Ethics probe of Kanno sought

By Derrick DePledge
Advertiser Capitol Bureau

State Senate Republicans asked the Hawai'i State Ethics Commission yesterday to investigate whether state Sen. Brian Kanno abused his power by intervening on behalf of a man fired from Norwegian Cruise Line last year for sexual harassment.

Kanno

Kanno also worked with other lawmakers on resolutions this session that would have required Norwegian to explain its sexual harassment policies and studied whether the cruise line should have to pay the state's hotel room tax. Norwegian complained to Senate leaders that the resolutions were punitive and seemed connected to Leon Rouse's firing.

"Our positions as lawmakers must never be used to extort favors or privileges no matter what the cause," Senate Republicans wrote in a letter to the ethics commission.

Kanno has said he was acting in his role as labor chairman when he approached Norwegian and insisted he would have done the same for any other worker.

"I understand that there has been a request for an investigation made to the State Ethics Commission," he said in a statement last night. "If there is an investigation, I am committed to fully cooperating with the Commission.

"I believe that the issue at hand is really about the appropriate role of a legislator. In my 12 years of serving the people of my district and of the state, I have always believed that constituent service is important for all elected officials. When someone contacts my office for help, we have and will continue to look at what is the proper and appropriate way to help.

"I look forward to assisting in bringing out all of the facts in this case."

A request for an investigation is not a formal complaint, so the ethics commission will have to decide whether there is enough evidence to pursue a probe against Kanno. Dan Mollway, the executive director of the ethics commission, said he could not discuss the request but said state law prohibits lawmakers from using their offices for "unwarranted privileges, preferential treatment or favoritism."

Rouse resigned from his job as office manager for state Rep. Rida Cabanilla, D-42nd (Waipahu, Honouliuli, 'Ewa), on Friday after news reports about his problems with Norwegian led to questions about his past. Rouse was convicted of child abuse in the Philippines in 1998 for having sex with a teenage boy, although Rouse has said he was innocent.

Cabanilla said she had known Rouse was fired as a cabin steward for Norwegian but was not aware of his conviction. She said she agreed to introduce the House resolution regarding Norwegian but believed that Kanno was behind most of its language. State Sen. Carol Fukunaga, D-11th (Makiki, Pawa'a), introduced the Senate version of the resolution, which was co-sponsored by Kanno.

State Sen. Sam Slom, R-8th (Kahala, Hawai'i Kai), said he believes this is not the first time businesses have been unfairly pressured by lawmakers but called Kanno's actions "extremely blatant."

"It reflects on the entire Senate. It reflects on us," Slom said. "I think it is a black eye for the Senate."

The letter to the ethics commission was signed by all five Republicans in the Senate.

"This really speaks to a larger issue," said Senate Minority Leader Fred Hemmings, R-25th (Kailua, Waimanalo, Hawai'i Kai). "How afraid is the business community of the majority party?"

State Senate President Robert Bunda, D-22nd (North Shore, Wahiawa), said Kanno and other lawmakers did not expect to benefit from their actions related to Norwegian. "I am certain that any investigation will show that the lawmakers involved did not expect to gain anything from their actions but rather to assist someone who they felt was treated unfairly," he said.

Reach Derrick DePledge at ddepledge@honoluluadvertiser.com or 525-8070.