Elections 2022: The death of integrity in campaign advertisements

State of Hawaii’s sitting Lt. Governor Dr. Josh Green has a very dishonest advertising on primetime TV and other social media recently. Environmentalists are calling this gubernatorial candidate on it.

The Foul Advertisement:

The branded “Doctor Green – trusted caring leadership” campaign shows a prominent pediatrician extolling Dr. Green’s leadership in shutting down the contaminated Redhill fuel tanks in three months. The pediatrician further stated ” I trust Josh to protect Hawaii’s children“.

Here is the inevitable pushback from Hawaii’s environmentalists:

Oʻahu Water Protectors Demand Gubernatorial Candidate Josh Green Pull Campaign Ad & Correct Misinformation He Spread on Red Hill

For Immediate Release

CONTACT: 

Marti Townsend, Marti.townsend@gmail.com, 808-372-1314

HONOLULU, HAWAIʻI. July 25, 2022. The Oʻahu Water Protectors (OWP) demands that gubernatorial candidate Josh Green:

  1. Pull any and all political advertisements, including television, print, radio and social media materials incorrectly suggesting  that the Red Hill facility is “shut down,” 
  2. Issue a correction as to the current status of the Red Hill fuel tanks, and 
  3. Clarify his actual role in the Red Hill issue since 2014, and emphasize  that continued community advocacy is critical to protect us from the threat of existential disaster.

The Red Hill water crisis is far from over. Residents whose water systems have been declared safe continue to report visible sheens in their tap water and health symptoms consistent with petroleum poisoning.  According to the  Board of Water Supply, there is a contamination plume of unknown size and location threatening nearby municipal wells. Due to the Navy overpumping Waiawa shaft and the closure of three critical BWS water sources, Oʻahu is on the brink of a water shortage that may persist for years. Perhaps most importantly, over 100 million gallons of fuel remain in 14 actively corroding, ill-maintained, 25-story tall fuel tanks located just 100 feet above our sole-source groundwater aquifer, which the Navy suggests will take years to remove. 

Accordingly, OWP is deeply concerned by the statements made in Green’s ads, which have circulated online and aired on primetime television.  The candidate used footage filmed by an OWP member at an OWP event for his political ad without the knowledge or consent of OWP in order to incorrectly suggest that not only is the Red Hill facility shut down, but that Josh Green is solely responsible for shutting it down. The use of footage from this event could be construed by viewers as a tacit endorsement by OWP of Dr. Green’s Gubernatorial run and his misleading views on Red Hill, which makes the nonconsensual use of OWP footage all the more egregious. It is OWP’s policy is to refrain from supporting candidates running for public office. 

“We need to be united in the effort to save our water supply from the military. The truth is the tanks remain full and remain a threat to all of us,” said Anna Chua, a volunteer leader with O’ahu Water Protectors. “Lt. Gov. Green should do everything he can to make sure we have the correct information and this ad fails at that goal,” she added.

We look forward to hearing Dr. Green’s response.”

Other grassroots activists are also directly objecting to Dr. Green’s foul play:

Oahu Water Protectors (OWP) went online to voice their objections as well.

Environmentalists in Hawaii know that Ernie Lau, the chief Engineer for Board of Water, the Sierra Club and grassroots were the voices of warning about this issue for many long years.

Dr. Josh Green has been a politician at the Hawaii State Legislature for 18 years. Josh Green also worked as a doctor during all this time. As a doctor. Lt. Governor Green should have been more acutely concerned about public health. However, Dr. Green was silent until the this Redhill water contamination issue went viral on social media and mainstream corporate media. Then Dr. Josh Green appeared at the Redhill site, with cameras on him.

Incidentally, the above social media post also raised another troubling issue – First Amendment Violations. Besides this Free Speech violation cited above, there have been other complaints about the Lt. Governor/Dr. Josh Green Campaign deleting and blocking contrary comments from the public on his social media sites.

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