More Proof You Can't Trust Hawaii Gambling Lobbyist John Radcliffe
| BUSTED! |
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| Sudagar Dhandapani System Analyst Capitol Consultants of Hawaii |
John Radcliffe, a Hawaii lobbyist for Detroit casino syndicators Michael Malik and Marian Ilitch, has denied any relationship with a so-called “grassroots” citizens group that appeared last Spring and is promoting Radcliffe’s same “good economic policy” pro-casino message; however, TheVerifiableTruth.com has learned that an employee at Radcliffe’s lobbying firm, Capitol Consultants of Hawaii (CCH), established and owns the website for the group Citizens for a Better Way (CFBW).
John Radcliffe has been identified as an on-again, off-again Hawaii lobbyist for Detroit casino syndicators Michael Malik and Marian Ilitch. They are part of a mainland syndicate that’s tried to legalize gambling in Hawaii since 2000. They want to develop and operate a gambling hall on Waikiki Beach.
As Hawaii’s 2010 gubernatorial campaign was getting underway, the Detroiter’s re- engaged Radcliffe for the purpose of influencing the elections and renewing the debate for legalized gambling in a new Administration. Hawaii and Utah are the only states that do not have any form of legalized gambling.
As part of this renewed push, Radcliffe’s been promoting a message that suggests gambling would be good “economic policy” for cash-strapped Hawaii. Last Spring, Citizens for a Better Way (CFBW) appeared out of nowhere. Liz Watanabe, a master at self-promotion, has been identified by Radcliffe as the leader of CFBW. Watanabe is the founder of the Hata Foundation, a non-profit founded in 2009 affiliated with a reality TV poker tournament filmed in Honolulu and aired Saturdays on KHON during 2010 -- Hawaii's Big Deal. It's not clear who produced/funded Hawaii's Big Deal but Watanabe identified herself as Executive Producer.
While both Watanabe and Radcliffe deny he created, is funding or controls CFBW; the group echoes Radcliffe’s “good economic policy” message and has produced videos that feature Radcliffe prominently. Those videos are airing on cable TV and are featured on the CFBW YouTube channel. A media story suggested that robocalls (pre-recorded, automated telephone calls) went out to Oahu voters in the Spring of encouraging people to call their elected officials and urge them to vote to legalize gambling. Somebody produced the videos, retaioned the robocall provider and paid for the cable TV spots. Somebody's established the social media presence.
Radcliffe and Watanabe seem naïve to the “information age” and frankly, demonstrate they and those working on their behalf are amateurs.
The truth is, that "somebody" in part is Sudagar Dhandapani, an employee at Radcliffe’s Capitol Consultants lobbying firm. Dhandapani established and "owns" the CFBW website. TVT has received third-party confirmation of Dhandapani’s involvement from DomainTools.com.
Dhandapani, truly a computer geek, is identified as a System Analyst on the staff page of the Capitol Consultants Website and has been employed there since 2004. His resume suggests he’s also been employed with G.A. Morris, Inc. since 2002. That company is owned by Capitol Consultants' President George A. “Red” Morris. Dhandapani owns other websites too. No doubt he set up and manages the CFBW Facebook and YouTube channels because Radcliffe and Watanabe certainly don't have the wherewithal.
Amateurs!
Amateurs!
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