Mr. Yonamine — who has a sure renown as a result of his uncle Wally Yonamine was a well-known athlete — is a determine in native sports activities. In 2018, one 12 months after he was named varsity baseball coach at Pearl Metropolis Excessive Faculty, state lawmakers, a few of whom obtained marketing campaign contributions from his events, accepted $3 million in funding to transform the sphere from grass to synthetic turf.
As Mr. Yonamine spoke from the refurbished discipline at a gap ceremony in 2022, a Hawaiian priest sprinkled rainwater on dwelling plate.
“Thanks to all who helped make our desires come true,” Mr. Yonamine mentioned.
This text was reported in partnership with Massive Native Information at Stanford College.
How the Numbers Had been Calculated
The Instances and Civil Beat examined lots of of hundreds of marketing campaign contributions and greater than 70,000 state contracts to attract connections between distributors and their donations to political races. The evaluation revealed that just about 20 p.c of all marketing campaign contributions since 2006 have come from individuals tied to corporations doing enterprise with the state and native governments.
This quantity is probably going an underestimate as a result of the info is incomplete. Information have been obtained from the Hawaii Awards & Notices Information System, which tracks who received state contracts, however a 2021 audit discovered that solely 40 p.c of all state contracts awarded that 12 months have been posted. It’s not clear if the issue applies to different years.
Reporters requested and reviewed test registers to confirm the overall funds to distributors from departments. Some departments didn’t reply to public information requests, together with these with massive numbers of high-value contracts, such because the Schooling and Transportation Departments.
The gaps in state and county contracting knowledge and test registers made it tough to find out simply how a lot cash distributors truly obtained. Printed quantities have been confirmed with supply paperwork or contracting departments.
Contractors have been matched in opposition to the names of corporations, their executives and workers in a database of marketing campaign contributions maintained by the Hawaii Marketing campaign Spending Fee. Donations from spouses and family members of contractor executives have been additionally included within the depend when doable. Spouses and family members have been decided primarily based on individuals who shared the identical final identify and deal with as the principle contributor. In some instances spouses have been collectively listed as contributors.
The evaluation centered on distributors who present authorized, consulting, engineering and development providers. Contracts and contributions for subsidiaries have been attributed to their mother or father corporations. Universities and different public businesses with authorities contracts have been excluded from the evaluation. Organizations that will produce other lobbying pursuits — such because the Hawaii Affiliation of Realtors — have been additionally excluded.
Contributions made at occasions hosted by Mr. Yonamine have been recognized by looking for all contributions made to taking part candidates inside one week of the events. The Hawaii Marketing campaign Spending Fee requires that contributions be deposited inside seven days of receipt.
