Kauai attorney Dan Hempey has filed a federal Elections Commission complaint against Rep. Colleen Hanabusa
over possible links between her campaign and the Pharmaceutical
Research and Manufacturers of America (PhRMA) lobby.
The complaint stems from a Washington Post article that published communications between Hanabusa’s staff
and campaign detailing PhRMA's plans to “pull together” an
independent expenditure on her behalf, which is prohibited by both
federal elections law and the House of Representatives Code of
Official Conduct.
The communication occurred when the
House was deliberating a bill about how much elderly citizens should
pay for their medications.
“I was shocked to learn that the
Hanabusa campaign appeared to be actively coordinating with those
same corporations that would profit from her position, to the
detriment of some of our most vulnerable
citizens,” Hempey said in a news
release.
He called for a thorough investigation.
“These issues are too important for us to be worrying about whether
legislative decision making is infected by big money.”
Hanabusa recently announced plans to
abandon the Congressional seat she won just last year to run against
Brian Schatz, who was named by Gov. Abercrombie to fill the late Sen.
Dan Inouye's seat.
Kauai residents may know her better as presiding
over the state Senate when the Legislature held a special session to exempt the Hawaii Superferry from the state EIS process.
Go get her Hempey!
ReplyDeleteHanabusa also represented Jimmy Pflueger for the grading at Pilaa and then hammered the state a week later (while a state senator) for failing to inspect dams after the Ka Loko Breach. She also co-sponsored the dam safety law. It always seemed shady that she could get away with that.
ReplyDeleteChristopher Raymond, the deputy chief of staff to U.S. Rep. Colleen Hanabusa who offered to act as a go-between between Hanabusa's U.S. Senate campaign and the drug industry, has resigned.
ReplyDeletehttp://www.staradvertiser.com/news/breaking/218769211.html?id=218769211&src=em
God bless you Dan. Too bad thereʻs only one of you.
ReplyDeleteRats jumping ship. Thank you, Dan!!!!!!!
ReplyDeleteIf you all really knew what kind of a person Dan is then I think you all would know he's a Benedict Arnold.
ReplyDeleteHe is like Jake, not good enough to be a good ol boy but always a trick to the powers.
Weren't good enough to be a judge on Kauai but will always get cases because they owe him one or two or three...
Ahhhh. We got some green eyed monster stuff goin here.
ReplyDeleteDan happens to be someone beyond reproach.
Dan "someone beyond reproach", save the idiom for the child molesting catholic priests.
DeleteHe's no saint! More like a Judas!
To really know Dan is to love him.
ReplyDeleteWho aspires to be a judge on Kauai?
Probably someone that knows theyʻd sink in their own practice.
ReplyDeleteI've had Dan over to the house. He's a good guy and fun to work with. Definitely does not need caffeine.
ReplyDeleteOMG Joan is spear heading Hempey's bid for per diem judge. She definitley has the hots
ReplyDeleteWhat about the substance of the complaint?
ReplyDeleteThat wasn't Joan and who said anything about the law? And have you been to district or family court? Being a per diem judge is truly a public service.
ReplyDeleteI hope Dan doesnʻt go for the bench.
ReplyDeleteYou mean the content of the complaint?
ReplyDeleteHempey craves the spotlight. Remember the hash he made of the superferry case. what a disaster. Luckily Isaac Hall was waiting with the sierra club to save the day! Hempey got sanctioned when he went after Iseri-Carvalho. He ends up looking stupid.
ReplyDeleteNow you're sounding stupid.
ReplyDeletewhy not share the press release with us? Is it that embarrassing?
ReplyDeleteSounds like CF throwing dirt. Be grateful Randal took pity on you.
ReplyDeleteCF used to work with Hempey. As far as I'm concerned he's just as bad as Hempey.
ReplyDeleteAnybody can make a complaint to the FEC and send them a newspaper story. Why all the drama? Looks like self promotion.
ReplyDeleteCampaigns are not allowed, under federal law, to coordinate with these PACS. The law allows these huge campaign expenditures only if they are completely independent of the candidate or the campaign.
ReplyDeleteThis is a very important issue concerning the cost of medicine for our seniors. If the Hanabusa (D) campaign is siding with big PharmCo PAC and the Republicans to keep drug prices high for seniors, and there is evidence to show it was being coordinated between the PAC and the Hanabusa campaign, then it should absolutely be investigated.
It looks like the deputy chief of staff to Hanabusa resigned right after this complaint was filed.
ReplyDeleteIt should absolutely be investigated. Without the complaint I doubt her chief of staff would resign.
ReplyDeleteYes, it is serious. Poof he was gone from her office as soon as.
ReplyDeleteSounds like thereʻs a lot of envy of Dan. In fact, never heard this level of vitriole
before so the comments must be coming from those directly involved or affected.
All I know is I canʻt thank Mr. Hempey enough for recognizing the extent of the wrong and following through with what a good citizen should do.
Think Hempey is such a stand up guy? It was him and foster got a bunch of those AG TVRs passed. Bet Joan won't investigate any of those in a million years.
ReplyDeleteOK, Sheilah, get back to work.
ReplyDeleteYea, I know (not think) Hempey is a stand up guy so if this your route of attack you outta step back.
ReplyDeleteHempey is in it for the attention. Why else would he make a press release.
ReplyDeleteThe usual reason press releases are sent out: to alert media so they can cover the issue.
ReplyDeleteBtw, you might want to let go of that ugly grudge before it makes you sick. Because your cowardly anonymous attacks are not turning anyone against Dan.
Good one, Joan!
ReplyDeleteDan is a righteous man. All too few of us can smell a rat and act on it. If congress is not policing itself who is? The State is too busy to disrupt the status quo why that would upset the whole club (of prostitutes) that pose as legitimate public figures. May G-d bless Dan Hempey!
ReplyDelete