Lose Billions; Get a Bonus 

Message to Supporters from Djou.com, August 19, 2016

On Wednesday, Charles reaffirmed his call for the dismissal of HART CEO Dan Grabauskas as the first step in the long journey to restore accountability in the rail project.  Yesterday, while it was a step in the right direction that Grabauskas opted to resign, we are dismayed that he will receive a severance bonus of nearly $300,000, paid for from our tax money, after leading a project that is billions of dollars over budget and years behind schedule.

Ask yourself, if you misplaced just a few hundred dollars of your company's money at your own job, would you get a bonus?  Would it amount to over a quarter-of-a-million dollars?

This is exactly why we need your help.  It is critical to our democracy that we hold Kirk Caldwell accountable for his gross mismanagement of the City rail system.  Caldwell campaigned on a platform that he would "build rail better."  But he hasn't.  Under his tenure the rail project has gone horribly off track and his only response is that it is everyone else's fault.  

Democracy only works when the people hold our elected officials accountable.  That's why we are asking that you help us hold the mayor accountable today.  Will you consider making a $100, $250 or any donation up to the legal limit of $4,000 to our campaign to fight back against the on-going incompetence in the City?

Rather than allow this situation to have spiraled out of control, as mayor, Charles would have immediately called for a comprehensive financial audit as soon as costs began to spike.  He would have never allowed rail contracts to have been rushed to meet political time-tables.  Under a Djou administration, our City would have never purchased rail cars years before being needed, only for those cars to become multi-million dollar graffiti canvasses.  Charles certainly would not have promised to build rail "on time and on-budget," but rather would have been honest with the people instead of continually lying to us about the true cost of rail. This is the honest leadership that our City now needs today on rail.

We don't have to just sit and accept bad government.  We don't have to tolerate giving Grabauskas a nearly $300,000 severance package after mismanaging the rail project.  We don't have to accept another four years of a mayor who takes not only his $165,000/year salary as mayor, but also a $200,000+/year salary as a bank director.  We can fight back - but it can only start with your help today.  Mahalo.

Aloha, 

Team Djou

  *   *   *   *   *

DJOU: RESIGNATION OF GRABAUSKAS AS HART CEO ONLY A FIRST STEP TO FIX RAIL

News Release from Djou campaign August 18, 2016

Honolulu, HI - The Djou for Mayor campaign released the following statement today on the resignation of Dan Grabauskas as the CEO of the Honolulu Authority for Rapid Transit:

"It was the right decision for Dan Grabauskas to resign. With the cost of rail potentially doubling and the rail project at least five years behind schedule, this is an opportunity for new leadership that will focus on controlling costs.  Although our community may have different feelings on rail, the people deserve leadership that will be honest and accountable." stated Charles Djou.  

"I am concerned, however, with the prospect of appointing Michael Formby as Interim CEO.  The mayor already names five of the ten members of the HART board.  Now naming a political appointee of the mayor as HART CEO would further politicize HART and continue the mismanagement and cost overruns we've seen to date under the Caldwell administration."

Dan Grabauskas has been the leader of HART since its inception.  He was the highest-paid employee in the City and County of Honolulu.

  *   *   *   *   *

Djou: Dismiss the HART CEO Tomorrow; Mayor in November

News Release from Djou.com  August 17, 2016

Honolulu, HI - Congressman Charles K. Djou, candidate for Mayor of Honolulu, reiterated his call for new leadership on the rail project and demands the replacement of Dan Grabauskas as the CEO of HART when the board meets tomorrow.

"Dan Grabauskas needs to be replaced as the CEO of HART," stated Djou.  "Although Grabausaks is a leading actor in the Honolulu rail disaster - the producer of this horror show is Kirk Caldwell.  The rail project has been horribly managed - original cost estimates and deadlines were overly optimistic, initial construction was inappropriately rushed, with mainland consultants who have little knowledge of local construction conditions dictating the course of the project."

Tomorrow the HART board will meet again.  Djou urges the HART board to dismiss rail CEO Dan Grabauskas as an initial step toward rebuilding trust in the City's transit plans.

---30---

Charles Djou represented Hawaii's 1st Congressional District in the U.S. House and previously served on the Honolulu City Council and Hawaii State House.  Djou is an Army Reservist and Afghanistan war veteran.  He is married to Stacey Kawasaki Djou and together they have three children.

Star Adv Aug 18, 2016: Grabauskas resigns as HART’s chief executive