HAWAI`I'S POLITICIANS - BEST SUPERFERRY SUPPORT $$$ CAN BUY!
Honolulu Advertiser - October 14, 2007
Hawai`i Superferry officials spent more than $175,000 over three years on lobbying and campaign contributions, including dozens of donations to Gov. Linda Lingle, U.S. Sen. Daniel Akaka, U.S. Rep. Neil Abercrombie and other key state legislators.
An Advertiser computer-assisted study of state and federal campaign records shows that the Superferry, its executives and several of its board members contributed more than $39,000 since 2004 to local lawmakers and members of Hawai`i's Congressional delegation.
A review of state and federal ethics filings also found that the Superferry spent more than $136,000 since 2004 to lobby state officials and the federal government.
"You're talking about an extremely large sum of money even by national standards," said Craig Holman, a campaign finance expert with Public Citizen, a Washington, D.C.-based consumer advocacy group.
"At the very least, they are trying to buy access, and at the worst they are trying to buy influence."
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