Advertisement - Click to support our sponsors.
Spending City Councilwoman Rene Mansho has until the end of Monday to respond to a proposed settlement from the staff of the state Campaign Spending Commission to settle the claims it has against her.
Commission offers
settlement for
Mansho case
Under the deal, Mansho will
pay a fine but the charges will not
be given to the attorney generalBy Gordon Y.K. Pang
Star-BulletinUnder the proposed conciliatory agreement, Mansho would be fined but the commission will not forward the charges to the state attorney general's office for possible criminal prosecution.
Robert Watada, executive director for the commission, confirmed that the offer was made to Charles Price, Mansho's attorney, this week.
Watada refused, however, to discuss the amount of the fine or other specifics of the proposed agreement, which he said will be released sometime Tuesday.
"I just want to make sure justice is done," he said.
Commission staff want Mansho to respond by Monday so that it can show the proposal to commission members on Tuesday to meet public disclosure deadlines.
The commission is slated to discuss the proposed settlement on March 13.
Mansho was out of town yesterday and could not be reached for comment. Price also could not be reached late yesterday.
The commission's investigation has centered on expenses incurred by the Friends for Rene Mansho believed to be unrelated to a campaign.
Price has stated repeatedly that Mansho did not intentionally attempt to evade campaign spending laws and that the three-term Council member is willing to reimburse the city for her mistakes.
A preliminary report issued by the commission staff centered on about $32,000 in questionable expenses for travel and lodging, cellular telephone and pager charges.
Watada wanted the report forwarded to the attorney general's office. But Mansho's attorneys persuaded the commission to give them time to reconcile the files.
Mansho is also being investigated by the city Ethics Commission on charges including use of her Council staff to work on her campaign during city time.
That agency is also progressing on its case. It meets March 15.
City & County of Honolulu
