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The Honolulu Advertiser

Posted at 10:13 a.m., Friday, January 3, 2003

Arraignment delay sought in donations case

Advertiser Staff

An attorney for the former vice president of the Honolulu engineering company SSFM International Inc. asked today that the former SSFM official's arraignment on a misdemeanor charge of making political donations to Mayor Jeremy Harris under false names be postponed until February.

Clayton Wong is one of five people connected to the firm to be charged with the offense, which carries a maximum penalty of one year in jail and a $2,000 fine.

Another of the five, company president Michael Matsumoto, pleaded not guilty to the misdemeanor and to a felony money-laundering charge last month. The other three have not yet entered pleas.

People connected to SSFM gave Harris' campaign committees more than $85,000 since 1996, state Campaign Spending Commission records show.

Prosecutors say people from other firms that gave heavily to Harris will likely face charges soon. Investigators have also questioned whether any city contracts were awarded in exchange for campaign contributions. Harris' attorneys have denied any wrongdoing.