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as a non-political event and yet—and it wasn’t even mentioned that the mayor was going
<br />to speak there, but he did speak there. The reason we have to separate these is, that was
<br />like $20,000 of taxpayer’s money that went into that event, and they used it as a political
<br />fest. And I believe that Billy Kenoi should have to pay for the Peace Festival, since he
<br />used it to play politics, and he used his emcee, who is a County employee, to be the
<br />emcee, to wear his t-shirt with her badge. I’m not going to mention her name, because I
<br />have a lot of respect for the family. But I’m just going to say that this kind of stuff is
<br />happening every day. When I talked to the Tribune reporter about it yesterday, he told
<br />me it’s happening all over the island. So we’re out of control with our ethics. And I
<br />appreciate this day, because this is everything I’ve been dealing with for a long time, and
<br />these are not petty issues. These are very important issues. Thank you for your time.
<br />Aloha.
<br />
<br /> Mr. Dill called up Hope Cermelj, who had signed up to testify on all agenda items.
<br />
<br />MS. CERMELJ: Hello, aloha. My name is Hope Cermelj. I chose to be a non-partisan
<br />candidate to run for Faye Hanohano’s job since she’s not doing it. The people behind
<br />me are some of my constituents in the future, if God lets me have this job. You folks took
<br />an oath. Just as R.J. said, you have to uphold that oath and have a little compassion for
<br />the people who are sitting in this room, giving full testimony of what’s going on. I come
<br />from Ohio, Florida, California, Arizona, Alaska, Missouri—Misery, and now I’m a
<br />Hawai‘i citizen running for office. I was denied the right by the Supreme Court to have a
<br />recount because I didn’t put the right verbiage in. So I have an attorney now, and my
<br />attorney has given all the information to the Ombudsman, the Attorney General, Brian
<br />Schatz, our lieutenant governor, as well as Neil Abercrombie, the Office of Elections in
<br />Pearl City, Scott Nago, and Jamae over there, who I believe in my own personal
<br />opinion—this is my own personal opinion—should be fired for what she’s done. Her
<br />father took an election box up the Miloli‘i hill and brought it down to the Miloli‘i voters
<br />late. Her own father. She denied it. I have testimony ready to go. So back to the Board
<br />of Ethics of the County of Hawai‘i. Dominic Yagong had a conflict of interest. He
<br />should have recused himself as being chairman of the Hawai‘i County Council, because
<br />he was responsible for the elections. That was a complete annihilation of federal and
<br />Hawai‘i State rights. Our people in Pāhoa alone, where I come from, were denied the
<br />right to vote. They were turned away. One man who was denied the right to vote in
<br />Pāhoa, they sent him to Kona, and when he put his voting ballot into the box, the lady
<br />said it probably won’t count. I purposely myself voted for myself. Of course, I’m non-
<br />partisan, as well as I have the right to vote for the people I want to go represent me in
<br />Washington. Therefore, my ballot for myself was blank. They took it away. They don’t
<br />even have the guts to show me that ballot, because they know they’re wrong. I know I
<br />was wrong, but I made a point. Non-partisanship is growing in America. I don’t know if
<br />you folks know that, but people are sick of the big parties. Dominic is a non-partisan
<br />County Council person for his district, and also the chairman. He should recuse himself
<br />of everything. And where is he? I’ve asked them to go get him. I live in Kalapana. I
<br />voted for Zendo, but of course my ballot didn’t count, so what the heck, you know. New
<br />Business—no, I’m not done (timer sounded).
<br />
<br />MR. DILL: It’s just indicating the three minutes per item.
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