What really prompted Fox resignation?
THE ISSUE
Galen Fox resigned from the House after being convicted of a sexual offense.
|
REP. Galen Fox's resignation from the state House was the only plausible choice available to him following his conviction for a sexual offense. The only question remaining is whether his decision was forced by the conviction or by belated public awareness of the offense.
Fox, a Republican, was arrested last December and charged with sexually molesting a woman sitting next to him on a plane trip from Honolulu to Los Angeles. He quickly notified Governor Lingle, the titular head of the state GOP, and relinquished his role as House minority leader in June, citing personal reasons.
Fox was convicted of the misdemeanor in federal court in Los Angeles in a nonjury trial on Oct. 20. Lingle says Fox informed her office shortly afterward, but the earliest she could meet with him was Monday of this week because she was traveling on Maui.
That was the same day that a KITV reporter apparently learned of the incident and the conviction. After the reporter sought comment from the governor, Lingle met with Fox and suggested he resign. He then announced that his resignation would be effective Dec. 1.
Fox's presumption of innocence was sufficient reason for the incident to be kept under wraps prior to the conviction. Honolulu media were unaware; the federal courthouse in Los Angeles is not on our beat, and reporters who do cover it don't know who Fox is. His stature made it news in Hawaii, not California.
"If not for the media stories, she (Lingle) would have said nothing," said Tom Brower, Democratic Party communications director and loser to Fox in House races in the Waikiki-Ala Moana district. Lingle's stoic response: "They (Democrats) can question it, but I don't have anything new to add at this time."
The presumption is that Fox, if he had decided to resign, would have done so for personal reasons, with no elaboration by Fox or Lingle, and the public would have been left in the dark.
Oahu Publications, Inc. publishes
the Honolulu Star-Bulletin, MidWeek
and military newspapers
BOARD OF DIRECTORS
David Black, Dan Case, Dennis Francis,
Larry Johnson, Duane Kurisu, Warren Luke,
Colbert Matsumoto, Jeffrey Watanabe, Michael Wo
HONOLULU STAR-BULLETIN
Mary Poole, Editorial Page Editor
(808) 529-4748;
mpoole@starbulletin.com
The Honolulu Star-Bulletin (USPS 249460) is published daily by Oahu Publications at 500 Ala Moana Blvd., Suite 7-500, Honolulu, Hawaii 96813. Periodicals postage paid at Honolulu, Hawaii. Postmaster: Send address changes to Star-Bulletin, P.O. Box 3080, Honolulu, Hawaii 96802.