While a settlement may be the most appropriate way to end the Campaign Spending Commission’s investigation into the activities of Honolulu Council member Rene Mansho, this case must not be allowed to go quietly into the night.
The size of the settlement fine, reportedly in the tens of thousands of dollars, suggest that Mansho’s transgressions were serious and far-reaching.
Whether they were deliberate or simply the result of well-meaning mistakes, they obviously represent a serious breach of state campaign spending rules.
That means the details of this case, as painful as they might be, must be made public. At a minimum, this will help other candidates and elected officials avoid the pitfalls that Mansho apparently encountered.
But more than made public, they must be carefully reviewed by whatever other authorities or agencies might have an interest.
This could include the City Ethics Commission, law enforcement and the Council itself.
Barring any outright criminal activity, Mansho’s tenure on the Council remains primarily a matter between her and her constituents. But the Council can decide whether it is appropriate that she continue to hold positions of major responsibility, such as the budget chairmanship, if it turns out that she could not handle her own personal and political finances according to the law.
