A new citizens group is trying to impeach Mayor Mufi Hannemann, alleging the second-term mayor used taxpayers' money to mislead voters into supporting the city's $5 billion rail transit project.

 

  Anti-Rail Critics Launch Mufi Impeachment Campaign  

 

  Members of an anti-rail organization hope to collect 5,000 signatures to impeach Mayor Mufi Hanneman. 

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  “;He's used and abused his governmental powers to influence the outcome of the entire process ... railroading the public with misinformation,”; said group spokesman Eric Ryan yesterday at a news conference.

He said voters would not have voted for rail or Hannemann if they knew were “;lied to.”;

The group, ImpeachMufi.com, a sort of a carbon copy of the anti-rail group Stop Rail Now, said it is launching a drive to gather 5,000 signatures on a petition for impeachment.

The petition would be filed in Circuit Court, which would hold hearings on the charges, according to the City Charter. Honolulu's mayor can be impeached for wrongdoing or inaction.

Hannemann, who was celebrating his inauguration yesterday, said the protest is not stopping him from moving forward with rail.

“;Obviously, if people were unhappy, I would have been voted out,”; he said. “;We have a mandate and we're going to move forward.”;

In the November election, 53 percent of Oahu voters backed rail transit in a city-called vote on the heels of a petition drive by Stop Rail Now.

Ryan, former campaign manager for Stop Rail Now, said Hannemann committed fraud by using taxpayers' money to send out false information.

Attorney John Carroll, who also was an attorney for Stop Rail Now, said the group has solid evidence in federal and transportation reports that disprove Hannemann's and the public relations campaign's claims.

The group said it is trying to impeach Hannemann rather than sue him because it is the quicker route. They hope to have 5,000 signatures by next month.

Makaha resident Lawrence “;Bud”; Ebel, 75, wore a T-shirt that read “;Impeach Mufi”; at the news conference. He said he is mostly concerned about raising taxes to pay for the project and to subsidize its operation. He prefers a double-decker highway because it would not affect land where some people live, he said.