Mugshot: Angela Stenger (aka Angela Kaaihue)
by Andrew Walden
A special election to fill the vacancy in the First Congressional District will be held on Tuesday, November 8, 2016, in conjunction with the General Election.
According to the final Candidate Report posted August 25 by the Office of Elections, Angela Kaaihue filed at the last minute as a Democrat in the CD1 Special Election. Kaaihue is also the Republican nominee for CD2 in the General Election being held the same day.
In mid-August, Kaaihue was denounced by the GOP State Chair after a series of bizarre remarks about Japanese-Americans and what seemed to be an offer to rescind her CD2 candidacy in exchange for a favorable settlement of a lawsuit. Kaaihue earlier became notorious for campaign signs touting herself as “cancer free” – an apparent jab at the late Rep Mark Takai who at the time was dying of pancreatic cancer. In 2008 Kaaihue beat the rap after being charged with stealing Hawaii welfare benefits under her maiden name, Stenger. Her criminal transcript shows convictions for harassment, abuse of a family member, and unsworn falsification.
Before filing to run in the CD2 GOP Primary, Kaaihue had also pulled papers to run for CD1 as either a Democrat or a Republican, and to run in the non-partisan race for Honolulu Mayor.
Offering to drop out of a race in exchange for any material inducement is a federal felony.
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UPDATE: STATEMENT FROM CHAIR FRITZ ROHLFING ON TERMINATION OF HAWAII REPUBLICAN PARTY MEMBERSHIP OF ANGELA KAAIHUE
News Release from Hawaii Republican Party
HONOLULU (August 28, 2016) - Chair Fritz Rohlfing released the following statement:
"In accordance with the Rules of the Hawaii Republican Party, our Party has terminated the membership of Ms. Kaaihue based on her public statements on social media that she is 'not a Republican'. Additionally, Ms. Kaaihue has filed as a Democrat in the upcoming Special Election for the remainder of the term of the late U.S. Representative Mark Takai in Congressional District 1."
UPDATE: GOP Endorses Ostrov in CD1 Special Election (Aug 27, 2016)
UPDATE: Dems Will Seek Removal of Kaaihue from Ballot
CB Aug 26, 2016: Democratic Party officials said Friday they would file a complaint with the clerk of the 1st Circuit Court because Kaaihue is not a registered Democrat. “We already sent a letter to Ms. Kaaihue letting her know that, under our bylaws, her candidacy in the Republican Party was grounds for mandatory expulsion,” Party Chair Tim Vandeveer said Friday. “She is not a member of the Democratic Party of Hawaii.”
read … Will File Complaint
BACKGROUND:
Fascinating Legal References:
Federal Felony Up to One Year in Federal Prison -- http://www.fec.gov/law/feca/feca.pdf
Title 18 §600. Promise of employment or other benefit for political activity
Whoever, directly or indirectly, promises any employment, position, compensation, contract, appointment, or other benefit, provided for or made possible in whole or in part by any Act of Congress, or any special consideration in obtaining any such benefit, to any person as consideration, favor, or reward for any political activity or for the support of or opposition to any candidate or any political party in connection with any general or special election to any political office, or in connection with any primary election or political convention or caucus held to select candidates for any political office, shall be fined under this title or imprisoned not more than one year, or both.
Class C State Felony, Up to Two Years at Hard Labor, loss of office -- HRS 19-3:
(7) Every person who induces or procures any person to withdraw from being a candidate at an election in consideration of any payment or gift or valuable consideration; or of any threat; and every candidate who withdraws from being a candidate in pursuance of such inducement or procurement;