Contact: Andy Woerner
Email: info@andyforussenatehawaii.com
Phone: 808-896-9473
TOP HAWAII DEMOCRATIC CANDIDATES NOT ELIGIBLE FOR ENDORSEMENT UNDER PARTY RULES
SEPTEMBER 5TH, 2010
KAILUA-KONA, HAWAII
Senator Inouye’s only Democratic challenger, Andy Woerner, sent a letter to the Hawaii Democratic Party on Friday requesting they enforce their own rules regarding eligibility for the Party’s endorsement.
According to Article IX, Section 3 of the Party’s 2010 Constitution, which is available online, “candidates shall submit Candidate Statement Forms... indicating their agreement, disagreement, and/or reservations with the Platform and Resolutions of the State and County Party" and that, a "candidate who fails to abide by these requirements shall not be eligible for endorsement".
In the letter, Mr. Woerner notes that, “the majority of candidates (and especially incumbent candidates) either failed to return their forms at all, or failed to complete them as required”.
Debi Hartmann, the Party’s Executive Director, confirmed in an email to Mr. Woerner that 60% of the candidates did not return their forms, even though the deadline was extended by one week.
Mr. Woerner viewed the forms under the supervision of West Hawaii Chair John Buckstead, but was not allowed by the Party to make copies of the documents. However, under Party rules, they are available to all members of the Party through their respective County Chairs.
Candidates whose forms were missing from the 290-page document included Gubernatorial candidate Mufi Hannemann, Lt. Governor and former Party Chairman, Brian Schatz, and U.S. Congressional candidates Mazie Hirono
Mr. Woerner asked the Party “to ensure that no Party funds or events are used to support said candidates in either the Primary or General Elections”.
While he seems aware that this action is unlikely to affect the outcome of his own race, Mr. Woerner contends that, “this clear disregard for the Party's rules is an alarming indication of these candidates’ lack of respect for the members of the Democratic Party itself, and for rules in general. The ability to create and follow rules is a critical component of sound government, and is essential to the proper conduct of the offices they seek.”
Hawaii’s primary election is on September 18th.
More information about the candidates can be found at: www.andyforussenatehawaii.com and www.daninouyehawaii.com.
A copy of the Hawaii Democratic Party Constitution can be found at www.hawaiidemocrats.org/images/stories/constitution2010.pdf
*Regarding Colleen Hanabusa: The Executive Director of the Hawaii Democratic Party notified me on 9/8 that Sen. Colleen Hanabusa submitted her form before the deadline but her form was "omitted in the process of sending copies". I have no reason to doubt her... but its certainly interesting that the one candidate who is most likely to need the Party's support in November, is the only candidate I named who's form was forgotten.
###
