2008-08-11_Reminder_on_Campaign_Restrictions_for_all_County_Officers_and_Employees

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Use of E-Mail for Campaign Purposes Pagel of 2 HAWAII. STATE Ij ETHICS { � SION COMMI, bishop'Sc1uare . 1001 i3� h�]E?Stra��1,P:id i(:Tov.,or 970 . Honolu Ili,F MEMORANDUM TO: Department Heads FROM: Daniel Mollway Executive Director and General Counsel SUBJECT: Use of State E-Mail for Campaign Purposes DATE: January 12, 2001 At its December 20, 2000 adjudicatory meeting, the Hawaii State Ethics Commission considered a situation in which a state e-mail account was used to forward a message advocating the election of certain candidates for state office. The State Ethics Commission took appropriate action in the case and asked that I send a memorandum to all state department heads to ask that they remind the state officials and employees within their departments that state resources, including state e-mail accounts, may not be used for political campaigning. The use of state resources for political campaigning is prohibited by Hawaii Revised Statutes ("HRS") section 84-13, the Fair Treatment section of the State Ethics Code. This section reads: § 84-13 Fair treatment. No legislator or employee shall use or attempt to use the legislator's or employee's official position to secure or grant unwarranted privileges, exemptions, advantages, contracts, or treatment, for oneself or others; including but not limited to the following: (1) Seeking other employment or contract for services for oneself by the use or attempted use of the legislators or employee's office or position. (2) Accepting, receiving, or soliciting compensation or other consideration for the performance of the legislator's or employee's official duties or responsibilities except as provided by law. (3) Using state time, equipment, or other facilities for private business purposes. http://www.hawaii.gov/ethics/noindex/emailuse.htm 10/22/2007