Colleagues weigh Mansho sanctions
By Robbie Dingeman
Advertiser City Hall Writer
The Honolulu City Council plans to recommend further discipline against City Councilwoman Rene Mansho, but members are still determining how she will be sanctioned.
Advertiser library photo
Last week, Mansho was fined $40,000 by the state Campaign Spending Commission as part of a settlement that ends its probe of her campaign irregularities and charges that she misused her campaign money on travel as well as personal expenses.
Rene Mansho was charged with violating ethics and campaign spending regulations.
In addition, the city Ethics Commission issued the results of its investigation, concluding that Mansho misused her office by requiring staff to perform duties unrelated to city business, while on the public payroll.
Council Policy Chairman Romy Cachola said members of the council — without Mansho — discussed the disciplinary issue in a confidential meeting yesterday. "We decided to accept all the recommendations of the Ethics Commission," Cachola said.
He said a majority of members favor accepting the $40,000 settlement agreed to by the city and Mansho's attorney as "reimbursement" to the city for time when her employees worked on issues not related to her council duties.
The commission also recommended that the council take further unspecified disciplinary action against Mansho.
Mansho declined to comment on the latest discussions.
Cachola and Yoshimura said the discussions were civil but no consensus emerged about final disciplinary action.
"Some said we should do more," Cachola said. "Some said maybe enough."
Cachola said they will meet tomorrow to work out the details of what action they will take in response to Mansho's admission of violating state campaign spending and city ethics laws.
The council already has accepted Mansho's resignation as Budget Committee chairwoman.
The council also removed her from the Budget Committee and as council vice chairwoman.
As administrator of the council budget, Yoshimura said he already informed Mansho that he was "no longer allowing her to travel on city money."
Yoshimura said the council wants to send a clear message about the importance of following the law.
"We want to make sure that the public understands that we don't condone any violation of the campaign spending or the ethics laws," Yoshimura said.
New council Budget Chairman Steve Holmes said members are discussing a wide range of potential actions to be taken against Mansho.
They include a possibility of forwarding the case to the city prosecutor's offices to review "allegations brought that may be of a criminal nature that were outlined by the Ethics Commission."
And the options also include removing her as head of the Public Works Committee or from membership on other committees as well as arranging for ethics training refresher courses for all council members and staff.
