The video above was taken during Saturday evening’s Puna Pono Alliance candidates forum. Hawaii County Council district 5 candidate RJ Hampton gave a closing tirade that Puna’s political aficionados will be talking about for weeks.
Video by David Corrigan
PAHOA, Hawaii – Hawaii County Council candidate RJ Hampton berated primary election opponent Tiffany Edwards-Hunt during a candidate forum organized by the Puna Pono Alliance on Saturday night, before she herself stormed out of the event.
The outburst came during Hampton’s closing statement. Hampton is one of seven candidates running for Puna’s district 5 seat currently held by Zendo Kern, who is not seeking re-election.
“I am committed to pono,” started Hampton. “But I am not committed to someone that would create pilikia amongst the candidates. I am speaking today about Tiffany Edward Hunt!”
Hampton lashed out at Hunt for holding the “Roast 4 Puna” event on July 18. Billed as a “hilarious campaign party hosted by friends of Tiffany Edwards Hunt featuring the music of R.I.T.A., comedy sketches & performances poking fun at non-controversial subjects”, RJ cried foul because she says the event poked fun at all the candidates, including Hunt. Occupy Hilo filmed the event and posted a few different edits on Youtube, however the portion relative to Hampton’s argument is 9 minutes and 40 seconds into the video found below (new; now includes video).
Hampton didn’t stop there. She aggressively laid into the election coverage found in the monthly Big Island Chronicle newspaper, which is owned by Hunt, although Hunt says she has turned editorial control over to Alan McNarie during her campaign. Hampton slammed a copy of the paper down on the table, prompting forum moderator Steve Hirakami and other candidates to try to calm her down. Eventually, Hampton stormed out of the forum, saying it was “a trap.”
Tiffany-Edwards Hunt happened to be next in line to give her closing statement. She talked about the outburst during her allotted two minutes.
The Puna Pono Alliance organization says its mission is to “build alliances that support environmentally safe, culturally sensitive, economically viable, and sustainable energy alternatives for Hawai`i County.” They have been active in the fight to stop the geothermal industry from expanding in the Puna area. Members have also been vocal in their opposition to genetically engineered food crops.
RJ Hampton shares many of the same views as the members of the Puna Pono Alliance on topics like geothermal and GMOs, but she differs with some of the Alliance principals over a bill proposed in the state legislature, SB2274 relating to “Sustainable Living Research”. Hampton led a campaign to kill the bill, which died in conference committee. Hampton was questioned on her efforts during Saturday’s forum.
Puna Pono Alliance wrote this in a newsletter before the event:
The special interest, funding candidates, intend to come to our communities through our council selling incinerators, geothermal, fracking, GMO, and many other controversial projects. These are bottom line enterprises, making as much money as fast as possible is the main objective. We have seen time and again special interests that foul our water, endanger our health, our aina, and our families future, for profits. We need to know who we vote for, and who they will represent.Puna Pono Alliance newsletter promoting the forum
Along with council district 5, the event also featured candidates running for Hawaii County Council district 4 and State House district 4: a total of 18 candidates. We will post full video of all three forums here on Big Island Video News.
I am the co-founder (2007) of Hui Pono Holoholona a 501c3, all volunteer spay/neuter organization for dogs and cats. We also have an animal shelter called (P.A.W.S ) Pono Animal Way Sanctuary. We offer low cost, no cost spay/neuter programs for those who otherwise could not afford it, sponsor clinic’s, and work with local Veterinarians. As of this date more than 3000 animals (dogs/cats) have been spay/neuter. For decades this island has had a high ongoing euthanasia at the humane society because of animal overpopulation. Our organization successful programs help reduced animal overpopulation humanely. Animal overpopulation is the lead cause of animal cruelty/abuse, animal abandonment, and it also leads to woman, child, and elder abuse. http://www.hphhawaii.org
Go to Hunts Roast4Puna & judge for yourself. It was not funny, it was mean spirited put downs towards the candidates, and behavior that of school bullies.
Quite frankly, watching Tiffany keep her composure, and then watching her clearly justified emotional response to this foul loud mouthed piece of Puna scum RJ Hampton shows beyond any doubt who the real candidate here truly is.
Also, NOT ONE of the other candidates rose to stop this babbling boob Hampton.
So what if Tiffany had a roast – and said things about the other candidates. Does anyone believe that when RJ and her band of scum sit around the campfire – that they sing kumbaya and announce their praises of the other candidates?
When one considers everything that has been said about Tiffany Edwards Hunt – most of it led by this pure pig Hampton and her equally as foul, but with a twist of sheer ignorance and stupidity one just has to shake their head at – Sativa Sultan – or Jones or whatever she has decided to name her disgusting self with this week – I think Tiffany has demonstrated the fortitude needed to deal with ALL of Puna’s issues.
Including the sheer crackpots Puna has – with both this moron Hampton and her dumb as a box a rocks “helper” Sultan as the clear leaders of Puna’s crackpot society.
What you did also witness here is just what every Council meeting would turn into with this toothless bald headed lunatic as D5’s representative.
Except remove Tiffany as her target and insert the leaders of S.P.A.C.E. Or GMO, Or GEO, or WTE.
What would be her actions if elected and she tries to pass a bill that fails – and HTH wants to interview her?
This piece of pure human crap and her gutter slime partner Sultan did indeed disparage Tiffany’s fathers military career – calling into question Tiffany’s ethics because of it.
These two piece of vermin have no ethics – no morals – no scruples – nothing.
They are nothing but pure human scum.
Funny thing about another attack these two pieces of feces made about Tiffany’s ethics – claiming that her home state of Wyoming is the most unethical state in the union.
In some parts of the mainland, when the town has had enough of its scum bags – the Sherriff generally drives them to the county line – and tells them to get lost.
Too bad we live on an island.
These two slime balls need to be driven to the County line and dropped off.