Posted on: Tuesday, March 5, 2002

Petition against Mansho being verified

By Robbie Dingeman
Advertiser City Hall Writer

The Hawai'i Supreme Court has asked the city clerk's office to conduct certification of an impeachment petition against City Councilwoman Rene Mansho to make sure it contains the legal minimum of 1,000 valid signatures.

Attorney William Saunders Jr. in January filed the petition signed by more than 1,400 people in Mansho's Central O'ahu district.

Mansho has been under fire since last year after she admitted state campaign spending and city ethics violations and agreed to pay a total of $80,000 in fines.

Mansho could not be reached for comment. She is representing the city this week at the National Association of Counties meeting in Washington, D.C. City officials said the trip is costing taxpayers an estimated $3,200. City Council Chairman John DeSoto said he will be monitoring the impeachment effort.

"She still represents her constituents," he said. "I don't like to be judgmental in advance."

DeSoto has been criticized by some council members for restoring Mansho's power on the council in the latest reorganization of the council. But DeSoto said returning Mansho to powerful committees doesn't take her out of public scrutiny.

"We know she did wrong; we know she paid the price," DeSoto said.

City elections official Glen Takahashi said the office has 90 days to go through the signatures to determine if the petition to remove her is valid. He said the office will check for duplicate signatures and see if the people are registered voters in Mansho's district.