By Robbie Dingeman
Advertiser City Hall Writer

Honolulu City Councilwoman Rene Mansho today said through her attorney that she will accept a settlement offer by the state Campaign Spending Commission to end the agency’s investigation into allegations she misused tens of thousands of dollars in campaign funds.

Under terms of the settlement, Mansho faces a fine, possibly in the tens of thousands of dollars.

The settlement agreement now goes before the Campaign Spending Commission at its next meeting March 13.

Mansho attorney Charles Price today declined to provide details of the settlement. “It would be inappropriate to publicly comment on the agreement’s terms while the commission’s review and approval is pending,” Price said.

Campaign spending commission executive director Bob Watada said last week that the agreement provides that Mansho pay a fine and that the commission will not refer her case to the state attorney general for possible criminal prosecution.

Watada was unavailable to comment today on the settlement. Earlier, he declined to disclose the amount of the fine.

The commission has been focusing on more than $30,000 in expenses paid through Mansho’s campaign funds for dozens of city-sponsored trips, $12,212 in American Express charges and $5,163 in cellular phone charges.

Her extensive travel — more than any other City Council member — began in June 1990 and continued until present.

Mansho was unavailable to comment today because she was on a city-sponsored trip related to county government. Mansho is expected back tonight from the 2001 National Association of Counties conference in Washington, D.C.

Council Chairman Jon Yoshimura said he had no comment.

Mansho and Price have maintained that she did not intentionally violate campaign spending laws and that she will reimburse any amounts that she is determined to have misused.