2009-06-10 Board of Ethics Minutes

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REES: Well, sir, I feel a little bit of a contentious bone here between you and myself CHAIR: --No, not at all REES: --And if you're just trying to keep me on track CHAIR: - -We both want -- REES: - -I find it on the front page -- CHAIR: -- respectful and rational people REES: - -of the complaint CHAIR: - -Wait, hold on, we want rational people and rational decisions being made here. And I want rationality to be driven by what is actually submitted. So go ahead. REES: Well, I simply came down here today, and I read the complaint, Petition No. 2009 -3. And right here in the middle on the front, it says that Corporation Counsel Ashida did authorize the legal opinion requested by and rendered to the Hawai `i County Police Department to take no action on a criminal complaint filed against him. CHAIR: Those are Mr. Cole's words, right? REES: Well, I don't know whose they are. CHAIR: They're Mr. Cole's words. And what I said is I didn't see anywhere in the back- up and correspondence, Mr. Ashida using the words take no action directly towards any department. And I could be wrong. We can allow Mr. Ashida to answer that, or Mr. Cole. REES: You know what, sir, why we have public record is that I did not state that I knew what the facts were. I just said that Mr. Cole had filed a complaint stating that. At that time you chose to get contentious with me as if I were trying to state it as it was a matter of fact, proven fact. I never said anything of the sort. CHAIR: Okay. Well, all I said in response was I didn't see anywhere in the correspondence where Mr. Ashida used those words. I wasn't in conflict with you over what Mr. Cole said, okay? REES: Nor did I in my testimony claim that Mr. Ashida used those words, sir. CHAIR: Okay, all right. I stand corrected. Okay. Thank you. REES: Okay. That's enough. CHAIR: Mr. Cole? Thankyou, sir, couldyou state your name? rd