This story (edited for brevity) first ran in AtomicMonkey on May 18th, 2010, as a warning to voters. It pointed out the past behavior of Neil Abercrombie’s new fundraiser Dennis Mitsunaga, and his past association with Ben Cayetano and related political corruption investigations.
The following narative is composed entirely of published news clips from early 2002 up to 2006 and documents the “pay to play” heyday of Ben Cayetano’s administration (1994-2002). It paints a very unflattering picture of the ex-governor Cayetano and his main fundraiser Dennis Mitsunaga. Both of these men are now back on the scene with Ben running for Mayor and Mitsunaga his “finance chairman.”
Please read the following narative and come to your own conclusions:
- 2002 – THE FEDS SMELL A RAT
“U.S. officials have issued another scathing review of Hawai’i’s public housing agency and its executive director, finding what it called “serious violations” of federal laws and regulations in how the agency awarded millions of dollars worth of contracts paid for by the federal government.” 10/14/02 Honolulu Advertiser
“The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development’s findings center on two contract awards by Sharyn Miyashiro, the state agency’s executive director, to companies partly owned by brothers Dennis and Dwight Mitsunaga. Dennis Mitsunaga is Miyashiro’s former husband. Dwight is her former brother-in-law.”10/14/02 Honolulu Advertiser
“Reviewers said Miyashiro’s signed statement on the contract indicating she had no ‘immediate family or business relationship with principals’ in the company ‘may not be completely accurate’.” 10/14/02 Honolulu Advertiser
“Mitsunaga is a close friend and chief political fund-raiser for Gov. Ben Cayetano.”10/14/02 Honolulu Advertiser
“The Advertiser reported last week that crucial public records are missing from HCDCH files — including the Pacific Architects [Mitsunaga owned] contract file — and agency personnel don’t know where they are or who removed them.” 10/14/02 Honolulu Advertiser
“Although the original cost of the contract was $687,054, Miyashiro later went to the HCDCH board and received approval for additional work that raised the cost to$1,081,159.” 10/14/02 Honolulu Advertiser
“HUD’s findings are contained in an Oct. 10 letter from assistant secretary Michael Liu to Wesley Segawa, HCDCH’s chairman of the board.” 10/14/02 Honolulu Advertiser
“Segawa, a second cousin of Dennis and Dwight Mitsunaga, could not be reached for comment last week.” 10/14/02 Honolulu Advertiser
“Miyashiro and Gov. Cayetano also were unavailable for comment.” 10/14/02 Honolulu Advertiser
“Ronald Lim, Cayetano’s special assistant for housing and a board member of HCDCH, said last week he had only just learned of Liu’s letter ‘and I haven’t had time to digest it.’” 10/14/02 Honolulu Advertiser
“Wesley Segawa, chairman of the housing agency, defended Miyashiro in a letter faxed Monday to Michael Liu, assistant secretary of the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development.” 10/14/02 Honolulu Advertiser
“Gov. Ben Cayetano said in July that Mitsunaga had been paying Miyashiro’s home mortgage bills but the payments stopped “about two years ago” when the mortgage loan was paid off. He said he didn’t think Miyashiro had a conflict of interest in awarding the contract, which went to Punaluu Builders on Sept. 22, 2000.” 10/14/02 Honolulu Advertiser
- THE RATS ARE MAKING A LOT OF MONEY
“Mitsunaga & Associates is headed by Dennis Mitsunaga, a friend of Gov. Ben Cayetano. Since 1994, Mitsunaga & Associates has received more than $8.3 million in state contracts and $3.6 million in city contracts.” 11/5/02 Star Bulletin
“Mitsunaga also is at the center of a dispute between and the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development and the state Housing and Community Development Corp. of Hawaii, which is headed by Mitsunaga’s ex-wife, Sharyn Miyashiro.” 11/5/02 Star Bulletin
“HUD has criticized a $771,000 nonbid contract to Mitsunaga’s company, Punaluu Builders Inc. and has called for the resignation of the state agency’s board by Nov. 15.” 11/5/02 Star Bulletin
• BEN DEFENDS HIS RATS
“Cayetano said the report was politically motivated.” 11/5/02 Star Bulletin
“HUD had accused former HCDCH executive director Sharon Miyashiro of mismanagement and of giving a $771,000 contract to Mitsunaga & Associates, a company owned by her ex-husband, Dennis Mitsunaga.” 12/19/02 PBN
“Former Gov. Ben Cayetano says Liu’s investigation into the agency and his threat to withhold the annual $25 million in funding Hawaii receives were politically motivated actions.” 12/19/02 PBN
“Wesley Segawa, former chairman of the Housing and Community Development Corp. of Hawai`i, was arrested yesterday as part of a wide-ranging criminal investigation on illegal political donations.” 7/12/03 Honolulu Advertiser
“Segawa also agreed in May to pay the state Campaign Spending Commission a $53,500 fine for making illegal donations to several politicians, according to a signed agreement made public yesterday.” 7/12/03 Honolulu Advertiser
“He was booked at the Honolulu Police Department’s main station on suspicion of money laundering, illegal ownership of business, making campaign donations under a false name, and an illegal business practice known as monopolization.”He was released pending further investigation. 7/12/03 Honolulu Advertiser
- THE RATS WERE BIG POLITICAL CONTRIBUTORS TO BEN
“The campaign commission found that Segawa funneled $26,275 to Mayor Jeremy Harris, $21,950 to former Gov. Ben Cayetano,” 7/12/03 Honolulu Advertiser
“HCDCH was also told to refund $771,000, the amount of sole-source contract that HUD said was improperly awarded by former HCDCH executive director Sharyn Miyashiro to a company partly owned by her ex-husband, Dennis Mitsunaga.”7/12/03 Honolulu Advertiser
“Mitsunaga was a major campaign fund-raiser for Harris, Cayetano and others, and is Segawa’s second cousin.” 
7/12/03 Honolulu Advertiser
“Hawaii’s powerful Democrat elected officials, in power for 40 consecutive years, have traditionally had their political campaigns funded by supporters who in return receive lucrative government contracts or zoning, permitting and other benefits for their businesses from those government officials.” 10/2003 Small Business Hawaii Newsletter
“Former Gov. Benjamin Cayetano fed this cycle by authorizing billions of dollars from taxpayers be directed to public construction projects, bid and non-bid,”10/2003 Small Business Hawaii Newsletter
- RAT CONTRIBUTIONS ARE DECLARED ILLEGAL
“The consulting projects implemented to launch the BRT are being awarded to many companies recently in the news for making excessive and illegal contributions to the mayor and other prominent Democrats such as former Gov. Cayetano,” 10/2003 Small Business Hawaii Newsletter
“Mitsunaga & Associates Inc. is owned by Dennis Mitsunaga, an individual under investigation by the federal government for more than a year and a half for a variety of illegalities including misusing federal construction funds provided to the state. Known as one of the most powerful political people in Hawaii, including a fundraiser for many high-profile Democrat candidates, Mitsunaga had to repay the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development more than $700,000 the agency considered was used inappropriately. Mitsunaga, still under investigation by the federal government, has a variety of companies. The one with his namesake received up to $399,995 so far on the BRT project, though the exact amount is not disclosed by the city.” 10/2003 Small Business Hawaii Newsletter
“The commission recently subpoenaed Mitsunaga & Associates Inc. executive Terri Ann Otani for an interview last week, according to people familiar with the state probe.” 10/2003 Small Business Hawaii Newsletter
“But Otani declined to appear, citing her constitutional right against self-incrimination.” 11/5/02 Star Bulletin
“Randal Lee declined to discuss his investigation into Dennis Mitsunaga yesterday, but Bob Watada, executive director of the state Campaign Spending Commission, said several government contractors interviewed by his office have indicated that they were solicited by him for campaign contributions”.… 10/02/04 Star Bulletin
“Mitsunaga employee
called for grand jury” 04/08/05 Star Bulletin
“Investigators say the worker directed firms’ contributions to campaign coffers”04/08/05 Star Bulletin
• INVESTIGATION FOCUSES ON BEN’S MAIN RAT
“City prosecutors have convened a new grand jury that will focus on the activities of Dennis Mitsunaga, a key Democratic Party fund-raiser and ally of former Gov. Ben Cayetano.” 04/08/05 Star Bulletin
“Mitsunaga, who heads the engineering firm, is a major target of prosecutors’ three-year investigation into the campaign of former Mayor Jeremy Harris. The employee, Terri Otani, is listed on state business records as secretary, treasurer and director of Mitsunaga & Associates.” 04/08/05 Star Bulletin
“Campaign investigators have alleged that Otani helped direct tens of thousands of dollars in contributions from dozens of local engineering firms and architects to the campaigns of Harris, Cayetano, ex-Maui Mayor James “Kimo” Apana and other prominent Democrats.” 04/08/05 Star Bulletin
“Mitsunaga has served as fund-raiser for those campaigns.”… 04/08/05 Star Bulletin
“Otani is the latest member of Mitsunaga’s circle to face a criminal investigation.” 04/08/05 Star Bulletin
“Mitsunaga’s brother Dwight pleaded no contest in October to misdemeanor charges of exceeding campaign spending limits and making a political donation under a false name to the Harris campaign.” 04/08/05 Star Bulletin
“Mitsunaga’s cousin, former Housing and Community Development Corp. of Hawaii Chairman Wesley Segawa, also pleaded no contest to money laundering and making illegal contributions to the Harris campaign last December.” 04/08/05 Star Bulletin
- BEN IS ORDERED TO REPAY THE ILLEGAL CONTRIBUTIONS
“Benjamin Cayetano, governor of Hawaii from 1994 to 2002, taped a feisty 30-minute interview last week for PBS’ Island Insights.” 11/10/05 Hawaii Reporter
“The former governor, known for his gruff manner and preponderance for insulting those around him” 11/10/05 Hawaii Reporter
“Why wasn’t Cayetano investigated by the state Campaign Spending Commission as Harris was when Cayetano had many of the same contributors fined for giving illegal campaign contributions to him as wellas Harris? Cayetano told Midweek’s Dan Boylan during his Island Insights interview that he returned all the illegal contributions that the state Campaign Spending Commission found, while Harris did not and still has not.” 11/10/05 Hawaii Reporter
- REPORT SAYS CAYETANO NEVER PAID UP
“(Hawaii Reporter took Cayetano up on his challenge and checked his public record, which shows Cayetano has not in fact paid back what he was told to. He still must pay the Hawaii Election Fund an estimated $487,650. The total he was ordered to pay was $496,305 for illegal contributions he accepted, and so far he paid $8,655.65. The commissioners are determining whether they should pursue litigation against Cayetano and three other politicians who owe a collective $1.6 million.)” 11/10/05 Hawaii Reporter
“A review of the Campaign Spending Commission letters sent to the campaign of Gov. Benjamin Cayetano — about the $487,000 he must pay to the Hawaii Election Commission — shows they were mailed to the former governor’s campaign treasurer.”11/12/05 Hawaii Reporter
“These illegal contributions to Hirono and the others came as part of Hawaii’s “Pay to Play” scandal. About 100 corporations, many with multi-million dollar state road-building contracts, made illegal excessive or false-name contributions to Democrat Machine politicians’ campaign committees in exchange for favorable treatment in contracting.” 10/11/06 Hawaii Free Press
“The Democrat-controlled Legislature responded by raiding the state’s “special funds” to fund lucrative construction contracts for their contributors. The scheme, which heavily involved the Cayetano/Hirono administration, fell apart after Hirono lost the 2002 gubernatorial race. Investigations by former state Campaign Spending Commissioner Bob Watada, who retired Oct. 31, 2005, revealed the massive scandal resulting in fines against the corporations involved in the scheme and assessments demanding repayment of the illegal contributions from the candidate committees who received them.” 10/11/06 Hawaii Free Press
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May 25, 2012 at 9:24 pm
Trod beneath Lingle’s jack-booted thugs into the cyber dust of the Star Advertiser’s blog mosh pit; the Atomic Monkey emerges unscathed, undeterred and unintimidated; not a single hair on his furry head out of place.
Lingle’s campaign staff have responded to our little satirical send up of Lingle’s performance at the recent State Republican Convention. This heated response, by Corrie Heck, a Lingle deputy assistant media shill, was sent to DePledge’s Political Radar Blog and is reproduced here:
“The disgusting cartoon and fictional story being promoted by the Atomic Monkey website has no place in Hawaii politics. John Carroll and his political operative, Keith Rollman – who runs the despicable website – should be ashamed of themselves for aligning with and promoting such disrespectful and offensive commentary at a time when the election of our national leaders could not be more important. The fictional piece doesn’t represent Hawaii values. Shame on them. -Corrie Heck, Deputy Communications Director, Linda Lingle Senate Committee”
Other indignant Lingle lackies, less courageous than Ms Heck, chose to snark away under nom de plumes. One particularly repugnant prig screen-named MKZ sniffed:
“This is outrageous and disgusting,, and the Keith Rollman should be ashamed of himself. NO matter the candidate, this type of vitriol has no place in Hawaii politics. It is not funny, unless you live your own world were attacking others is your daily activity. Rollman has rolled over himself and shown that he doesn’t understand Hawaii values. Shame!
AM was not without defenders, from more enlighted (and not paid by Lingle) commenters:
HaleiwaJoe:
“Enough already! Someone must have put their cranky pants on this morning. It’s satire folks!”
EZ There Corrie:
“The problem with Lingle is the people she has surrounded herself with. Corrie Heck (who has been in Hawaii all of five minutes now) presumes to inform the rest of us heathens exactly what does not have a “place in Hawaii politics” or what “doesn’t represents Hawaii values.” After all, she is such a kama`aina you know. When Lingle loses, please go back to the mainland Corrie – and take Klompus with you when you go!”
And, of course the Monkey stuck up for itself:
“Ms Heck – Let’s not get carried away, satire is pretty much always “fictional” no matter how much it flirts with the truth. We should consider reassigning some of the other barbs you’re flinging around…”disgusting” could also be applied to someone taking over a state party apparatus and turning into their personal campaign organization. Many viewed those who “run such despicable” conventions, and block non-anointed candidates from speaking, as “disrespectful and offensive” to a long time kama‘aina, 5-term state legislator and past Chairman of the Republican Party, John Carroll. An online political satire blog isn’t supposed to “represent Hawaii values,” but the Republican Party of Hawaii should. “Shame” on you, little Lingle Bot, “Shame” on you.”
I was tempted to tell them all to kiss my furry ass, but someone has to be the adult [human].
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May 18, 2012 at 8:40 pm
Lingle appeared to be in distress before being wheeled off he stage by Lenny Klompus.
At last weekend’s Republican Convention, U.S. Senatorial Candidate Linda Lingle seemed to suffer a catastrophic technical failure only five minutes into her prepared keynote speech. Just a few minutes into her dissertation on the need for more robotics-based industry in Hawaii a large patch of Ms Lingle face appeared to flop down. At that point she removed her glove which revealed a large mechanical hand and began to paw at her face, making things worse, and uncovering more electronics and mechanized underpinnings. At this point her media advisor, Lenny Klompus, placed a blanket over her and dragged her offstage. Within a couple of minutes, Mr Ted Liu appeared with another Linda Lingle, wearing a slightly different suit, who began her speech from the beginning, and continued for 20 minutes, after Mr. Liu made some adjustments to the back of her head.
Most of the delegates said they didn’t see anything unusual.
The incident was missed by most of the audience, who appeared only mildly interested in the presentation. They may have simply been lulled into a state of deep relaxation by Lingle’s soothing monotone delivery, punctuated with slight beeping noises. When asked about what had happened and if she was feeling alright, Lingle would only say, “Must build more robots.”
One delegate questioned about Ms. Lingle’s odd behavior said, “No, she pretty much always talks about robots, that is not out of the ordinary at all.”
When asked why the convention organizers did not allow her primary opponent John Carroll to address the group, while allowing Lingle 20 minutes as the keynote speaker, one answered, “Well, she has more money!”
Party officials also brushed off criticism about Lingle’s speech being blatant campaigning even though Carroll was told this would not be allowed.
“I don’t see anything in her speech that could be construed as a campaign message,” said Lingle supporter Miriam Hellreich.
Here’s a brief recap of the first part of Ms. Lingle’s speech:
“Hello, press 3 for speech, press 6 for sign waving. Hello I am LindaLingle, vote for me. I am the only candidate. Please ignore that John Carroll man in the lobby. We put him next to the Ron Paul and Willes Lee tables for a reason. He is not a candidate…I am the only candidate. Hello, my name is Linda Lingle. Vote for me. Must build more robots, must build more robots….pause, pause, pause. Deleted. OK. Please disregard the previous statement it is not relevant and has been deleted. Hello, I am Linda Lingle. Vote for me.”
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May 16, 2012 at 9:10 am
Ben Cayetano unveiled this artist’s rendering that shows how his new BRT system will look.
Today, Ben Cayetano, anti-rail candidate for Honolulu Mayor, unveiled his long awaited alternative transit plan to replace rail. Ben admitted that it wasn’t easy keeping all of his supporters happy with the final plan, as each has pretty strong opinions about what should be done.
“We call our new plan Super BRT!” Exclaimed Cayetano. “it stands for Bambucha Reject Technology.”
The plan incorporates a half dozen ideas and technologies that have already been abandoned as obsolete, too dependent on imported oil, or just plain lolo. However, the Cayetano team insists that when all used together they miraculously produce a superior solution.
“We decided to build a new plan that had everyone’s ideas all merged together,” explained Cayetano. “We even put a couple of those crappy Philius buses in, so Ann can finally take that trip to Denmark.”
The existing city buses will be repainted with the new BRT logo, and the fleet will be augmented by leasing private buses from Charlie’s and other tour operators.
“We felt it was important to cut small business in, and you know, let them wet their beaks a little,” explained Cayetano.
The completed plan calls for building an elevated HOT lane highway, as originally proposed by Cliff Slater. This would allow for the implementation of Jeremy Harris’s BRT plan without taking any lanes from Dillingham Boulevard. Instead the gigantic elevated structure will go down Nimitz Highway as an extention of the existing H-1 viaduct. the first toll booths will be set up near Aloha Stadium for access to the viaduct, other non paying traffic will have to use the old Nimitz Highway underneath the structure.
“We should be able to make $10 a pop on everyone coming and going to the airport or the Arizona Memorial,” beamed Cayetano.
“We were pressed by the Outdoor Circle about the ‘visual blight’ thing, because our structure is over twice as big as the current rail guide way,” said Cayetano. ”But, when we showed them our plan to paint it like a giant hibiscus hedge, they were all for it.”
The end of the elevated section will be at Aloha Tower, whose parking lot will be condemed for the Panos Prevedorous Tunnel. This way no views will be blocked from judges offices in the Federal Court Building. We had a hard time figuring out what to do with all the traffic when it gets downtown, so we will send it all into the tunnel. Where the tunnel emerges is still being debated by Cayetano’s team, but most agreed it will likely be Kahala Mall where the town-bound traffic is lighter.
“It is sort of a bypass of downtown altogether,” said Prevedorous. ”I always wanted to build a tunnel somewhere, so when Ben asked me what I wanted out of this I jumped at it.”
“The commuters from the Leeward Side have always been envious of our easy commute from East Honolulu,” added Panos. “This will allow them to zip under the city and then experience the more pleasant commute from the other side.”
The Cayetano plan guarantees such high cost to travel it will finally reduce traffic.
When asked if they had evaluated any new technology Cayetano was quick to respond, “Well, Exxon and the Koch Brothers pretty much insisted that everything run on petroleum, so we were kind of limited there.”
Asked how much his plan would cost to build compared to rail, Cayetano was less committal. “We have Dennis Mitsunaga looking at it right now, and we think we can bring it in for about the same price range between $5 and $10 billion.”
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May 8, 2012 at 10:34 am
BEN – this time he’s not alone.
This story (edited for brevity) first ran in AtomicMonkey on May 18th, 2010, as a warning to voters. It pointed out the past behavior of Neil Abercrombie’s new fundraiser Dennis Mitsunaga, and his past association with Ben Cayetano and related political corruption investigations.
The following narative is composed entirely of published news clips from early 2002 up to 2006 and documents the “pay to play” heyday of Ben Cayetano’s administration (1994-2002). It paints a very unflattering picture of the ex-governor Cayetano and his main fundraiser Dennis Mitsunaga. Both of these men are now back on the scene with Ben running for Mayor and Mitsunaga his “finance chairman.”
Please read the following narative and come to your own conclusions:
“The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development’s findings center on two contract awards by Sharyn Miyashiro, the state agency’s executive director, to companies partly owned by brothers Dennis and Dwight Mitsunaga. Dennis Mitsunaga is Miyashiro’s former husband. Dwight is her former brother-in-law.”10/14/02 Honolulu Advertiser
“Reviewers said Miyashiro’s signed statement on the contract indicating she had no ‘immediate family or business relationship with principals’ in the company ‘may not be completely accurate’.” 10/14/02 Honolulu Advertiser
“Mitsunaga is a close friend and chief political fund-raiser for Gov. Ben Cayetano.”10/14/02 Honolulu Advertiser
“The Advertiser reported last week that crucial public records are missing from HCDCH files — including the Pacific Architects [Mitsunaga owned] contract file — and agency personnel don’t know where they are or who removed them.” 10/14/02 Honolulu Advertiser
“Although the original cost of the contract was $687,054, Miyashiro later went to the HCDCH board and received approval for additional work that raised the cost to$1,081,159.” 10/14/02 Honolulu Advertiser
“HUD’s findings are contained in an Oct. 10 letter from assistant secretary Michael Liu to Wesley Segawa, HCDCH’s chairman of the board.” 10/14/02 Honolulu Advertiser
“Segawa, a second cousin of Dennis and Dwight Mitsunaga, could not be reached for comment last week.” 10/14/02 Honolulu Advertiser
“Miyashiro and Gov. Cayetano also were unavailable for comment.” 10/14/02 Honolulu Advertiser
“Ronald Lim, Cayetano’s special assistant for housing and a board member of HCDCH, said last week he had only just learned of Liu’s letter ‘and I haven’t had time to digest it.’” 10/14/02 Honolulu Advertiser
“Wesley Segawa, chairman of the housing agency, defended Miyashiro in a letter faxed Monday to Michael Liu, assistant secretary of the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development.” 10/14/02 Honolulu Advertiser
“Gov. Ben Cayetano said in July that Mitsunaga had been paying Miyashiro’s home mortgage bills but the payments stopped “about two years ago” when the mortgage loan was paid off. He said he didn’t think Miyashiro had a conflict of interest in awarding the contract, which went to Punaluu Builders on Sept. 22, 2000.” 10/14/02 Honolulu Advertiser
“Mitsunaga also is at the center of a dispute between and the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development and the state Housing and Community Development Corp. of Hawaii, which is headed by Mitsunaga’s ex-wife, Sharyn Miyashiro.” 11/5/02 Star Bulletin
“HUD has criticized a $771,000 nonbid contract to Mitsunaga’s company, Punaluu Builders Inc. and has called for the resignation of the state agency’s board by Nov. 15.” 11/5/02 Star Bulletin
• BEN DEFENDS HIS RATS
“Cayetano said the report was politically motivated.” 11/5/02 Star Bulletin
“HUD had accused former HCDCH executive director Sharon Miyashiro of mismanagement and of giving a $771,000 contract to Mitsunaga & Associates, a company owned by her ex-husband, Dennis Mitsunaga.” 12/19/02 PBN
“Former Gov. Ben Cayetano says Liu’s investigation into the agency and his threat to withhold the annual $25 million in funding Hawaii receives were politically motivated actions.” 12/19/02 PBN
“Wesley Segawa, former chairman of the Housing and Community Development Corp. of Hawai`i, was arrested yesterday as part of a wide-ranging criminal investigation on illegal political donations.” 7/12/03 Honolulu Advertiser
“Segawa also agreed in May to pay the state Campaign Spending Commission a $53,500 fine for making illegal donations to several politicians, according to a signed agreement made public yesterday.” 7/12/03 Honolulu Advertiser
“He was booked at the Honolulu Police Department’s main station on suspicion of money laundering, illegal ownership of business, making campaign donations under a false name, and an illegal business practice known as monopolization.”He was released pending further investigation. 7/12/03 Honolulu Advertiser
“The campaign commission found that Segawa funneled $26,275 to Mayor Jeremy Harris, $21,950 to former Gov. Ben Cayetano,” 7/12/03 Honolulu Advertiser
“HCDCH was also told to refund $771,000, the amount of sole-source contract that HUD said was improperly awarded by former HCDCH executive director Sharyn Miyashiro to a company partly owned by her ex-husband, Dennis Mitsunaga.”7/12/03 Honolulu Advertiser
“Mitsunaga was a major campaign fund-raiser for Harris, Cayetano and others, and is Segawa’s second cousin.”
7/12/03 Honolulu Advertiser
“Hawaii’s powerful Democrat elected officials, in power for 40 consecutive years, have traditionally had their political campaigns funded by supporters who in return receive lucrative government contracts or zoning, permitting and other benefits for their businesses from those government officials.” 10/2003 Small Business Hawaii Newsletter
“Former Gov. Benjamin Cayetano fed this cycle by authorizing billions of dollars from taxpayers be directed to public construction projects, bid and non-bid,”10/2003 Small Business Hawaii Newsletter
“Mitsunaga & Associates Inc. is owned by Dennis Mitsunaga, an individual under investigation by the federal government for more than a year and a half for a variety of illegalities including misusing federal construction funds provided to the state. Known as one of the most powerful political people in Hawaii, including a fundraiser for many high-profile Democrat candidates, Mitsunaga had to repay the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development more than $700,000 the agency considered was used inappropriately. Mitsunaga, still under investigation by the federal government, has a variety of companies. The one with his namesake received up to $399,995 so far on the BRT project, though the exact amount is not disclosed by the city.” 10/2003 Small Business Hawaii Newsletter
“The commission recently subpoenaed Mitsunaga & Associates Inc. executive Terri Ann Otani for an interview last week, according to people familiar with the state probe.” 10/2003 Small Business Hawaii Newsletter
“But Otani declined to appear, citing her constitutional right against self-incrimination.” 11/5/02 Star Bulletin
“Randal Lee declined to discuss his investigation into Dennis Mitsunaga yesterday, but Bob Watada, executive director of the state Campaign Spending Commission, said several government contractors interviewed by his office have indicated that they were solicited by him for campaign contributions”.… 10/02/04 Star Bulletin
“Mitsunaga employee called for grand jury” 04/08/05 Star Bulletin
“Investigators say the worker directed firms’ contributions to campaign coffers”04/08/05 Star Bulletin
• INVESTIGATION FOCUSES ON BEN’S MAIN RAT
“City prosecutors have convened a new grand jury that will focus on the activities of Dennis Mitsunaga, a key Democratic Party fund-raiser and ally of former Gov. Ben Cayetano.” 04/08/05 Star Bulletin
“Mitsunaga, who heads the engineering firm, is a major target of prosecutors’ three-year investigation into the campaign of former Mayor Jeremy Harris. The employee, Terri Otani, is listed on state business records as secretary, treasurer and director of Mitsunaga & Associates.” 04/08/05 Star Bulletin
“Campaign investigators have alleged that Otani helped direct tens of thousands of dollars in contributions from dozens of local engineering firms and architects to the campaigns of Harris, Cayetano, ex-Maui Mayor James “Kimo” Apana and other prominent Democrats.” 04/08/05 Star Bulletin
“Mitsunaga has served as fund-raiser for those campaigns.”… 04/08/05 Star Bulletin
“Otani is the latest member of Mitsunaga’s circle to face a criminal investigation.” 04/08/05 Star Bulletin
“Mitsunaga’s brother Dwight pleaded no contest in October to misdemeanor charges of exceeding campaign spending limits and making a political donation under a false name to the Harris campaign.” 04/08/05 Star Bulletin
“Mitsunaga’s cousin, former Housing and Community Development Corp. of Hawaii Chairman Wesley Segawa, also pleaded no contest to money laundering and making illegal contributions to the Harris campaign last December.” 04/08/05 Star Bulletin
“The former governor, known for his gruff manner and preponderance for insulting those around him” 11/10/05 Hawaii Reporter
“Why wasn’t Cayetano investigated by the state Campaign Spending Commission as Harris was when Cayetano had many of the same contributors fined for giving illegal campaign contributions to him as wellas Harris? Cayetano told Midweek’s Dan Boylan during his Island Insights interview that he returned all the illegal contributions that the state Campaign Spending Commission found, while Harris did not and still has not.” 11/10/05 Hawaii Reporter
“(Hawaii Reporter took Cayetano up on his challenge and checked his public record, which shows Cayetano has not in fact paid back what he was told to. He still must pay the Hawaii Election Fund an estimated $487,650. The total he was ordered to pay was $496,305 for illegal contributions he accepted, and so far he paid $8,655.65. The commissioners are determining whether they should pursue litigation against Cayetano and three other politicians who owe a collective $1.6 million.)” 11/10/05 Hawaii Reporter
“A review of the Campaign Spending Commission letters sent to the campaign of Gov. Benjamin Cayetano — about the $487,000 he must pay to the Hawaii Election Commission — shows they were mailed to the former governor’s campaign treasurer.”11/12/05 Hawaii Reporter
“These illegal contributions to Hirono and the others came as part of Hawaii’s “Pay to Play” scandal. About 100 corporations, many with multi-million dollar state road-building contracts, made illegal excessive or false-name contributions to Democrat Machine politicians’ campaign committees in exchange for favorable treatment in contracting.” 10/11/06 Hawaii Free Press
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May 25, 2012 at 9:24 pm 3 comments