03-06-2012, 09:12 AM
Very much like Rene's point about 'follow the money'.
Every candidate's contributions and expenditures can be found at the Campaign Spending Commission website -- http://hawaii.gov/campaign
Look on the right side for 'view reports' and 'candidate committees'.
Example: In 2008, a certain Council member was a candidate for Mayor (a sexual harassment charge was his eventual undoing). I went to Campaign Spending Commission website and looked at the contributors. Sorted them by amount, highest to lowest. Then opened the Hawaii County website in another window. Copied the name of a big money contributor and pasted it for a Search on the County site. Search turned up a hit with a contract. Did that for three contributors and found three contracts -- contributions and contracts were all dated within a few days of each other. Roof on the Hilo Central Fire Station was one.
Coincidence?
Every candidate's contributions and expenditures can be found at the Campaign Spending Commission website -- http://hawaii.gov/campaign
Look on the right side for 'view reports' and 'candidate committees'.
Example: In 2008, a certain Council member was a candidate for Mayor (a sexual harassment charge was his eventual undoing). I went to Campaign Spending Commission website and looked at the contributors. Sorted them by amount, highest to lowest. Then opened the Hawaii County website in another window. Copied the name of a big money contributor and pasted it for a Search on the County site. Search turned up a hit with a contract. Did that for three contributors and found three contracts -- contributions and contracts were all dated within a few days of each other. Roof on the Hilo Central Fire Station was one.
Coincidence?