All airlines serving Hawaii were approached for help. And the Commission has been informed that there is no application presently before the employee or his department affecting the donor, nor has any official action affecting it earlier been taken. The donor here receives no direct benefit other than publicity for providing the transportation. It will probably benefit indirectly from the improvement in the neighbor island and state economy, which is the object of the trip. While we hold that there is no per se violation of the ethics law in this situation, there are additional considerations.
State government pervades all parts of our business and economic life and controls it in many areas.
Because of this power, the solicitation of a gift from a business concern which must operate within the system places that concern in an awkward position. If the business solicited does contribute, there is always the suspicion of favored treatment to the detriment of other members of the industry who do not give equally. And a non-contributing concern will never be sure whether its failure to contribute will be remembered at some later time when it is dealing with the State. Thus, it appears appropriate that the State should take care not to obligate or create the appearance of obligating itself or others in the conduct of its business. Only if the State in its official actions conducts itself on the very highest ethical level can it inspire confidence in state government and high ethical standards of conduct in its employees.