Tsuji to Chair Agriculture Committee

SUBHEAD: Speaker of the House Joe Souki has appointed agrochemical industry legislator Clift Tsuji to Chair the Hawaii House Agriculture Committee.

By Nomi Carmona on 14 November 2104 in Island Breath -
(http://islandbreath.blogspot.com/2014/11/tsuji-to-chair-agriculture-committee.html)


Image above: Publicity photo of Clift Tsuji with truth in labeling.  From (http://bigislandnow.com/tag/rep-clift-tsuji/).

It is my regret to inform you that Speaker of the House Joe Souki has appointed agrochemical industry legislator Clift Tsuji to Chair the Hawaii House Agriculture Committee.

Representative Souki does not seem to care that almost 5,000 people in a number of days have recognized this blatant conflict of interest.

If you are outraged at the audacious appointment of a clearly biased legislator who has taken over $17,000 from the agrochemical industry and been awarded for blocking regulation of that industry, please consider filing an ethics complaint with the Ethics Commission. You can call them at 808-586-0460. http://ethics.hawaii.gov You may file anonymously or publicly.

You can also contact Rep. Souki to politely let him know how disappointed you are that he was unable to recognize the conflict of interest and appoint a Chair who represents the constituents of Hawaii instead of appointing someone who is clearly and deeply tied to the agrochemical industry. His phone number is 808-586-6100

Please review Hawaii Revised Statutes 84-13 and 83-14:

"HRS §84-13 Fair treatment. No legislator or employee shall use or attempt to use the legislator's or employee's official position to secure or grant unwarranted privileges, exemptions, advantages, contracts, or treatment, for oneself or others; including but not limited to the following:

1. Seeking other employment or contract for services for oneself by the use or attempted use of the legislator's or employee's office or position.
2. Accepting, receiving, or soliciting compensation or other consideration for the performance of the legislator's or employee's official duties or responsibilities except as provided by law.
3. Using state time, equipment or other facilities for private business purposes.
4. Soliciting, selling, or otherwise engaging in a substantial financial transaction with a subordinate or a person or business whom the legislator or employee inspects or supervises in the legislator's or employee's official capacity.

Frankly, if we are to abide by HRS §84-13, Representative Tsuji and Representative Calvin Say may have possibly already broken HRS 84-13 Section (2.)

By "accepting," or "receiving," "other consideration for the performance of the legislator's or employee's official duties or responsibilities except as provided by law," when they accepted the Biotechnology Industry Organization's award for Co-Legislator of the Year for blocking regulation of the agrochemical biotechnology industry.

This special consideration from private interests is also reflected in the campaign funds of Representative Clift Tsuji with $17,191 of agrochemical company, trade group and pesticide lobbyist funding. This conflict of interest and violation of fair treatment is directly relevant to Hawaii's House Agriculture Committee Chair position that Representative Tsuji held at the time.

HRS §84-14 Conflicts of interests:

(c) No legislator or employee shall assist any person or business or act in a representative capacity before any state or county agency for a contingent compensation in any transaction involving the State.

(d) No legislator or employee shall assist any person or business or act in a representative capacity for a fee or other compensation to secure passage of a bill or to obtain a contract, claim, or other transaction or proposal in which the legislator or employee has participated or will participate as a legislator or employee, nor shall the legislator or employee assist any person or business or act in a representative capacity for a fee or other compensation on such bill, contract, claim, or other transaction or proposal before the legislature or agency of which the legislator or employee is an employee or legislator. 

REVIEW: You can view Rep. Clift Tsuji's Itemized Agrochemical Campaign Funds here: (http://tinyurl.com/kuvrdz)

Thank you for standing up for Hawaii, please feel free to contact me at nomicarmona@gmail.com or nomi@babesagainstbiotech.org.

I am sorry we were unable to stop this horrid appointment, please considering filing a complaint with the ethics commission.

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