Subject: Hawaii Investigation Update - Kauai Ethics Meeting - Positive with Something New
From: WEWoodsMPH <[email-masked]>
Date: Thu, 23 Apr 1998 15:48:36 EDT

Aloha Folks,       A request for your comment at end of message

Yesterday began with early morning flight to Lihue Kauai.  Martin Rice of
Kapaa greeted me at airport and we stopped for a little breakfast and talk
time at Ito's Cafe.

The Kauai Board of Ethics meeting began at 9 am.  The Board decided to hear
the complaint we filed as first order of business.  After joining the Board at
the conference table, I presented the information in the complaint with
additional information collected during my ongoing investigation.

The Chair, Pauline Ventura described the extensive information on the subject
as very extensive and complimented us for working so diligently in collecting
and providing the information. 

An overview of the complaint:  Complaint is that County Finance Director used
County funds which became a political contribution to Save Traditional
Marriage 98.  The complaint not only covered the $125. actually transferred to
STM98, but a total of $772.32 which includes a day's salary, fringe,
transportation and per diem for Finance Director Wallace Rezentes, Jr. to
attend the political fundraiser on Oahu.  Two corrective actions were
requested in the complaint: 1.  That all the Kauai funds related to this
situation be returned to the Kauai County Treasurer, and 2.  the Kauai Board
of Ethics request the State Attorney General to begin an investigation into
what appears to be a fraudulent fundraising activity.

In the course of the meeting, Kauai County Attorney Hartwell Blake entered the
room and made an astounding statement.  He stated that although STM98 had
returned the $125. contribution from the County of Kauai, he was planning to
send them another check from the County to reimburse STM98 for the event
because he stated the country "received something of value that they are
obliged to pay for."

Board Chair made several statements to the effect that she believed that the
County/Rezentes was duped by the misleading and apparent fraudulent
solicitation.  She stated she believed that Rezentes never intended to use the
funds for a political cause and that the County's part in the review of the
issues did not demonstrate a cover-up, and that the County Administration and
Board of Ethics had been deeply embarrassed by being involved in the
inappropriate solicitation.

Board Chair Ventura indicated the Board would prepare a letter to the State
Attorney General to request an investigation into the state-wide issue of
alleged misleading and fraudulent solicitation activity.  Action regarding Mr.
Rezentes, Jr. and the funds involved was not made clear.  The Board would be
going into executive session at the end of the regular meeting to made that
determination.

I brought attention to the matter of the County Attorney suggesting he was
planning to issue a new County check to STM98 because the County got something
of value from the political fundraising event.   I stated with no equivocation
that this needed to be addressed by the Board of Ethics because it was
presented in front of them.  I believed that this action and any action
conveying any money to any of these groups from County money was at least
unethical if not outright illegal.  I stated further that if the action County
Attorney Blake had planned were actually done, that I would again be filing a
new complaint for that action.  Merely calling the purpose of the money by a
different name would surely still be a violation of the intent of the law.

Mr. Blake told the Board that although he had been planning to issue the new
check to STM98 he would review any consideration from the Board before taking
action.

Anyone want to comment on this report and the suggestion that the County of
Kauai might actually issue a new check to STM98 ?

do good

William E. Woods, MPH