Mansho should step gracefully out of City Council spotlight

By Bob Dye
Kailua-based historian and writer

The open electric car-bearing Councilwoman Rene Mansho quietly approaches the triangular park across from the News Building. "Hey, Rene," I yell. Turning from the wheel, she smiles broadly and waves grandly in my direction as if I were a crowd.

Parking illegally in front of fire hydrants is the least of councilwoman Rene Mansho's problems. She has admitted to violating campaign spending laws and has required her staff to do campaign work on city time. Advertiser photo library • Dec. 18, 2000

She who in her youth bubbled with promise had become no more than a legend in her own mind.

As Queen of Nostalgia, she promotes ballroom dancing in Waikiki. On "Aloha Boat Days" at Honolulu Harbor, the Royal Hawaiian Band plays for her hula.

As Public Official she reigns in bright mu'umu'u as the member of the Honolulu City Council representing folks from Waipi'o to Sunset Beach/Waiale'e, designated as District I.

City-paid staff attend to (or did until recently) her personal and political needs. When no space is available, she parks in front of fire hydrants.

Campaign donations supported a "rich and famous" lifestyle: the Hanohano Room, Michel's, and Roy's Restaurant; Mainland travel; lodging at the Prince Hotel on Maui, the Hilton in Atlanta, the Royal in Japan, among others.

She tips well, $20 to the driver of a Waikiki Trolley. Thoughtful to a fault, she sent flowers and gifts, and gave generously of her campaign funds to friends and community groups.

But not all funds were treated by her as largesse. Rene's Aloha Scholarship Golf Tournament raised $21,750, but only $6,500 was awarded to scholars, the Campaign Spending Commission found.

The commission also learned that official city trips, paid for with campaign settlement checks from the City & County of Honolulu, were not returned to campaign coffers: They were deposited in Rene's personal account.

Rene admits to violating campaign spending laws, and promises to make restitution. She contends, nevertheless, that "none of the violations were knowing and willful." Despite the protestation, the Campaign Spending Commission fined her $40,000.

There are other violations, of the City Charter, which she has admitted.

For more than a decade her staff was required to do campaign work on city time.

Taxpayers deserve better, the ethics commissioners say.

Unfortunately, the City Ethics Commission has no power to enforce the ethics laws. It can only recommend courses of action, in this case to the City Council.

Also unfortunately, the City Council has very limited powers to enforce ethical behavior by its members. About all that body can do is remove a colleague from important committee assignments, as it did Councilman Andy Mirikitani when he was recently indicted by a federal grand jury.

When Rene learned her colleagues wanted to remove her as chairwoman of the Budget Committee, she resigned from the powerful position. But that resignation mostly hurt the people in District I, not her. Her colleagues also removed her as vice chair of the council, a post that sounds bigger and better than it is. She will no longer be allowed to take city-sponsored trips, says council chairman Jon Yoshimura.

Despite all the admitted misdeeds, Rene has been given the chairmanship of the important Public Works Committee. Perhaps that appointment garbled the other messages. Ever-bubbly Rene, not getting it, said she looked forward to the new assignment.

If she hopes the resignation and removal will deter further disciplinary action by her colleagues, she is wrong. There will be another $40,000 fine, to be imposed within two weeks.

While violations of campaign spending laws are not in and of themselves cause for impeachment, requiring city employees to perform political campaign duties on city time in city facilities is an impeachable offense. And surely theft of city funds, whether paid back or not, has to be grounds for removal from office.

Will Rene's constituents in District I begin that long and arduous process? First, they need 1,000 signatures. Then the state Supreme Court has to agree to constitute a board of impeachment. That body can also conduct an investigation by a court-appointed master, perhaps revealing other misdeeds. or none at all.

(When the justices last sat on a board of impeachment in 1926, they refused to impeach Republican city supervisor Sonny Cunha for misfeasance.

(Apparently, he had been set up by Mayor Johnny Wilson.)

Or will the voters of the district wait for City Prosecutor Peter Carlisle to bring charges against Rene, and await the results of a trial?

If found guilty of a felony, Rene automatically will be removed from office.

These sad scenes in the last act of the Rene Mansho Show are uncomfortably long for the audience and ill-starred for Rene. Some voters, holding their noses, are already heading for the exits. Those still watching the sorry spectacle may hope the diva voluntarily leaves the stage before the final curtain descends.

Do it, Rene! Such a grand gesture by a generous spirit, one that still promises so much, will be loudly applauded.

You can be a legend in our minds as well.