David Shapiro: Hawaii Carpenters Union wields oversize political hammer

Since the local Carpenters Union super PAC spent $3 million smearing former Gov. Ben Caye­tano in his 2012 anti-rail mayoral race against Kirk Caldwell — for which it apologized after attaining its goal — politicians have tread lightly around the carpenters and rail lest they be next in the crosshairs.