Liquor panel finds While the Honolulu Liquor Commission looks to replace most of its investigators, one city councilmember wants to see if the commission itself needs to be replaced.
itself on the rocks
The agency struggles to replace
indicted inspectors as critics
pose larger questions
By Rod Antone and Gordon Y.K. Pang
rantone@starbulletin.com
gpang@starbulletin.comThe commission lost eight night-time investigators and former supervisors after federal prosecutors charged them with 57 counts of extortion and racketeering, alleging that the defendants coerced bar owners to pay them off in cash to keep them from reporting liquor violations.
"Somebody needs to watch what the hell is going on down there," said attorney Michael Green, who is representing four clients who own three exotic dance clubs named in the indictment as having given money to liquor inspectors. "If you don't cooperate, you're basically run out of business.
"The inspectors can make things so difficult that customers don't want to be there."
City Councilman John Henry Felix said he spoke to the mayor yesterday and asked that a panel be created that would review the commission's role and how it operates.
"We have to look at the entire organization and see if this is still a viable way to regulate the industry," said Felix. "It could be that the system that is in place now has outlived its usefulness."
But while the commission itself faces scrutiny, it must also continue policing Oahu's liquor serving establishments and needs investigators to do so. Commission officials spoke to more than a dozen potential candidates over the weekend, nearly all of them former law enforcement officers, about the possibility of becoming temporary contract hires for investigator positions.
A number of those prospective temporary hires were being interviewed yesterday and today for the eight positions, said city spokeswoman Carol Costa.
"As soon as the paperwork is completed, they will be turned to (assistant liquor control Administrator) John Carroll for training and will be brought on as quickly as possible," Costa said.
City Managing Director Ben Lee said Friday that he was hoping to have the new investigators on board by today. But Costa said yesterday that they likely won't be on the job until at least tomorrow, when Administrator Wallace Weatherwax returns from a trip.
A liquor investigator charged in the case is expected to make his plea in court later this week. Samuel K.Y. Ho, 43, is scheduled to be arraigned at 3:30 p.m. Friday.
So far, five defendants in the case, David K.H. Lee, Harvey T. Hiranaka, Arthur M. Andres, Collin M. Oshiro and William B Richardson Jr. have pleaded not guilty to the charges. One of the defendants, Eduardo C. Mina, is said to be in the Philippines where arrangements are being made for him to return.
Officials from the U.S. Attorney's Office said defendant Kenneth L. Wright also remains out of town.
City & County of Honolulu
