Memo to Mitsunaga: If it’s a fact you’re squeaky clean…do you really need the services of Michael Green?

by AtomicMonkey

As PRP continues to dig into Ben Cayetano's past, his Finance Chair, Dennis Mitsunaga, has launched over $60,000 in "independent" advertising to retaliate against the "lies and smears." Well, the "lies and smears" may simply be news clips from years ago that paint an unflattering picture of Cayetano and his chief fundraiser, not fabrications from the evil minds of political consultants.

When Dennis Mitusnaga was the subject of the criminal investigation in 2004, he lawyered up to defend his honor. He picked one of Hawaii most competent and successful criminal defense lawyers, Michael J. Green. Green is considered one of Honolulu's best trial lawyers. His website touts his expertise in criminal defense and lists: Felonies, White collar crimes, Tax evasion, Mortgage fraud, Ponzi schemes, Violent crimes, Drug crimes, including possession and trafficking, Homicide and murder. Guilty or not, Mr. Green is your best bet to escape conviction for, well almost anything, if you can afford him.

Again, the actual newspaper clips tell the story quite clearly without having to editorialize (we'll save the satire for the pictures):

Hawaii Advertiser, April 8, 2004:

Mitsunaga's name was mentioned by a city prosecutor last year who said an engineer told authorities illegal donations were solicited by Mitsunaga, who had been influential in getting the engineer state and city jobs.

"They're trying to scare the hell out of someone's secretary to say something about the boss," Mitsunaga's lawyer Michael Green said yesterday.

Green said Mitsunaga's name has been publicly maligned for the past five years.

Honolulu Star Bulletin, September 25, 2004:

During a hearing in state District Court yesterday, Deputy Prosecutor Randal Lee said local engineer George Nishimura, who pleaded no contest to making an illegal contribution to Mayor Jeremy Harris' campaign, recently told investigators that political fund-raiser Dennis Mitsunaga "was instrumental in securing state and city jobs" for him.

Michael J. Green, Mitsunaga's attorney, said his client has been around politics for many years and as a result has become a target of "all kinds of innuendo."

Lawyer, Michael Green set the record straight on Dennis Mitsunaga, almost ten years ago. (This photo is a satirical faux recreation of actual events).

Honolulu Advertiser, Oct 2, 2004:

Deputy city prosecutor Randal Lee said in a court hearing last week that Mitsunaga's brother, Dennis Mitsunaga, had been named by another defendant as a person who solicited campaign funds for Harris and said he was influential in city contracting.

State Campaign Spending Commission director Robert Watada said Dennis Mitsunaga's name "keeps coming up" in his separate investigation of illegal donations to Harris, which has resulted in

"There was no reason to mention Dennis' name," attorney Michael Green said. "What was the value of that, other than to tarnish his name and put it out there?"

StarBulletin, April 8, 2005:

Prosecutors previously disclosed that Mitsunaga was a focus of their three-year criminal investigation of the Harris campaign. Deputy Prosecutor Randal Lee said last year that a local engineer told investigators that Mitsunaga was instrumental in securing state and city jobs for him.

Michael Green, Mitsunaga's attorney, said Mitsunaga played no role in the awards of nonbid government contracts and that his client does not know any of the members of the city and state boards that issue contracts.

Mitsunaga's brother Dwight pleaded no contest in October to misdemeanor charges of exceeding campaign spending limits and making a political donation under a false name to the Harris campaign.

Mitsunaga's cousin, former Housing and Community Development Corp. of Hawaii Chairman Wesley Segawa, also pleaded no contest to money laundering and making illegal contributions to the Harris campaign last December.

Some of Mr. Green's clients were found guilty and jailed despite his best efforts. (satirical captions added to actual news photo)

Honolulu Advertiser, October 17, 2004:

State Campaign Spending Commission director Bob Watada said earlier this month that Mitsunaga's name "keeps coming up" in his investigations of illegal donations made to Honolulu Mayor Jeremy Harris' campaign.

In the wake of a city prosecutor's comments linking him to illegal campaign donations, Honolulu businessman and engineer Dennis Mitsunaga says he has taken a privately administered lie-detector test that concludes he's truthful when he denies having solicited tainted money.

[City Prosecutor] Lee said it's difficult to comment because he has not seen the polygraph results, but added: "I'm more than happy to sit down with Dennis Mitsunaga and give him my polygraph conducted by the Honolulu Police Department."

---30---

Related: Mufi’s Atomic Monkey Exposed