Legislative aide quits
amid flap

A state senator backed the man’s
suit against Norwegian Cruise Line
over his firing in 2004

A legislative aide has resigned amid questions raised recently about an influential state senator's attempts to intervene on the man's behalf after he was fired by Norwegian Cruise Line last year over allegations of sexual harassment.

The resignation comes after news reports about Senate Labor Chairman Brian Kanno (D, Kalaeloa-Makakilo) and his efforts on behalf of Leon Rouse, a longtime gay rights activist who has been working this year as office manager for freshman Rep. Rida Cabanilla (D, Waipahu-Ewa).

"Just to deter future publicity of the issue, he offered that he should step out quietly," Cabanilla told television station KITV.

Rouse contends he was unfairly fired by the cruise line and was not allowed to face male coworkers who accused him of harassment.

Rouse also acknowledged to KITV that he served eight years in a Philippine prison after being convicted on charges of child abuse for allegedly having sex with a 15-year-old boy.

Rouse, who was released in 2003, said he was framed because he refused to pay bribes to Philippine officials, adding that he has boxes of files detailing his efforts to clear his name.

"I've been openly gay for 30 years. I've never been ashamed of that," Rouse told KITV yesterday. "I'm not afraid to say who and what I am, but this child abuse charge was so absurd and so ridiculous I couldn't let it stand."

He said he didn't tell anyone at the Legislature or Norwegian Cruise Line about his experience in prison "because to explain that takes forever."

As a political activist in Wisconsin in the 1980s, Rouse had pushed for a state law prohibiting discrimination against gays in employment and housing. He later moved to Hawaii where he was among a group of activists behind a 1991 state law prohibiting job discrimination based on sexual orientation.

Kanno said he intervened on Rouse's behalf because of concerns over NCL's labor practices.

After meetings with cruise officials were unsuccessful in getting Rouse rehired, Kanno then asked some Senate colleagues to sign a letter supporting Rouse in his attempt to obtain travel expenses and restitution. A letter was signed by seven senators, although it's unclear if they were aware of Rouse's past in the Philippines.

Kanno also worked with colleagues to get resolutions introduced in the House and Senate seeking to have Norwegian explain personnel actions taken against employees accused of sexual harassment. The resolutions also would have directed the state Tax Department to assess whether the cruise line should have to pay the state's hotel room tax.

The nonbinding resolutions did not advance.

"I've never really seen something like that in the past," said Senate Vice President Donna Mercado Kim (D, Kalihi Valley-Halawa).

Norwegian Executive Vice President Robert Kritzman also said he could see no reason why the cruise line's personnel policies should be linked with whether it should pay hotel room taxes.

"We were just surprised," Kritzman said yesterday. He declined further comment.

Kanno acknowledged the criticism yesterday and stood by his actions.

"As labor chair," Kanno said, "I felt that where there was a matter of concern about the protections of workers, I felt it was appropriate for us to inquire about it."

He did not return messages left late yesterday seeking comment on Rouse's resignation.

It is not uncommon for lawmakers to introduce resolutions or proposed legislation on behalf of constituents.

Cabanilla, who introduced the House version of the resolution, also defended the proposal.

"It is common practice that legislators introduce bills and resolutions based on problems presented to them by members of the community," she said in a written statement. "Even though this resolution will not be heard, my intent was to be helpful and should not be seen as a threat to NCL."

Cabanilla added that she was aware of Rouse's firing by Norwegian and said she was concerned about what she had heard about the cruise line's labor policies.