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| Kim Dotcom, Online Renegade, Shakes Up New Zealand Election | Kim Dotcom, Online Renegade, Shakes Up New Zealand Election |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| AUCKLAND, New Zealand — It was not an ordinary political rally, but this has been anything but an ordinary election. | AUCKLAND, New Zealand — It was not an ordinary political rally, but this has been anything but an ordinary election. |
| The hundreds of people who packed Auckland Town Hall on a recent evening were regaled with speeches by the Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist Glenn Greenwald, the WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange and the former N.S.A. contractor Edward Snowden, the last two appearing by Internet video link. Mr. Greenwald and Mr. Snowden said the New Zealand government had carried out, or at least participated in, mass domestic surveillance. | The hundreds of people who packed Auckland Town Hall on a recent evening were regaled with speeches by the Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist Glenn Greenwald, the WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange and the former N.S.A. contractor Edward Snowden, the last two appearing by Internet video link. Mr. Greenwald and Mr. Snowden said the New Zealand government had carried out, or at least participated in, mass domestic surveillance. |
| But at the center of the show was the event’s organizer, Kim Dotcom, the online entrepreneur accused of mass copyright theft whose fledgling Internet Party stands a chance at winning seats in Parliament in the national elections on Saturday. | But at the center of the show was the event’s organizer, Kim Dotcom, the online entrepreneur accused of mass copyright theft whose fledgling Internet Party stands a chance at winning seats in Parliament in the national elections on Saturday. |
| “We are going to work really, really hard to stop this country from participating in mass surveillance,” Mr. Dotcom told the crowd. “And we’ll close one of the Five Eyes,” he added, referring to the intelligence alliance that includes the United States, Britain, Canada, Australia and New Zealand. The crowd erupted in cheers. | “We are going to work really, really hard to stop this country from participating in mass surveillance,” Mr. Dotcom told the crowd. “And we’ll close one of the Five Eyes,” he added, referring to the intelligence alliance that includes the United States, Britain, Canada, Australia and New Zealand. The crowd erupted in cheers. |
| In this remote Pacific island country, where elections usually turn on such bread-and-butter issues as jobs and personal financial security, this election campaign has been rocked by a scandal involving the hacked emails of a right-wing blogger that led to the resignation of a senior minister, a campaign finance scandal that forced the resignation of a member of Parliament, and a lawsuit brought by the publishers of the American rapper Eminem accusing the governing National Party of illegally using his song “Lose Yourself” in a campaign ad. (The party denies the allegation.) | In this remote Pacific island country, where elections usually turn on such bread-and-butter issues as jobs and personal financial security, this election campaign has been rocked by a scandal involving the hacked emails of a right-wing blogger that led to the resignation of a senior minister, a campaign finance scandal that forced the resignation of a member of Parliament, and a lawsuit brought by the publishers of the American rapper Eminem accusing the governing National Party of illegally using his song “Lose Yourself” in a campaign ad. (The party denies the allegation.) |
| The issue that has drawn international attention, however, has been Mr. Dotcom himself, who, since he moved here several years ago, has become an outspoken character and a significant player in New Zealand politics. | The issue that has drawn international attention, however, has been Mr. Dotcom himself, who, since he moved here several years ago, has become an outspoken character and a significant player in New Zealand politics. |
| Born Kim Schmitz in Germany before legally changing his name, Mr. Dotcom, 40, is fighting extradition to the United States, where he is wanted on racketeering charges stemming from his now defunct file-sharing site Megaupload. | Born Kim Schmitz in Germany before legally changing his name, Mr. Dotcom, 40, is fighting extradition to the United States, where he is wanted on racketeering charges stemming from his now defunct file-sharing site Megaupload. |
| While out on bail as he appeals the case, he has introduced a new online storage company, Mega, confronted the prime minister in Parliament, released an album and founded the Internet Party. | While out on bail as he appeals the case, he has introduced a new online storage company, Mega, confronted the prime minister in Parliament, released an album and founded the Internet Party. |
| The party advocates a wide range of policies, including decriminalizing marijuana for personal use, setting a national goal of 100 percent sustainable energy generation by 2025, repealing surveillance legislation and amending copyright laws to, among other changes, protect Internet companies from “civil liability arising from the action of their users,” a fix that could shield hosting services such as Mega. | The party advocates a wide range of policies, including decriminalizing marijuana for personal use, setting a national goal of 100 percent sustainable energy generation by 2025, repealing surveillance legislation and amending copyright laws to, among other changes, protect Internet companies from “civil liability arising from the action of their users,” a fix that could shield hosting services such as Mega. |
| There is widespread suspicion, as well, that should his party win a place in the government, it would try to block his extradition. | There is widespread suspicion, as well, that should his party win a place in the government, it would try to block his extradition. |
| Analysts say that a spot in a coalition government is not out of the question. | Analysts say that a spot in a coalition government is not out of the question. |
| The Internet Party, though relatively tiny, has formed an alliance with the small, left-leaning Mana Movement, which already has one member of Parliament. The 3 News poll suggests that if the current Mana leader retains his seat, the combined Internet-MANA coalition could take three seats in Parliament. | |
| If no party wins a majority, smaller parties could wield significant negotiating power and potential influence in a coalition government, which would have final say over an extradition. | If no party wins a majority, smaller parties could wield significant negotiating power and potential influence in a coalition government, which would have final say over an extradition. |
| Mr. Dotcom, who is not a New Zealand citizen and cannot run for office himself, has campaigned publicly and spoken on his party’s behalf, acting as its founder, figurehead and financier. | Mr. Dotcom, who is not a New Zealand citizen and cannot run for office himself, has campaigned publicly and spoken on his party’s behalf, acting as its founder, figurehead and financier. |
| “He’s still sort of seen as being outside the parliamentary political process, but kind of throwing some sort of hand grenades into it,” said Dr. Bryce Edwards, a lecturer in the politics department at the University of Otago. “His whole position is quite unprecedented, really, in so many different ways.” | “He’s still sort of seen as being outside the parliamentary political process, but kind of throwing some sort of hand grenades into it,” said Dr. Bryce Edwards, a lecturer in the politics department at the University of Otago. “His whole position is quite unprecedented, really, in so many different ways.” |
| Mr. Dotcom has sunk at least 3.5 million New Zealand dollars, or $2.9 million, into the Internet Party, the largest personal contribution to a political party on record in New Zealand, according to the Electoral Commission. Dr. Edwards said the donation “overshadows everything else that’s gone before in New Zealand politics.” | Mr. Dotcom has sunk at least 3.5 million New Zealand dollars, or $2.9 million, into the Internet Party, the largest personal contribution to a political party on record in New Zealand, according to the Electoral Commission. Dr. Edwards said the donation “overshadows everything else that’s gone before in New Zealand politics.” |
| While it is not known how much Mr. Dotcom is worth, when he was arrested in 2012 in a dramatic helicopter raid on his compound, he was living in New Zealand’s most expensive mansion, worth $24 million. The police seized 18 luxury vehicles worth $6 million — including a Rolls-Royce Phantom Drophead Coupé and a 1959 pink Cadillac — computers, and as much as $11 million in cash. He has said Mega was worth $210 million. | While it is not known how much Mr. Dotcom is worth, when he was arrested in 2012 in a dramatic helicopter raid on his compound, he was living in New Zealand’s most expensive mansion, worth $24 million. The police seized 18 luxury vehicles worth $6 million — including a Rolls-Royce Phantom Drophead Coupé and a 1959 pink Cadillac — computers, and as much as $11 million in cash. He has said Mega was worth $210 million. |
| In politics, he has said one of his main goals was to help to defeat the National Party-led government, which he has accused of colluding with the American film industry. With the film industry cited as one of the main victims of Megaupload’s alleged copyright piracy, Mr. Dotcom sees the government’s cooperation with his extradition as doing the industry’s bidding. | In politics, he has said one of his main goals was to help to defeat the National Party-led government, which he has accused of colluding with the American film industry. With the film industry cited as one of the main victims of Megaupload’s alleged copyright piracy, Mr. Dotcom sees the government’s cooperation with his extradition as doing the industry’s bidding. |
| Despite the scandals this year, the center-right National Party remains the most popular, with support from about 45 percent of voters, according to a poll conducted by 3 News on Sept. 9-15, still far ahead of its nearest rival, the left-leaning Labour Party, with just 26 percent. | Despite the scandals this year, the center-right National Party remains the most popular, with support from about 45 percent of voters, according to a poll conducted by 3 News on Sept. 9-15, still far ahead of its nearest rival, the left-leaning Labour Party, with just 26 percent. |
| Still, Mr. Dotcom has been able to rattle both parties. | Still, Mr. Dotcom has been able to rattle both parties. |
| On the campaign trail, the usually calm and composed prime minister, John Key, has lashed out on occasion, calling Mr. Greenwald a “loser” and a “henchman” of Mr. Dotcom. | On the campaign trail, the usually calm and composed prime minister, John Key, has lashed out on occasion, calling Mr. Greenwald a “loser” and a “henchman” of Mr. Dotcom. |
| And although Mr. Dotcom has tried to ally himself with other left-leaning parties, they have not always welcomed the attention. | And although Mr. Dotcom has tried to ally himself with other left-leaning parties, they have not always welcomed the attention. |
| “Frankly, people have had about enough of Kim Dotcom,” the Labour leader, David Cunliffe, grumbled Wednesday. “I detest the influence of big money in New Zealand politics, wherever it comes from.” | “Frankly, people have had about enough of Kim Dotcom,” the Labour leader, David Cunliffe, grumbled Wednesday. “I detest the influence of big money in New Zealand politics, wherever it comes from.” |
| In response to Mr. Dotcom’s spying allegations, Mr. Key has denied repeatedly that the Government Communications Security Bureau, New Zealand’s equivalent of the National Security Agency in the United States, conducts mass domestic surveillance. But he has refused to comment on whether it shares N.S.A. data that may have been collected from New Zealanders. | In response to Mr. Dotcom’s spying allegations, Mr. Key has denied repeatedly that the Government Communications Security Bureau, New Zealand’s equivalent of the National Security Agency in the United States, conducts mass domestic surveillance. But he has refused to comment on whether it shares N.S.A. data that may have been collected from New Zealanders. |
| Mr. Key said he believed Mr. Dotcom was toying with politics simply to advance his own interests. | Mr. Key said he believed Mr. Dotcom was toying with politics simply to advance his own interests. |
| “We’ve got an election, which is about New Zealanders, being heavily influenced by a guy who cares about himself and not being extradited to the United States,” Mr. Key said in a video interview posted on The New Zealand Herald’s website on Monday. | “We’ve got an election, which is about New Zealanders, being heavily influenced by a guy who cares about himself and not being extradited to the United States,” Mr. Key said in a video interview posted on The New Zealand Herald’s website on Monday. |
| Mr. Dotcom, who declined to be interviewed for this article, denies his political aspirations are selfish. | Mr. Dotcom, who declined to be interviewed for this article, denies his political aspirations are selfish. |
| “This party has nothing to do with my extradition,” Mr. Dotcom told reporters in June. “Anyone you have asked in your interviews within the last couple of months has confirmed to you that I have not brought up the topic of extradition once, because this is not what the Internet Party is all about.” | “This party has nothing to do with my extradition,” Mr. Dotcom told reporters in June. “Anyone you have asked in your interviews within the last couple of months has confirmed to you that I have not brought up the topic of extradition once, because this is not what the Internet Party is all about.” |
| Regardless of his intentions, he seems to have stirred interest in the election. As of Wednesday, more than 434,000 people had already cast ballots in early voting, more than double the number who had voted by this time in the previous election. | Regardless of his intentions, he seems to have stirred interest in the election. As of Wednesday, more than 434,000 people had already cast ballots in early voting, more than double the number who had voted by this time in the previous election. |
| Dr. Edwards said he predicted an increase in turnout on Saturday “because this has been such a colorful election campaign.” | Dr. Edwards said he predicted an increase in turnout on Saturday “because this has been such a colorful election campaign.” |
| “There would hardly be anyone that doesn’t know the election is taking place,” he said. “And people have become more polarized and excited — or maybe even repulsed — by some of the major players.” | “There would hardly be anyone that doesn’t know the election is taking place,” he said. “And people have become more polarized and excited — or maybe even repulsed — by some of the major players.” |