2006-08-03 Board of Ethics Minutes Special Meeting kd

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WJ: But, if I could continue on that. It may be legal to do this, but as a constituent from your district, as a voter of the State of Hawaii, I always thought this was an unfair advantage that an incumbent could do this during an election year. And... RW: Or anytime, or only during an election year? WJ: Well, specifically doing it in an election year. When I personally received it in July, I thought it was just a campaign message, and I had the same thoughts. It is on an official letterhead. You are using the power of incumbency to promote yourself during an election year and it does show an unfair advantage to those that are running against you. I personally would have hoped an elected official would have used their own funds and not use taxpayer dollars in doing this. I fortunately, again yesterday, received your beautiful color advertisement in the mail, promoting yourself as a politician and I know that was at your own expense. But what also bothers me is you say that when you discovered - -now, if not for the fact that someone brought a petition against you - -would you have discovered it? GS: No. I think that I would have probably; it would not have been readily evident to me that this was a problem. That there was a problem with this website, it would not have been. I would have, I believe, caught it. I don't know that it would have been at that particular time. I think where I would have caught is after I was going to do the third mailing, because I think that on the third mailing we were looking at not doing a mailer, that I was going to utilize my district account which is authorized us to do that, because, come July, I believe it was July 25th was the last filing deadline for running for office. And I made a mental note that I wasn't do anymore district type mailers utilizing district funds anytime after that because I was following the rule of the State Legislature. We don't have a rule like that with the County, but I was sensitive to it. So, I think to answer your question, I would have found it. But, I probably would not have found it as quickly, sir. WJ: I guess the only other comment I would have to say is when you make a mistake I think it is good to admit that you made a mistake, and unfortunately I haven't heard you say that. GS: Well I sure admitted that I have made this error in this putting my website. There is no doubt about it. That's why I felt that I was compelled to pay that particular portion back, but I want this body to know that it was not done maliciously. I did not do it consciously to have an unfair advantage because I think I view that comment that you made from the stand point of being when I wasn't an elected official. I would have probably had the same feeling, `cause that is the way the way you view the rule. When I am an elected official I wonder, just because it was an election season, does that mean that we stop representing the people. That is the other side of the brain that I thought about. I still represent the people, even though I have to go out and sign wave, like I did this morning. I still have to come over here and conduct my business, because that is what I am responsible for. I felt that the only way that the people of Puna are going to recognize what has been happening in a positive sense, because we've had such a bad reputation over the years, and very little infrastructure and improvements that this was a way of showing the people, especially at this time frame that even though, in the past Puna has not been identified as a priority, that Puna has now been identified as a priority for administration (inaudible). 15