By Robbie Dingeman
Advertiser City Hall Writer
Honolulu City Councilwoman Rene Mansho will accept a settlement offer by the state Campaign Spending Commission to end the agency’s investigation into allegations that she misused campaign money, her attorney said yesterday.
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| Rene Mansho's campaign spending is questioned.
Advertiser library photo • Feb. 3, 2001 |
Under terms of the settlement, Mansho faces a fine likely to be in tens of thousands of dollars. The agreement will go before the Campaign Spending Commission at its meeting Tuesday.
Bob Watada, commission executive director, said that besides imposing the fine, the commission agrees to not refer her case to the state attorney general for possible criminal prosecution.
But the agreement would not prevent that office or any other law enforcement agency from conducting whatever investigation would be appropriate, he said.
"I think this is a rather serious fine," Watada said. "It’s not a slap on the wrist."
Mansho attorney Charles Price declined to discuss 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.
The commission has been focusing on more than $30,000 in expenses paid through Mansho’s campaign money 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 has continued until the present. Mansho was unavailable for comment yesterday.
Mansho and Price have maintained that she did not intentionally violate campaign spending laws and that she will reimburse any amounts she is determined to have misused.
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