Some of Hawaii’s most influential corporations, labor unions and individuals are among those who contributed $365,550 to help pay for Mayor Kirk Caldwell’s inaugural luau, swearing-in ceremony and a transition team that aided the mayor with selecting his Cabinet, according to information released by the committee on Wednesday.

The Mayoral Transition Committee, registered by Caldwell supporters with the state Department of Commerce and Consumer Affairs as a tax-exempt organization, has so far spent $174,274.14, much of it on an inaugural luau that took place Saturday night at Moanalua Gardens.

Among the major contributors were Castle & Cooke Homes Hawaii, Hilton Worldwide, Mitsunaga & Associates, Outrigger Enterprises and the United Public Workers union.

The expenditures also include $40,000 paid to former campaign aide Harry Mattson, primarily to field applications and organize a review process for potential Cabinet picks over a four-month period. Public relations specialist Glenna Wong, who also helped Caldwell during the campaign, was paid $6,586.45.

Other major expenditures appeared to be directly related to the luau, including $43,078.02 to Hale Aina Caterers and $30,000 to Hawaii Tents & Events.

Attendees were charged a minimum of $25 each for the luau. More than 1,000 attended, organizers said.

Lex Smith, president and secretary of the transitional committee, said while bills for the luau are still coming in, the committee expects "there will be funds remaining" after all expenses are paid. The remaining funds will likely go to help pay for policy workshops with mayoral Cabinet members and other city staff, Smith said.

City Councilwoman Ann Kobayashi and Common Cause Hawaii raised questions about the way Caldwell and his supporters chose to handle the inauguration and Cabinet selection process. They said that the anonymity of the committee’s donors raised the possibility of undue influence by those interests seeking to curry favor with the mayor.

Smith agreed last week to release the names of donors after requests made by the Star-Advertiser and other media, and the list was made public on Wednesday.

In response to the concerns raised, Smith said in a statement: "Contributions were not solicited by anyone who is or was employed by the city," including the mayor. "No one was offered anything in exchange for their contribution other than the opportunity to attend the banquet," he said. City employees, including the mayor, were not part of the team that decided who would be invited to contribute, nor did they know who did or did not contribute, he said.

The staff of the city Ethics Commission is looking into the committee and met with commission members on the matter behind closed doors Wednesday.

Chuck Totto, commission executive director, said staff brought the matter before the board after seeing media reports because the issue of who pays for the transition from one mayoral Cabinet to another has not been addressed by the commission before, Totto said.

List of donors by