Posted on: Thursday, January 17, 2002

EDITORIAL
A credible threat to Harris campaign

The referral by the Campaign Spending Commission of possible criminal charges against Mayor Jeremy Harris and three of his aides is a potentially catastrophic development for the presumptive front-runner for the Democratic nomination in this year's race for governor.

Make no mistake, no wrongdoing on the part of the Harris campaign has been demonstrated. The evidence, which has been turned over to city Prosecutor Peter Carlisle to determine whether criminal charges should be brought, has yet to be made public. There is no way to judge whether there's substance here.

That fails, however, to reduce the gravity of the allegation that the Harris campaign circumvented the legal donation limits by intentionally attributing contributions to people who never made them.

Harris, understandably "sickened" and "outraged," nevertheless owes his public more specifics about his claim to be the victim of a "politically motivated vendetta." For starters: by whom?

To date, the spending commission has built a solid record of public watchdog service. It would be tragic for campaign spending reform in Hawai'i if it turned out Harris is right and this is nothing but careless or vendetta politics.

Harris deserves from Carlisle a rapid determination of whether to proceed or drop the charges. It would be manifestly unfair to allow the charges to lie stinking on the table for weeks and months as they destroy Harris' ability to raise funds and pursue his campaign for governor.