HI-01: Attorney General Doug Chin is not Progressive, Hawaii's Conservative and Corporate Establishment Choice for Congress

For Immediate Release:

12/18/2017

Kaniela Saito Ing Responds to Opponent Doug Chin’s Decision to Enter Congressional Race

HONOLULU (Monday, December 18, 2017)– Kaniela Saito Ing responded to a campaign announcement by his opponent Doug Chin.



“I will never speak ill of my opponent as a person. In fact, I personally think he’s an intelligent and charming guy. But it’s important that voters learn about the issues and our records, so they can decide who best represents their values and interests. Really, that’s what campaigns should be all about.



For years now, Mr. Chin and I have fought on opposite sides of the table. Rumors of him running was one of the main drives for me to enter the race myself. In these uncertain times, we cannot afford to send a corporate lobbyist with socially conservative values to Congress. It’s bad for Hawaii, and nationally, it’s a waste of a safely Democratic seat.” said Ing.

Mr. Chin only became a Democrat in 2016. Prior to that, he worked under Republican Peter Carlisle where he earned the title of “top-gun” as the deputy who contributed the most to our mass incarceration crisis. He then worked as a corporate lawyer representing primarily banks and Wall Street investment firms. In 2014-2015, Chin worked as a corporate lobbyist for the Corrections Corporation of America to build new private prisons and continue the export of 1,700 of Hawaii’s inmates—over 70% of whom are Native Hawaiian—to Arizona.

Chin has earned his socially-conservative reputation opposing marriage equality, a woman’s right to choose, and gay-to-straight conversation through the church he helped build, preached at for decades, and still attends and helps lead (Oahu Church of Christ, affiliated with the International Church of Christ).



Doug Chin has preached against a woman’s right to choose for decades and has espoused the dangerous “pray-yourself-straight” ideology that has driven thousands of LGBT youth to suicide. In fact, his church held a gay-to-straight conversion seminar just a few months ago (www.oahuchurch.org/...) Chin’s record goes beyond opposing progressive values, it doesn’t even meet the baseline of what it means to be a Democrat.”



As Attorney General, Chin reauthorized a $32 million contract for the Arizona private prison he just finished lobbying for; he opined against counties being able to raise the minimum wage, despite claims by progressive national groups that counties do have such authority; he neglected to act on allegations of human trafficking and labor abuses by the longline fishing industry; he failed to investigate a SuperPAC facing state and federal charges; he testified against various bills for marijuana decriminalization and criminal justice reform; and he joined with five republican states to sue Harris County after a judge ruled its bail system was discriminatory earlier this year.



“I first met my opponent in 2014 at a State House hearing for a new private prison in Hawaii. Thankfully, we stopped that from happening for the time being. But he was squarely on the opposite side of anyone who considers themselves remotely progressive.”

Ing added:

“In Hawaii, it’s easy to poke Trump in the eye, because 90% of Primary Voters hate him. But it’s not enough to just sue, sue, sue. Democrats cannot turn into the obstructionist party that we loathed during the Obama years. Our leaders must propose a positive, progressive vision for the future. We need representatives who have unwaveringly fought for what we believe in, not just when it’s convenient. We need to stand up to the corporate powers who are holding back change right here in Hawaii. Otherwise, it’s just fresh paint on an old machine.



We’re the only campaign breaking that machine by rejecting campaign contributions from entrenched corporations and their lobbyists. I’m the only candidate in this race who supports Medicare-for-all, Tuition-free college, and expanding LGBTQ and women’s rights. We are the fastest campaign to sign up over 100 volunteers and hit over 1,000 donors in just a couple weeks, and we rely solely on grassroots donors and volunteers. Resistance is important, but being progressive is about more than that. Democrats, especially in safe districts, need to lead with a vision of the world we want to win.”

more info/donate: www.kanielaing.com