Hawaiçi Republicans have urged the state Campaign Spending Commission not to allow U.S. Rep. Neil Abercrombie to move more than $900,000 in federal campaign money to his governor’s campaign.

The state GOP said the congressman raised the money for a campaign for Congress, and that while federal and state campaign finance laws overlap, they are not identical. The party acknowledges that state law does not directly address the issue, but no previous Hawaiçi political candidate has shifted federal money to a state campaign, and Republicans argue it would be improper.
The GOP indicated it was not acting on behalf of Lt. Gov. James “Duke” Aiona, a Republican candidate for governor.
“This isn’t about political parties or candidates, winners or losers,” Jonah Kaçauwai, the state GOP chairman, said in a statement today. “As citizens and voters, we should insist that everyone runs their campaign by the rules as clearly outlined in the laws, regulations, and guidelines that we all must follow.”
Mayor Mufi Hannemann’s campaign committee has also asked the commission to block Abercrombie from transferring the federal campaign money. Hannemann is Abercrombie’s potential rival in the Democratic primary.
The commission will discuss the matter on Tuesday.
Abercrombie’s attorneys have said state campaign finance law does not expressly prohibit such a transfer and have characterized the issue as one of fairness.
Hannemann transferred $659,000 left over from his mayoral campaign last year to his governor’s account, which is permitted under state law. The mayor raised $583,000 in June for a combined total of $1.2 million.
Abercrombie has raised $468,000 and would be on equal footing to Hannemann if he is allowed to move $918,000 left in his federal account.
“Everybody is entitled to have their view. But I would hope that everybody believes that equal treatment means equal treatment for everybody, and no double standard,” Abercrombie said.