Sleazy New Dem Colleen Hanabusa Challenges Progressive Hawai'i Senator Brian Schatz

Lately I've been bombarded with e-mails from sleazy New Dem Colleen Hanabusa, who's giving up her House seat to challenge progressive Senate incumbent Brian Schatz. Thursday it was "Today, Colleen will make a very important announcement about the future of Hawaii and we wanted you to be the first to know." Yesterday it was "After months of careful consideration, meeting with my friends and family to talk story and listening to people from across Hawai'i, I was proud to share with you a few days ago that I am beginning my campaign for the United States Senate... But before I can have the honor of serving you in the Senate, I must ask for your support now."

Oh, sure! Schatz's lifetime ProgressivePunch crucial vote score is 94.12, a sterling record. Hanabusa's score is a blah 81.99. What does that mean in the real world? Here's an example: Schatz has been a vocal opponent of CISPA.

Hanabusa, who never strays far from a line laid out by her Big Business supporters, voted with the Republicans-- both in 2012 and again this year-- in favor of CISPA.

Sure, she can be counted on to vote with Democrats on issues like Choice (though not marriage equality) but when it comes to roll calls where she smells money... that's when we see the kind of Democrat Hawai'i doesn't need. This is how bad she is: Colleen Hanabusa was one of the only Democrats in Congress to vote with the GOP against the Environmental Protection Agency and to actually join Buck McKeon's sickeningly corrupt Drone Caucus, along with a freak show of some of Congress' most crooked and extremist Members, like McKeon himself, as well as Steven Palazzo (R-MS), Kevin McCarthy (R-CA), Darrell Issa (R-CA), Don Young (R-AK), Doug Lamborn (R-CO), Trent Franks (R-AZ), Duncan Hunter (R-CA), Mike Pompeo (R-KS), Joe "You Lie" Wilson (R-SC), and Mo Brooks (R-AL). No one assigned her this; she chose to associate herself with this group of misanthropes in the hope of ingratiating herself with the arms industry and getting some cash for her ambitious politician plans. And that's worked out well for her-- and for the drone manufacturers. She pushes their agenda inside the Democratic caucus and they keep a steady stream of legalistic bribes flowing in her direction.

All of the big drone manufacturers give to pro-war politicians in both parties but all of them give way more to Republicans than to Democrats. Hanabusa has been one of their favorite Democrats and the arms manufacturers are helping finance her challenge to Schatz. Of the half dozen biggest drone makers, all 6 gave money to Hanabusa last year.

• Northrop Grumman's 2 PACs- $20,000
• BAE Systems- $10,000
• Honeywell International- $7,500
• General Atomics- $$1,000
• Raytheon- $6,000
• Lockheed Martin- $7,000

Very few Republicans-- otherside of McKeon himself, of course-- have collected as much cash from the drone makers as Hanabusa. All of these companies are traditional honeypots for right-wing Republicans. She's very comfortable in those circles.

UPDATE

If you'd like to help make sure Brian stays in the Senate... we have a new addition.