State information chief gets termination letter

By Lynda Arakawa
Advertiser Capitol Bureau

State Office of Information Practices director Moya Davenport Gray yesterday said Lt. Gov. James "Duke" Aiona informed her she would not continue to head the agency.

Gray said she received a letter yesterday morning from Aiona saying her last day would be Feb. 13. Gray said Aiona gave no reason in the letter and that she was surprised by the decision.

"I've never met the governor," she said. "I've offered my services and never had a conversation with her, although I wanted to. I thought her platform of open government was a wonderful opportunity to really make a difference for the people of Hawai'i."

Aiona's chief of staff, George Lindsey, said the lieutenant governor's office — which oversees Gray's agency — had asked Gray not to submit any bills that would cost her agency or other agencies more money, and that "essentially she disagreed with us and she refused to accept our instruction to make this fiscal discipline plan work."

Gray said that is not true.

"I did not submit any bills to the Legislature that were not approved by the governor," she said. "I did not ask for any money. I advised the legislative committees on the status of the office and answered questions as required by the Legislature. If they want to terminate me for honesty, I guess that's their prerogative. I asked for permission to say what they wanted me to say and they refused to give that to me. The records are in their office."

The Office of Information Practices is charged with advising state departments on what information is public and what should be kept secret.

Gray, a lawyer, was appointed director of the Office of Information Practices by then-Gov. Ben Cayetano in 1995.

Reach Lynda Arakawa at larakawa@honoluluadvertiser.com or at 525-8070.