Mirikitani verdict

Let Councilman do his work in peace

I believe City Councilman Andy Mirikitani is paying a terrible price for a few thousand dollars of indiscretion. He has lost his career, his respect and could be headed to jail for many years. He was not involved in physical violence, and his monetary abuse was minuscule compared to the much more serious indiscretions of many of his political colleagues in Hawaii.

Granted he never learned how to cover his "tracks," but this is a testimonial to his basic honesty.

Let's pull the plug on chastizing him and let him exercise his right not to resign, especially since he has agreed to reduced power.

He will be a constant reminder to the other Council members to stay honest. Perhaps that's a good thing.

Arnold Widder

Council shouldn't punish Mirikitani

Hang in there, Andy. Your constituents deserve uncompromised representation until your sentencing, as provided by law. Any attempts by other Council members to curtail your responsibilities is de facto removal.

The Council would be breaking another law to additionally punish you for breaking the law. You can't represent your district without voting, no matter how disruptive to other members. But, uh...maybe you should go easy on bonuses for your staff.

George I. Nakamura
Mililani

Attorney's office won't speculate on sentence

In your July 6 editorial regarding Andy Mirikitani, you refer to "misleading information distributed by the U.S. Attorney's Office that Mirikitani faces up to 65 years in prison." Your comments can be read to imply that we are deliberately misleading the public because we know that the actual sentence will be far less than the maximum term.

I can assure you that is simply not the case.

First, we have issued no written statements since the jury's verdict on July 3.

Second, the only public statements made by this office of which I am aware are those made in response to media questions by Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael Seabright immediately following the verdict. At that time, Seabright expressly declined to speculate on what sentence Mirikitani may receive or the maximum penalties involved.

Thus, I can only conclude you are referring to information distributed at or around the time of the indictment in November 2000.

During the countless communications I have had with members of the media, I have learned one of the most consistently made requests is the maximum penalty each defendant faces for each charge in an indictment.

Therefore, this information is routinely provided as a courtesy to the media as a result of its requests, not because this office wants it disseminated and not in order to mislead anyone. I might also point out that at a guilty plea, federal law requires the maximum term of imprisonment, not the estimated guideline sentence, to be disclosed in open court.

Often our press releases upon guilty plea or conviction state that actual sentences imposed are limited by the Federal Sentencing Guidelines. This reservation is rarely disseminated by the media.

While you are free to speculate, as you have done, on what sentence may ultimately by imposed, this office will not do so for the public or the media.

Elliot Enoki
United States Attorney
District of Hawaii

Mirikitani attempts to polish image

It is clear that Honolulu City Councilman Andy Mirikitani is simply tossing out life preservers and hoping they will be noticed and remembered at his sentencing.

He stresses the needs of his constituents and serving them. He certainly did not appear worried about them when he was giving out bonuses he could have left in the city funds, and then creating a scam to get it into his pocket.

You have to give him credit, or should I say "bonus" for the theatrics.

Jimmy Gomes
Las Vegas, Nev.

Former Hawaii resident

[Quotables] "Kimo waited and waited. Now Kimo can rest in peace." Betsy Kim McVay Saying her late husband, entertainment promoter Kimo McVay, would have been pleased to hear that a congressional resolution exonerating his father of blame in the sinking of his ship during World War II will be placed in his Navy record. McVay's father, Capt. Charles Butler McVay III, was in command when the USS Indianapolis was sunk by enemy submarines resulting in the loss of 875 sailors. "Good morning." Andy Mirikitani, Honolulu City Councilman, greeting reporters as he entered Council chambers for the first Council meeting since his conviction on theft and bribery charges. State law requires Mirikitani to resign when he is sentenced in December.

On Other issues

All students deserve protection from bullies

I was pleasantly surprised to hear that the controversial National Education Association resolutions on gay and lesbian students were not passed at this year's convention. I personally don't think these politically charged measures were necessary or would have been beneficial for our schools.

All children need to be protected from harassment. However, instead of trying to force children to abandon the moral guidance of their parents and churches, we should be teaching children to behave in an appropriate manner.

If a child bullies another child for any reason, he or she should be disciplined and taught that this is unacceptable in our society. But at the same time, every child should be free to have the belief system of their choosing without being conditioned to think that they are inferior or backward because of their views.

It is alright for children to disagree and have opposing viewpoints, as long as one child doesn't beat up on the other. Isn't that what democracy is all about?

Vanessa Birang

Let private sector build Waikiki parking

The creation of a Waikiki Parking Authority would be a disaster. When will we learn that government operates business badly? When will we learn not to build an ever-larger bureaucracy?

Personally, I find plenty of free parking in Waikiki on the Ala Wai or at the Marina or near Waikiki at the fire station or at Kapiolani Park. The parking situation downtown is worse. Do something about that!

If the problem is so bad in Waikiki, why isn't private enterprise taking care of it? If government provides low-cost parking, a Waikiki Parking Authority could actually discourage the development of new parking.

Taxpayers should not subsidize parking so as to enrich Waikiki merchants.

Mark Terry

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