by Andrew Walden

Will an Hawaii County Board of Ethics decision help Hawaii County's new mayor chart a new course for law enforcement at the Mauna Kea telescope protest site?

Meeting just two days after the swearing-in of Hawaii County’s new Mayor, Mitch Roth, the Hawaii County Board of Ethics, Wednesday, December 9, 2020, voted unanimously to find that, during 2019 anti-telescope protests, former Mayor Harry Kim violated Hawaii County Ethics Code Sect 2.83 (Fair Treatment) on three counts: 

1. unequal enforcement at the Mauna Kea Access Road

2. using county funds to lay gravel for TMT protesters

3. agreeing to tip off protesters for imminent TMT construction.

The vote comes in response to: “Petition 2020-04: Complaint regarding the lack of enforcement and/or unequal enforcement of state laws at the Thirty Meter Telescope protest encampment at Mauna Kea Access Road.”  The petition was  submitted earlier this year by TMT supporters Lisa Malakaua and Mike Nathaniel, of Mountain View.

In a 4-0 vote, with one abstention, the County Board of Ethics also agreed to send a letter to the State Ethics Commission with findings that the state has some jurisdiction over (and thus responsibility for) equitable law enforcement at the Mauna Kea Access Road.

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COVERAGE:

Shapiro: No justice for Harry Kim in Hawaii island ethics ruling

HTH: Ethics Board rules Kim violated law in Maunakea case

CB: Former Big Island Mayor Charged With Ethics Violations Over TMT Protest

SA: Hawaii County ethics board rules against Kim in TMT case

BIVN: Board chair Rick Robinson said that the decision will need to be finalized in writing and brought before the board one more time to be made official.

DOCUMENTS:

PDF: Ethics Board Final Written Opinion Jan, 2021

PDF: Testimony of Thayne Currie in support of petition

Site: Hawaii Co Bd of Ethics

Hawaii Co Bd of Ethics: Agenda Dec 9, 2020

Hawaii Co Bd of Ethics: Minutes Oct 14, 2020

BACKGROUND:

Sept, 2019: Mauna Kea: Harry Kim Presents Fluffy Booklet Full of Cash Offers

Oct, 2019: Responding to Kim: Anti-Telescope Leader Demands 'Lawful Rent'

12-12-2019: VIDEO: Ethics Board Considers Mauna Kea Law Enforcement Inquiry

12-12-2019: Ethics Board to investigate Maunakea road blockade

1-30-2020: Ethics Board to take on Maunakea road block

Feb, 2020: Is Allowing the Anti-Telescope Blockade Ethical?

June, 2020: Call-out to TMT supporters

Aug, 2020: Hawaii ethics board receives petition over Mauna Kea protest

Sept 9, 2020: Ethics Board continues Maunakea debate

Nov, 2020: Mauna Kea: Is it an ethics violation if Mayor Harry Kim’s politically favored ‘protesters’ are allowed to break the law with impunity?