Lawmakers
divulge gifts

Cayetano accepted free
trips to Japan and Las Vegas;
Hirono to Washington

By Craig Gima
Star-Bulletin

The governor and state lawmakers reported gifts ranging from saimin and fishcake to a trip to Japan in annual filings with the state Ethics Commission.

Among Gov. Ben Cayetano's gifts were tickets to University of Hawaii sporting events from the UH Office of Intercollegiate Athletics, valued at $3,903.

He also took a trip to Japan and Okinawa worth $13,395, from Oct. 31 to Nov. 11. The trip was paid by the Japanese Ministry of Foreign Affairs so Cayetano could attend meetings of the Japan-Hawaii Economic Council and an Okinawa-Hawaii conference.

Cayetano also accepted a trip to Las Vegas worth $1,890 from the Philippine Chamber of Commerce of Southern Nevada and a trip to Los Angeles to receive an honorary degree from Loyola Marymount University worth $4,177.64.

Lt. Gov. Mazie Hirono reported upgrades to first class on 26 neighbor island trips, and University of Hawaii tickets worth $1,522. She also received airfare to Washington, D.C., and eight tickets to the Bolshoi Ballet from Continental Airlines worth between $2,600 to $4,600. Hirono traveled to Washington in December to meet with President Clinton.

The most expensive gifts reported involved travel.

Based on previous Ethics Commission rulings, it is acceptable for a private company to pay for a state official's "reasonable expenses" if the trip has a legitimate state purpose.

Rep. Robert Herkes (D, Kau) attended a no-fault auto insurance conference in Quebec City, Canada with a value of $1,902.64. Herkes reported the trip was paid for by a group called the National Conference of Insurance Legislators.

House Education Chairman Rep. David Stegmaier (D, Hawaii Kai) reported taking trips to Phoenix, Washington, D.C., and Orlando, Fla., for meetings. The total value of the three trips topped $3,000.

Sen. Rod Tam (D, Nuuanu) and Sen. James Aki (D, Waianae), co-chairmen of the Senate Education Committee, each took a four-day trip to Phoenix in November worth $1,500.

The trips -- to visit the University of Phoenix and study its operations -- were paid by the University of Phoenix-Hawaii campus, and the Apollo Group Inc.

Rep. Romy Cachola (D, Kalihi), House Tourism Committee chairman, reported he participated in the Lincoln Mercury Kapalua Invitational Pro-Am Tournament, a gift valued at $800.

House Finance Chairman Calvin Say (D, Palolo) kept a long list of his gifts, including those under $200.

Among the items listed was a trip to Lanai on May 15 to attend the Hawaii Resort Developers Conference at the Manele Bay Hotel. The trip had a value of $396.

Senate President Norman Mizuguchi (D, Aiea) and House Speaker Joe Souki (D, Wailuku) reported receiving tickets to the Miss Universe pageant and coronation gala worth $700. They also received Seiko watches worth $250 each from Hisaya Tanaka, the Fukuoka Prefectural Assembly chairman.

Souki and Mizuguchi reported honorary country club memberships. But Souki listed the value of his memberships as zero because he said he did not use them.

Mizuguchi listed gifts worth less than $200, including a Waterford Wedgwood Crystal letter opener from Daiei Hawaii worth $80.

The Ethics Commission requires officials to report only gifts worth more than $200. Many lawmakers sent letters indicating they did not receive any gifts above that amount.

But other legislators kept meticulous logs of their gifts, including fishcake and saimin from the county of Hawaii worth $10, and tickets to the State Farm Fair worth $24 from the Hawaii Farm Bureau.