Since 1999, the Office of Hawaiian Affairs spent a documented $3.44 million on an unsuccessful Washington D.C. lobbying effort seeking passage of the Akaka Bill, according to US Senate lobbying records.
OHA has never itemized these expenses and for good reason. Actual costs range as high as 7 million dollars of Hawaiian beneficiary money.
The total does not include an estimated $2 million spent by OHA to operate a Washington D.C. office, and it excludes travel and other expenses incurred by OHA officials on trips to the capital to urge passage of the bill.
The high-water year for OHA spending was 2005, when it’s chief Washington lobbyist, Patton Boggs, spent $660,000 on Akaka Bill activities, according to the Senate lobbying database.
All told, Patton Boggs spent $3.19 million from 2003 through last year on Akaka bill lobbying activities, including contacts with officials at the White House, Senate, House of Representatives and Departments of Justice and Interior, according to disclosure forms.
All of the lobbying efforts and spending came to naught. The Akaka bill was never scheduled for a vote in the Senate.
OHA Annual Lobbying Expenditures -
2010 $310,000
2009 $290,000
2008 $340,000
2007 $400,000
2006 $430,000
2005 $680,000
2004 $440,000
2003 $340,000
2001 $40,000
2000 $140,000
1999 $130,000
Source - US Senate Lobbying Database http://www.senate.gov/legislative/Public_Disclosure/LDA_reports.htm
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