COMMENTARY
Kobayashi's election may spur housecleaning at City Council

By Bob Dye
Kailua-based writer and historian

Veteran politician Ann Kobayashi becomes a member of the Honolulu City Council this week. She fills the unexpired term of Andy Mirikitani, the highest-ranking Honolulu official to be convicted of a felony while in office. He is in federal prison.

Ann Kobayashi, who was elected Jan. 26 in a special election held to replace convicted felon and former Councilman Andy Mirikitani, could prove helpful to City Council reformers. Advertiser library photo

• For lying about a 1999 traffic accident, the state Office of Disciplinary Counsel is recommending that the state Supreme Court suspend council Chairman Jon Yoshimura from practicing law for six months. Earlier, he was fined by the state campaign spending commission for improper use of campaign money.
• For malfeasance, Councilwoman Rene Mansho may face impeachment. The state supreme court has yet to decide whether to hear the case. Earlier, she was fined by the Campaign spending commission for improper expenditure of campaign money. Shortly thereafter, she was cited by the city ethics commission for illegally using her staff for personal and political purposes. She is under investigation by the city prosecutor.

Although Kobayashi is a former aide to Mayor Jeremy Harris, she is expected to vote her own mind. As a legislator, she was not a toady and isn't expected to suddenly turn into one. Those council members seeking reform to regain public confidence look to her for help.

"She can make a difference," says councilman John Henry Felix.

We will see if he's right in the next few weeks.

She has the chance to help move legislation introduced by councilman Duke Bainum to strengthen the city Code of Ethics. The omnibus bill has been stalled in a committee headed by councilman Romy Cachola for many months. The needed reforms have the backing of the Ethics Commission.

More important, Kobayashi can vote with those council members opposed to retaining Yoshimura as council chairman.

Mayor Jeremy Harris is under investigation in a campaign spending dispute. Advertiser library photo

This City Council has been reluctant to exercise its power to investigate the Harris administration. Will Kobayashi help put an end to such timidity?

Such action seems justified in light of the following developments:

• The FBI is investigating charges by a "concerned citizen" that some city liquor inspectors took bribes from bar owners.
• Honolulu police officers have admitted they falsified time sheets.
• Civilian employees of the police department falsified invoices for automobile parts.
• Some high-ranking police officers are accused of misusing money meant for the feeding of prisoners.
• Another police officer, who has since left the force, is being tried on charges of killing a young woman while driving drunk and running a stoplight.
• The city prosecutor is investigating evidence of improper campaign fund-raising by the Harris campaign, allegedly uncovered during a continuing investigation of 50 Hawai'i firms and individuals by the state campaign spending commission.
• On Wednesday, the Campaign Spending Commission is to hear a complaint that the Harris campaign illegally raised $100,000 in "soft money" for the Al Gore Democratic presidential campaign.

The alleged fund-raising activity by Harris and his committee, and a partial list of donors to it, was disclosed in this column a year ago ("Mainland sees Harris as Isles' 'Mr. Democrat,'" Feb. 11, 2001).

City Council Chairman Jon Yoshimura may lose his council leadership position. Advertiser library photo

In return for his allegedly successful national fund-raising, Harris and his wife were invited to Gore's election-night bash at the posh Cumberland Club in Nashville, Tenn. Portions of the party-cum-wake were televised.

The Harris campaign now faces a possible fine of $350,000. The campaign's attorney says such a fine would be appealed.

Although Harris himself has never been linked in any way to any inappropriate or criminal act, corruption is not unknown in the city administration.

The greatest fraud in the history of the City and County of Honolulu, dubbed the "Ewa Villages scandal," occurred during Harris' watch. It resulted in the conviction of Michael Kahapea, a low-level city official. He was sent to prison for stealing millions of dollars from the city treasury.

City officials contended Kahapea was a "bad apple" who acted without the knowledge of his supervisors. A City Council investigation failed to find any link with higher-ups in the Harris administration.

When Harris was city managing director under Mayor Frank Fasi, his deputy was sentenced to federal prison for misusing campaign money. Also, a department head, a highly respected professional who reported directly to Harris, went to federal prison for illegally soliciting campaign money for Harris and Fasi. At the time, both candidates (Harris was running for mayor and Fasi for governor) denied any connection with the crime.

Kobayashi has the chance to add a large measure of integrity to the City Council. And her new colleague Felix said he expects her to do just that. So, too, do her constituents in Manoa, Mo'ili'ili and McCully, who suffered from a lack of adequate representation during those many months consumed by Mirikitani's trial and sentencing.

I am told that the move to remove Yoshimura from the chairmanship will come sooner rather than later. Look for John DeSoto, a former chairman, to be returned to the top spot. Kobayashi, a veteran budget-watcher while serving in the legislature, will be asked to lead the council's Budget Committee. She is up to the challenge.