Hemmings says Kanno should relinquish chair

By Derrick DePledge
Advertiser Capitol Bureau

State Senate Minority Leader Fred Hemmings yesterday called on state Sen. Brian Kanno to step down as chairman of the Senate Labor Committee, saying Kanno's actions on behalf of a man fired from Norwegian Cruise Line last year for sexual harassment have left a "dark cloud" over the Senate.

Kanno

Kanno declined to respond to Hemmings beyond a statement he released late Monday that said he would fully cooperate with any investigation.

State Senate President Robert Bunda, D-22nd (North Shore, Wahiawa), said lawmakers should wait for the ethics commission to review the matter before making any judgment against Kanno.

Yesterday was the first time that questions about Kanno's conduct have spilled onto the Senate floor, where personal confrontations are rare.

Hemmings, R-25th (Kailua, Waimanalo, Hawai'i Kai), told colleagues it was the first time he could recall when there was a "smoking gun of evidence that would point to legislative power being leveraged to extort a favor from or an action from a private-sector company."

Kanno met with Norwegian officials to try to get Leon Rouse rehired and, after Norwegian refused, wrote a letter to the cruise line with seven other lawmakers to try to get Rouse travel expenses and restitution.

Kanno worked with other lawmakers this session on resolutions that would have required Norwegian to divulge its sexual-harassment policies and would have studied whether the cruise line should pay state hotel room tax. The resolutions did not advance.

Norwegian officials told Senate leaders they believed the resolutions were punitive, but Kanno said he was acting within his authority as labor chairman. He has also said that his office always looks at ways it can assist people who ask for help.

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