Sunday, July 24, 2016

Musings: Dig In

Digging into the 2016 Kauai campaign funding reports reveals some interesting stories, which I'll be sharing over the next couple of weeks.

Let's start with Fern Rosenstiel, who is challenging Nadine Nakamura for the 14th District House seat. Fern received just eight contributions totaling $4,881.11 — the bulk of it from off-islanders.

The top giver, at $2,000, is Jeffrey Bronfman, founder of an ayahuasca church in New Mexico that ran afoul of its neighbors, who feared “hallucinogens (DMT and other chemicals) in vomitus and diarrhea containing ayahuasca would eventually enter and contaminate the groundwater and local aquifer.”

Another $1,000 came from Keely and Pierce Brosnan, whose contributions to the community have included allowing the beach to be planted, and fertilized with chicken manure, in front of their Haena TVR, and suing the late Cathy Ham Young, beloved icon of the North Shore anti-GMO crowd, when he wanted her taro patch water for his landscaping ponds.

Another $1,000 came from Kim Coco Iwamoto, a Honolulul resident who serves on the board of HAPA, the nonprofit founded by Councilman Gary Hooser. HAPA trained Fern to run for office through its Kuleana Academy. Cozy!

Only $588.11, or about 10 percent of the total raised, came from people in Fern's district, with Koloa resident and anti-dairy advocate Bridget Hammerquist throwing in $300.

So who, exactly, does Fern purport to represent?

Moving over to her pal Hooser....

While serving on the supposedly independent Joint Fact Finding Group on Kauai agricultural pesticide use, Doug Wilmore contributed $500 to Councilman Gary Hooser — the politician who introduced the failed law that led to formation of the JFFG.

Wilmore wrote a report for the JFFG on the Waimea Canyon Middle School sickenings that countered health department findings and echoed Hooser's take on the topic. After the JFFG released its report, Wilmore gave Hooser another $100. More cozy!

But most curious of all was the discovery that of the 90 total contributions Hooser that received this year, just two came from westside (Eleele-Kekaha) residents. And those were from anti-GMO activists Linda Harmon and Gordon LaBedz of Surfrider.

Compare that to the 17 donations Hooser received from people living on other islands and the mainland.

If westsiders really believe their lives and land are being systematically poisoned by the seed companies — as Hooser claims — wouldn't you think they'd be supporting his candidacy? 

Instead, the majority of his donors reside from Kapaa-Hanalei — on the opposite side of the island from the seed farms.

So is Hooser running to represent a movement, or the people of Kauai?

25 comments:

Anonymous said...

Oh, that explains a lot, Ferns hallucinating.

Anonymous said...

Curious are you going to expose each of the Councilmembers or only the big fist and the antigmo guys? You going to leave the Super Six alone because they support the gmo's? Are you going to talk about Deriks former campaign manager and police commissioner getting busted by the FBI for gambling? So much material Joan. Hope you don't stop with just the hoos and ferny.

Anonymous said...

Ha Ha ..10:55 is that the best you can do???? Keep it up Joan tell us all about it....we know you stand for the truth!!!!

Anonymous said...

1055, the point was about those 2 candidates who say they represent Kauai but obviously don't. Donors from afar and Loser has shown over and over that he'd rather divide the community than be a leader. He prefers to skip council meetings in favor of his cause. GO VOTE!!

Anonymous said...

@10:55. She said more was to come, so relax.

The campaign funding in this context is ridiculous. Why should mainlanders be able to fund island elections? It's akin to a foreign country paying millions to pass legislation and elect officials here in the USA. Oh wait ... That happens all the time. Doh!!!!!!!

Anonymous said...

Violation of Hawaii rule mandating no more than 20% of campaign contributions come from out of state?

Anonymous said...

Looks like Kawakami got the support of the NRA. Hawaii Citizens Rights Committee is a political action committee supporting the rights of gun owners. Go Derik! Lock and load!

Anonymous said...

1:46 Joan implied Jeffrey Bronfman lives in New Mexico but he is actually on Maui.

It seems more than a little hypocritical to feign outrage about some unfounded concerns about him contaminating the ground water from the vomit and diarrhea of possible users of "hallucinogens" while she routinely scoffs about similar concerns regarding tons of pesticides sprayed by her corporate friends.

Fun fact. Jeffrey Bronfman doesn't actually live in New Mexico. If he did though, do you think that would negate his opinion of GMO issues on Kauai and meddling in local politics?

Joan Conrow said...

Bronfman himself listed his address as New Mexico when he made the donation.

And I'm so sorry you missed the irony inherent in the reference to his neighbor's' water pollution fears!

Anonymous said...

West side families who's family member's pay checks depend on the seed/chem companies are naturally 'pro GMO'
That doesn't mean they're in favor of the poisoning of the air water and land around their community

Anonymous said...

Judging from the campaign contributions, it looks as if the Council will stay diverse and divided, as it should.
The less they can accomplish the better.

Anonymous said...

Wonder why everyone forgets about Gary Hooser's real estate adventures and LLCs and others he's invested big dirty corporate money? He owns an LLC in Princeville and Hanalei area it was all about building the Hanalei Resort on that beautiful mountain over looking Hanalei Bay...
Oh you didn't remember? He's met with Neil Abercrombie many o times about this project by he wasn't protecting the area. You hippies are so DUMB! Once the seed companies are gone you shall see too.

Y'all got PLAYED!!!

Anonymous said...

5:28 so if you're not pro seed chemical you're a hippie? Btw the seed companies won't ever be gone as long as they find ill informed communities in which to ply their trade

Anonymous said...

11:57 - those folks know their family members are NOT poisoning the community.

Anonymous said...

Joan why do you allow blatant lies to be printed by anonymous commenters? I guess getting rid of Gary is the only purpose you have and you will stop at nothing to achieve that end. Is really sad. Sad for you Joan. The Hoos will survive but the ugliness that you perpetuate over the past few years is hurting our community far more than the brief foray into the spotlight the redshirts had.

Anonymous said...

Thanks Joan for your expose. What sickens me is these knuckleheads on the Northside of Kauai worrying about the Westside. Is it they want to control the Westside of the island. Reminds me of the days when the white man ruled the plantations. The people in the area has no voice. Remember when Iniki hit the island the people on the Westside got very little help but we survived cause we know how to help each other. So keep your noses up north and stay the heck out of our business on the west. As for Gary and Fern, fight for your people. No need fight for me cause I got a better chance making it on my own.

Joan Conrow said...

@8:32. Blatant lies? You mean like your comment? Otherwise, I haven't seen any or they wouldn't be posted. Still, it's refreshing to see a Hooser supporter concerned about truth. Perhaps you could talk to your candidate and encourage him to start partaking in it. But then, you guys have been lying and making stuff up for so long you wouldn't know truth if it bit you in the ass, which is why you were able to make your last ridiculous statement.

Which leads me to 8:08. Yes, we have an ill-informed community, thanks to Hooser and the self-serving red shirts, who have frightened people into believing they're being poisoned when there hasn't been one shred of evidence that they are being harmed at all..

Anonymous said...

Joan, great response at 8:53. Seems like the Fern and Gary supporters aren't concerned about the truths and have their own agenda. As supporters, they belong in the crotches of athletes. Guilt by association? Gary's vote and comments against Beth were totally out of line. He should look at himself. He is owned by outside interests - $42,000 political contributions for the last period for reporting. It always amazes me what an unconscionable politician will do.

Anonymous said...

Oh yeah Joan those highly toxic herbicides and pesticides which have been outright banned in many countries cant possibly have any long term effects on residents or the soil/ ground water

Anonymous said...

Rosenthiel said last week in the District 14 debate, is that she wanted to legalize recreational marijuana. Then in today's The Garden Island LTE she claims that as our Representative she wants to focus on cracking down on drug abuse. NOW I'm confused. Slips another notch in the polls.

Anonymous said...

@1:11 Legalizing marijuana is a great step in cracking down on drug abuse. Read about Portugal if you do not believe this. Marijuana is a natural herb, not a drug. It causes much less problems for society than alcohol. Do you drink coffee or alcohol? How many people die every year due to alcohol abuse, including accidents and aggressive behavior? How many die due to marijuana abuse?

Anonymous said...

8:32 AM
Maybe you have just met Da Hoos. He can be a nice guy. But as you get brown-nosed, make sure there ain't no Fistee insinuation, that would be uncomfortable.
And today, in the midst of Da Hoos receiving in excess of 40,000, he is selling his own li'l property in Kapaa. No problem kicking out his long term tenant. No problem getting a tricky property classification that separates a small dinky li'l lot into super tiny condominiums.
Da Hoos and his friends divided a downtown Kapaa property that is so small, when you go in the front door you trip over the back gate. So small, I put my key in the lock and broke the back window. So small that when you walk in you already came out.

Dealing with the Planning Department, which usually rakes a person over the coals to get anything done. While Da Hoos, not only kicks out his tenant, but with legal maneuvering he gets to make big bucks.
The Big Fistee may have some people on this blog that are sick of his double dealing, lies, grandstanding and generally anti-Local behaviors, but I guess Da Hoos has big time pull at Planning.
A regular mortal would not be able to divide a historic parcel that is profoundly small. And he gets to cut it up so he and his friends all make big dough.
Was this Grandfathering? Was this Favoritism? Was this just another Council perk? Who knows?
But it shows that Da Hoos is one smart bugger when it comes to putting plenty Pesos in his pocket.
I would support Da Hoos if he allowed regular people the ability to chop up their lots and make big bucks. But Gary is against any development (except his own), particularly those houselots that help the locals. He is all about his many friends in the big Ag Estates.
Betwixt JoAnn, Mason and Gary it is hard to tell who has more support from wealthy new-comers (and some not-so-new-comers). All these three are beholden to the rich ones.
We deserve the politicians we elect. So we deserve Da Hoos. A proven tax-cheat, big time Ag Land developer, Big-time Publisher and now a Big Time politico. Always out for his ownself.
Da Hoos and his many Fistees.....inserting themselves painfully into the island. Locals are forgotten. Who needs jobs? All his friends got dough.
And Gary...Beth has been here long enough to put the people first. Beth has integrity- the quality of being honest and having strong moral principles- moral uprightness..... Whilst you and your Mainland organizers sit back and try to change the local lifestyle. Well, I guess those locals can mow your grass to make a few bucks.
And perhaps, Grove Farm, G&R and A&B will have to develop their oceanfront lands to make up for the loss you wish to do to them by taking-out their Ag Lessees.
That GF Milk Cow land that you are against sure would make a nice Agricultural Subdivision.
So is it true that you are getting back into real estate? The word is out.
Da Hoos Realty. Or Hoos Who Realty.

Anonymous said...

Amsterdam is the model to look after. All those coffee shops have helped a generation stay off of the hard drugs and their society has less crime, drug abuse, murders and everything else related to the meth, heroin, pills and other hard drugs that these drug rings on Kauai and the state of Hawaii as well as the continental US push for profits for human extinction.

Anonymous said...

The tax money from recreational weed sales would help fund many programs.

The politicians should also get rid of state of Hawaii income tax and raise the sales tax from 4.1% to 5-7% instead. More money in the local people's pocket and tourist pay more to help support the expense it costs to keep the state of Hawaii tourism industry thriving.

Politicians want you people to believe that they know how to spend your money better than you do. It hasn't worked nor will ever work in this socialist state of Hawaii.

The state is so bankrupt that they have to steal (TAT) from the counties and raise the GE tax as well as vehicle weight, registration, license and whatever they can put a tax on. Soon the state is going to try and tax us for breathing air.

Anonymous said...

@2:45 pm

How many marijuana users are drug addict. Sure some people use marijuana for relaxation and getting high or maybe pain relief. But because some are responsible does not mean all are responsible. It doesn't mater what you use marijuana for, it's still a drug. Recreational use of marijuana, a drug, is still drug abuse.

Oh and the poppy plant and the coca plants are natural herbs too. Sorry, slips another notch in the polls.