The Office of Hawaiian Affairs board has rejected hiring retired Hawaii Supreme Court Justice Robert Klein as board counsel after trustees questioned the cost of having an attorney present at every OHA meeting. OHA board fails to
OK former high court
Justice Klein as counsel
By Pat Omandam
pomandam@starbulletin.comDespite reassurances from veteran trustees that OHA bylaws require board counsel to be present and that Klein would work at the same pay scale as outgoing counsel Sherry Broder, the nine-member board -- with two trustees absent -- failed to approve his hire by a 3-3-1 vote.
A majority of trustees was needed for the motion to pass. Trustees Oz Stender, Charles Ota and Linda Dela Cruz voted against hiring Klein.
"Is this board crazy or what?" said trustee Clayton Hee, who had recused himself from the vote yesterday because Klein's law firm, McCorriston Miller Mukai MacKinnon, had made donations to his lieutenant gubernatorial campaign.
Hee said he was unsure if it was a conflict of interest to vote but that if he had, he would have supported Klein because he is "eminently qualified."
Broder's contract expired June 30, and she did not reapply for the job she has held since 1986. Trustees have extended her contract until a new attorney is hired.
Klein and attorney John Ono were the two finalists chosen after interviews with trustees.
