PRP's extreme spending can't be good for democracy

By David Shapiro

POSTED: 01:30 a.m. HST, Nov 07, 2012

~~<p>The Hawaii Campaign Spending Commission's report before the general election revealed the staggering extent — perhaps unprecedented in the nation — to which a single interest group has attempted to control a local election.</p>
<p>Of about $6 million spent through Oct. 22 in the Honolulu mayor's race between Kirk Caldwell and Ben Cayetano, $3.5 million, or nearly 60 percent, was associated with the Carpenters Union, which led the opposition to Cayetano in an attempt to save the $5.26 billion Oahu rail project.</p>
~~

The Hawaii Campaign Spending Commission's report before the general election revealed the staggering extent — perhaps unprecedented in the nation — to which a single interest group has attempted to control a local election.

Of about $6 million spent through Oct. 22 in the Honolulu mayor's race between Kirk Caldwell and Ben Cayetano, $3.5 million, or nearly 60 percent, was associated with the Carpenters Union, which led the opposition to Cayetano in an attempt to save the $5.26 billion Oahu rail project. Login for more...