LeMahieu cell-phone Former state schools superintendent Paul LeMahieu accused a Legislative committee investigating spending on the Felix consent decree of "slinging mud" after members raised questions about his use of a state cell phone and his wife's services to the department.
use spurs questions
The former schools superintendent
says legislators are 'slinging mud'By Rosemarie Bernardo
rbernardo@starbulletin.comAt a hearing yesterday, committee co-chairwoman Sen. Colleen Hanabusa (D, Waianae) questioned interim schools superintendent Patricia Hamamoto about LeMahieu's use of a Department of Education cell phone to make several calls to the owner of Na Laukoa, a Hilo company awarded a $600,000 contract to provide services to special needs children.
Kaniu Kinimaka-Stocksdale, the owner, and LeMahieu have admitted to having an affair and LeMahieu resigned after questions were raised about their relationship and the awarding of the contract.
Hanabusa asked Hamamoto if she was aware that LeMahieu used 6,554 minutes of state cell phone time on calls to Kinimaka-Stocksdale. From May to August of last year, while on a $100-a-month cell-phone plan, LeMahieu's phone bill totaled $1,700, Hanabusa said. His plan was raised to $200 a month in September and then to $300 a month in December, she said.
In a telephone interview last night, LeMahieu angrily denied any wrongdoing and said the committee is talking about "dirt" and not looking at how the state is coming into compliance with the consent decree to improve services to special needs students.
"I've already faced the public to my mistake. My private mistakes did not harm the public interest," he said.
He said no one had raised questions about his use of the cell phone before.
"They (the calls) are covered by a plan, they don't cost the state anything," he said.
LeMahieu also said his wife, Marina Piscolish, has never received state money for any Felix services.
Committee special counsel James Kawashima questioned Hamamoto about the role of LeMahieu's wife in a Felix consulting project.
Hamamoto did not have an answer. She said she would look into it and into the use of the cell phone.
LeMahieu says his wife conducted workshops and asked not to be paid for them.
"I rarely defend myself," LeMahieu said. "It pains me greatly to see her (his wife) treated this way, given what we gave up to come here and pour ourselves into this work."
LeMahieu says the allegations have damaged his reputation in the community.
"We want to stay here. Our great fear is we both have to do meaningful work, and this kind of damage diminishes our ability to serve."
LeMahieu did not say if he would testify before the committee at its last public hearing Friday. He said he received a letter saying that the committee didn't think his testimony was necessary.
"Of course I want my side of the story to be heard," LeMahieu said. But he said he's not sure what benefit it would be for him to testify because the committee seems to have already come to its own conclusions.
"There has been no opportunity to challenge what witnesses have had to say," he said.
The committee did not schedule LeMahieu's testimony because members did not receive a response by Thursday, Hanabusa said. She said the committee decided not to subpoena him, out of respect and sensitivity to what he is going through.
"If he wishes to come, he should come voluntarily," Hanabusa said.
The committee also asked Hamamoto about a $63 million contract with Columbus Education Services to conduct nationwide recruiting for special education teachers.
The state has 207 special education teachers who came to Hawaii through Columbus, Hamamoto said.
Hamamoto said the court ordered the state to hire a national recruitment firm.
"There was not a choice at the time," Hamamoto said.