complaints named House Speaker Calvin Say; Reps. Jon Karamatsu, Tommy Waters, Brian Schatz, Blake Oshiro, Glenn Wakai, Kirk Caldwell, Sylvia Luke, Scott Nishimoto and Romy Mindo; and Sens. J. Kalani English and Willie Espero.
State Elections office
www.hawaii.gov/elections
Hawaii Democratic Party
www.hawaiidemocrats.org
Hawaii Republican Party
www.gophawaii.com
