Another reason Brain Schatz is crushing corrupt New Dem Colleen Hanabusa in the polls is because he has been a leader on clean energy and she has been foot-dragger. He's part of the solution. Always concerned with the special interests who have financed her grotesquely transactional career, she's part of the problem.Just last week, the Hawaii Intermediate Court of Appeals ruled against Hanabusa (she was the plaintiff and also represented herself pro se) in a case where she was attempting to shut down Honolulu's landfill at Waimanalo Gulch. For years, Hanabusa has litigated to shut down Waimanalo Gulch, a publicly run landfill, which would: (1) benefit the owner of a proposed private landfill, a crony of her crooked husband; and (2) also benefit Jeff Stone the developer of Ko'olina which is located close to the landfill. Stone in one of her biggest fundraisers and has poured thousands and thousands of dollars into her career (as well as into Linda Lingle, Kelly Ayotte and the Republican Party of Hawaii).This case is probably one of the best examples of how Hanabusa has used her positions to try and influence government policy to benefit her friends, family, and cronies. It is rather shocking that she continues to carry on this litigation even while she is serving in Congress. The Hawaii Free Press slammed Hanabusa a few years ago about this case, for her obvious conflicts of interest and her never-ending corruption:
"[Senate President Colleen Hanabusa's associate, George Grace III] purchased dirt hauler Pueo Trucking from Hanabusa's husband, former State Sherriff John Souza, in May, 2009. Pueo does a lot of business with [the privately owned PVT landfill]. Without ever being called on the potential conflict of interest, Hanabusa has litigated extensively against PVT's competitor Waimanalo Gulch which is owned by the City of Honolulu and managed by Waste Management Industries. Waimanalo Gulch landfill looks out over Hanabusa’s home in the Koolina development and is opposed by the Koolina Homeowners Association and presumably Koolina developer, and Hanabusa associate, Jeff “$75M tax credit” Stone."