The Hawai'i Tourism Authority's board of directors will hold a special meeting Sept. 29 to discuss the e-mail controversy surrounding its CEO Rex Johnson.

According to a meeting agenda posted yesterday, the HTA's 16-member board will again take up the issue of Johnson's use of state computers to forward questionable e-mails.

The board will hear public testimony and could take action against Johnson, who earns $200,000 a year as the HTA's top executive.

"I'm pleased to see that the board has moved in the right direction" by scheduling a special meeting, said Alphonso Braggs, president of the local chapter of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People. "But if he is retained, that's not acceptable."

News of the meeting comes as the NAACP and other local civic groups such as the Japanese American Citizens League, the Hawaii Women's Political Caucus and the African American Lawyers Association have stepped up their criticisms of Johnson and the HTA's handling of the matter.

Johnson has come under fire for forwarding racist and sexist jokes to friends on his state computer.

One of the e-mailed jokes, which was obtained by The Advertiser through the state's open-records law, referred to Sen. Barack Obama as a "coon" and Sen. Hillary Clinton as a "beaver."

'A GRAVE MISTAKE'

The discovery of the latest e-mails came after the HTA's board last month cut Johnson's annual pay by $40,000 and reduced the length of his contract from four years to one year. The board took the step after 23 adult-oriented e-mails were found in his state computer.

Johnson, who was on his way to Japan yesterday to attend a tourism conference, could not be reached.

He previously apologized for his e-mails and called them a "stupid thing." Johnson said he can continue to function as the HTA's chief executive but said he wants to talk to the organization's board.

John Penebacker, a member of the Board of Education, said the e-mails in Johnson's computer aren't a reflection of Johnson's true character.

Penebacker, who is African-American, said he has known Johnson both socially and professionally for more than 20 years and that the HTA chief has never expressed "racist tendencies."

He added that Johnson was "a strong-minded individual" with high convictions and is very dedicated to his family.

Penebacker said Johnson may have made "a grave mistake" in judgment by using state equipment for personal use. But forwarding the e-mails that were passed on to him does not make Johnson a racist, he said.

"I've seen my share of prejudice ... and I know what it looks like," Penebacker said. "This does not rise to that standard in my estimation."

During a news conference at the state Capitol yesterday, Braggs said the NAACP and other local civic groups are willing to hold a protest rally in Waikiki if Johnson does not voluntarily step down or if the HTA board does not remove him.

"We have lost confidence in his ability to objectively administer HTA's mission in an effective manner. We cannot accept such a person in a position of such great responsibility," Braggs said.

"We cannot stand by and allow the Hawai'i Tourism Authority to give credibility to what Mr. Johnson has been circulating."

Karen Nakasone, past president of the JACL of Hawai'i, said Johnson "just doesn't get it."

She said his e-mails undermine the HTA's mission of attracting "people from all over the world, of every race and ethnic background."

"These e-mails are deeply hurtful to the women and minorities who were denigrated within them," Nakasone said.