2009-06-10 Board of Ethics Minutes

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L UM: Regarding this? GENTRY: Regarding this. COLE: Oh, regarding your disclosure, no. GENTRY: My disclosure. CHAIR: Ms. Naeole, any comments? Okay, can we I'll entertain a motion. Sorry, go ahead. SCHOEN: Mr. Chair, if I may refer the Board to its rules, 1. S, regarding the disclosure that Board Member Gentry has made. I believe the rule is that if she believes that she can be fair and impartial in this matter, the Board can review and consider that and determine whether or not she may proceed to hear the merits of the petition. CHAIR: As we progress. Okay. So we don't need a vote, then, on this. SCHOEN: Well, I believe that you were going to entertain any comments or questions from the Board members? CHAIR: Right. SCHOEN: But based upon her representation that she can be fair and impartial in this case, it's entirely up to the Board as to how to proceed. CHAIR: Okay, let's proceed, then, unless anybody else has any comments? Okay. Again, we're dealing with Petition 2009 -2. This petition is submitted for the purpose of exposing organized government corruption in the Hawai `i County government, in violation of State, Federal Racketeering Influence and Corrupt Organizations-RICO-and that placed the general welfare of the people of Hawai `i in jeopardy. Again now, where I was going, was Mr. Cole, just to start off, give you an overview of my take. Based on the petition itself, the backup documentation that I read, I'm all for you pursuing what you feel is injustice or what you feel is something that's actionable on your part. But again, our rules and what we adhere to are strictly Ethics Code violations. So when we're hearing your side of the story, I'd like you to try and focus in on that and focus in on exactly how it pertains to the Ethics Code and/or a possible violation of such, okay? I don't think this Board here has an inkling or any kind of jurisdiction for government or organized crime laws that might or might not have been broken, and the general welfare of the people of Hawai `i, just from my standpoint, is something that we try and accomplish, we try and look after, in what we do. We need to stick to specific actions or non - actions that pertain to the Code of Ethics Section 2 -83, fair treatment. The other items that you submitted I feel that can and area little bit out of our jurisdiction. So I'd like you to try and focus on that. If I interrupt you in what you're saying, please don't take it personal. I'm just trying to keep us focused on what we're trying to accomplish here today, and I know you've made many petitions and communications to us and other agencies. I just want to make sure we're sticking to what our purpose is and what this agency can do under the rules and practices. Okay? 10