Ethics complaint withdrawn
Alika Atay
Kelly King
Elle Cochran
Alika Atay
Kelly King
Elle Cochran
Trending
Wailuku resident Clifton Hasegawa has withdrawn his ethics complaint against three Maui County Council members for their alleged actions during the council's initial meeting of the new term Jan. 2 and 3.
In the complaint, Hasegawa alleged that Council Members Alika Atay, Kelly King and Elle Cochran violated the County Charter with their call for a public hearing over committee appointments. He said that the "conduct, spoken words and actions (of the members), demonstrate self-serving interests and biases that negatively reflect on their ability to represent their constituents and the residents of Maui."
Hasegawa sent an email to The Maui News on Thursday, the day a story appeared in the paper about his complaint, to say that he had withdrawn his complaint that morning. The withdrawal was sent via email at 6:36 a.m. to county attorneys, officials and copied to council members and members of the media.
In his letter to the Board of Ethics regarding his withdrawal, Hasegawa wrote: "My withdrawal is made voluntarily and without coercion and duress." He did not give further reason in the letter.
But in a subsequent email, Hasegawa said: " My withdrawal is to bring closure to this matter based on the testimony submitted to the council. Please see attached." The attachment contained Hase-gawa's written testimony for the Jan. 2 council meeting. It was unclear how the testimony caused him to withdraw his ethics complaint.
In a later email Thursday, he said that the timing of the news story and his withdrawal of his complaint were "purely coincidental." His correspondence to the Ethics Board was transmitted hours before he learned of the story in The Maui News from a neighbor.
King has previously pointed out that Corporation Counsel Pat Wong made no legal objection to the request for the public hearing. She added that both Wong and Council Chairman Mike White acknowledged the right of the three council members to call for a public hearing on any resolution or bill per council rules and the County Charter.
A public hearing will be held at 1:30 p.m. Monday in Council Chambers on a proposed resolution on standing council committees, membership and duties. Council Members Riki Hokama and King have submitted alternate resolutions regarding the committees and duties.
A council meeting to address the resolutions will follow the public hearing.
* Melissa Tanji can be reached at mtanji@mauinews.com.