PDHblog
This is a place for members of Progressive Democrats of Hawai‘i to express their thoughts
and exasperations about political happenings. The opinions and views are not necessarily
those of PDH's steering committee or membership as a whole.

Somewhat old news now, but I was interested to read this article in the Advertiser today. Remember the Akaka-Case US Senate race? Seems like so long ago… Case loved to point out how much more money the Akaka campaign had meanwhile the US Chamber of Commerce was spending a ton of money to help the Case campaign.

The chamber, which had endorsed Case, paid a telemarketing firm about $2,500 to make nearly 55,000 calls directing voters to a chamber Web site that favorably compared Case to Akaka on economic and small-business issues.

Well turns out they broke the law in doing so…

The FEC ruled this month that the chamber violated federal election law by using corporate money to advocate for Case and for failing to include language in the messages listing the chamber’s street address, telephone number or Web address, or stating that the calls were not authorized by Case.

But I guess this sort of thing is so commonplace and expected that it wasn’t worth more than a minor slap on the wrist.

The FEC chose not to take further action beyond admonishing the U.S. Chamber of Commerce because of the relatively small amount of corporate money involved.

The Impeachment Coalition in Hawaii is alive!
We’ve joined with AfterDowningStreet.org to help

Impeach Bush and Cheney Now!

http://www.afterdowningstreet.org

Please sign and help to promote this petition:

http://www.afterdowningstreet.org/petition

Join our Congressional District Impeachment Committee

by sending your request to bobschacht@infomagic.net.

Cities, Towns, States, and political parties are introducing and passing impeachment resolutions. Help us add to the growing list:

http://www.afterdowningstreet.org/resolutions

Would you like help learning about the legal issues? Research assistance? Assistance in putting together a forum or other impeachment event? Go here:

http://www.afterdowningstreet.org/resourcecenter

Meanwhile, you can attend the annual meeting of the Hawaii ACLU on November 3

[ph. (808) 522-5906], where there will be a breakout session on “Don’t Wait for ‘08: Restoring Checks and Balances on Presidential Power”, led by attorney and ACLU board member Roger Fonseca.

Bob Schacht

as a resident of oahu, i may have been in the minority when i welcomed the supreme court handed down its decision against superferry and the state, or when i cheered on the kauai protesters’ blockade of nawiliwili harbor, or most recently as i applaud the maui circuit court decision keeping superferry out of kahului harbor until an EA is completed.

today’s advertiser reports on both the maui circuit court decision and a call by lingle and some among the legislative leadership for a special session to save superferry. on the one hand, you’ve a judge saying the state and superferry are in breach of the law by allowing superferry to operate without an EA and on the other you’ve got the other two government branches saying, “alright then, we’ll just rewrite the law to correct our mistake.” (more…)