Eight days ago, on July 11, a mysterious political action committee calling itself Aloha Aina Oiaio filed organizational papers with the state Campaign Spending Commission.
On Tuesday, it reported it had spent $17,775 on mailers and radio commercials that seek to discredit Honolulu mayoral candidate Keith Amemiya and, to a lesser extent, former Mayor Mufi Hannemann, who also is in the running for the job.
On Thursday, the group reported spending an additional $11,619 for ads to run on three television networks. The group has also set up a website.
The allegations in the materials use partial truths to draw conclusions and include outright false assertions. The effect is to create the impression that Amemiya is part of an “old boy network” and to call into question the first-time candidate’s campaign theme that he offers “a fresh perspective” to tackle age-old city issues.
Adam Wong, chairman of Amemiya’s campaign, said: “This smear campaign is an example of politics-as-usual antics that turn voters off.”
Wong said he suspects the attack ads are appearing now because support for Amemiya is surging.
“Those behind this smear campaign have falsely represented Keith’s record and are misleading the public in an act of desperation,” he said. “People are tired of dirty politics and are looking for a change in the way things are done. Keith is determined to bring about that change despite the forces that have assembled to stop him.”
The Amemiya campaign has filed a complaint with the Campaign Spending Commission urging that it look into the matter.
The campaign spokeswoman for Hannemann, who served as mayor from 2005 to 2010, said the Aloha Aina Oiaio claims are trying to draw attention away from the most serious issue facing Honolulu.
“During this crisis, the mayoral race should be squarely focused on how we can bring back our economy in a safe, responsible way,” said Robin Kennedy- Oshio.
Aloha Aina Oiaio is the latest in a series of “super PACs” in recent years that have swooped into heated Hawaii election campaigns to present negative narratives for candidates they oppose.
Super PACs are allowed to raise unlimited funds from corporations, unions and individuals but are prohibited from contributing to or coordinating directly with political parties or candidates. They must also disclose their top sources of funding.
Aloha Aina Oiaio was formed by Native Hawaiian activist and small business owner Lopaka Cuban, 30, 11 days after candidates and political action committees were required to file six-month reports. Skeptics suggest that was done intentionally so the public cannot immediately know where its money is coming from because the next full reports aren’t due until July 29, less than two weeks before the Aug. 8 primary election.
In response to questions emailed by the Honolulu Star-Advertiser, Cuban said the super PAC was formed because he is frustrated by “the misdeeds, dishonesty, hipocrosy (cq)” that started under Hannemann and current Mayor Kirk Caldwell during their administrations. He said that he and his group believe Amemiya is closely associated with both.
State law requires super PACs and candidates to file “electioneering communications reports” within 24 hours of executing contracts for electronic, print or digital advertising, including mailers. The reports are required to identify which candidates the material supports or opposes.
Aloha Aina Oiaio, however, did not in two initial electioneering filings identify the targets of its ads but has done so in subsequent filings. It also listed its top three donors, even though state law says a superPAC needs to list only the top three donors if any have contributed $10,000 or more.
The Campaign Spending Commission on Wednesday fined Aloha Aina Oiaio $250 for late filing of a report because one of the advertising contracts was executed July 6 and report wasn’t filed until July 11.
ASKED BY the Star-Advertiser on Tuesday about the ads, Cuban said in an email: “I did this by myself, however, my supporters are mainly of the Native Hawaiian movement and people that our voice is not being heard.”
As for who is paying for the ads, he said: “We are soliciting small donations from friends, community members and those committed to protecting our aina.”
In an amended filing with the commission, Cuban identified the super PAC’s top three contributors as Jimmy Up Home Improvement LLC, Dominic Matthews and Chris H. Kalei Jr. His third electioneering report identified the top three contributors as Island Wide Flooring Solutions, Jimmy Up Home Improvement and Dominic Matthews.
As for whom the ads oppose, Cuban said: “We are opposing the continued dynasty of Mufi Hanneman, Kirk Caldwell, Roy Amemiya and now Keith Amemiya.”
Roy Amemiya, second-in-command in the Caldwell administration, is the candidate’s first cousin.
A Facebook account belonging to Cuban included postings, some deleted in recent days, indicating he supports the mayoral campaign of former U.S. Rep. Colleen Hanabusa.
Hanabusa told the Star-Advertiser she has nothing to do with the super PAC or its ads. She said she’s known Cuban and that they have discussed Native Hawaiian issues and her views. While he was a one-time volunteer with her campaign, Hanabusa said she hadn’t seen him in about a month.
She disavowed the attack ads, pointing out she has been the target of negative campaigns herself in the past.
“I do not condone it, nor do I appreciate it,” Hanabusa said. “It takes away from the issues and it takes away from what really matters, especially in this time.”
Despite the Facebook posts, Cuban denied ever being part of the Hanabusa campaign. “I did attend a Hanabusa Q&A event on Native Hawaiian issues,” he said in an email. “However, I also attended similar events for other mayoral candidates.”
As for the veracity of the claims made in the ads and brochures:
>> Amemiya was not on the Honolulu Police Commission when the panel appointed now-convicted former Police Chief Louis Kealoha in November 2009. The material falsely claims he supported Kealoha’s appointment “in exchange for a $25,000 donation.”
Amemiya, who was appointed to the commission by Hannemann, resigned in September 2009 after it was reported the State of Hawaii Organization of Police Officers donated $25,000 to a Save Our Sports fundraising campaign that was led by the Hawaii High School Athletic Association. At the time, Amemiya was HHSAA’s director.
AMEMIYA POINTED out the money went directly to schools, not the association.
>> Amemiya and his wife, Bonny, in 2015 purchased a market-rate unit at the 801 South Street condominium complex. The Aloha Aina Oiaio material claims the unit was set aside to be sold to those who qualify for affordable units, and that he was able to do so because Roy Amemiya expedited building permits for the developers.
The material also falsely claims the Amemiyas made a profit on the unit. However, Amemiya said he and his wife still own the unit and are renting it out. He said they intend to eventually transfer ownership to their son, Chris, a college student on the mainland.
Roy Amemiya said nearly all of the city-issued permits were approved for the project before he began with the Caldwell administration on Jan. 1, 2015.
>> In 2015, the city moved its Kapalama satellite city hall and driver’s licensing services to a Dillingham Boulevard property via a lease with owner Tradewind Capital Group. Three years later, the city exercised its option to buy the property. Keith Amemiya, until last summer, was an executive vice president with Island Holdings, the parent company of Tradewind Capital.
Both Keith and Roy Amemiya said they were not involved in the transaction. Roy Amemiya said the property was first identified by his predecessor, former Managing Director Ember Shinn, and that he purposely stepped away from negotiations because he saw a possible appearance of a conflict of interest due to his cousin’s ties to Tradewind.
Roy Amemiya also rejected the notion that he will continue working with the city if Keith Amemiya is elected. He said he intends to leave city employment when Caldwell’s term ends Jan. 2.
Correction: State law requires superPACs to list up to three of its top donors if any have contributed $10,000 or more. An earlier version of this story said electioneering communications reports must include the superPAC's top three donors.
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