MAYOR WILLIAM P. KENOI INDICTED FOR FELONY THEFT
News Release from Hawaii Attorney General, March 23, 2016
HONOLULU – Today a Hawaii Island grand jury indicted Hawaii County Mayor William P. Kenoi for two counts of felony theft, two additional counts of misdemeanor theft, three counts of tampering with a government record and one count of false swearing.
The charges arose from alleged conduct taking place from 2011 through 2015 while Mayor Kenoi was in office.
The charges are:
- Counts 1 and 2: Theft in the Second Degree, Class C felonies each punishable by up to five years in prison and a $10,000 fine.
- Counts 3 and 4: Theft in the Third Degree, misdemeanors each punishable by up to one year in jail and a $2,000 fine.
- Counts 5, 6 and 7: Tampering with a Government Record, misdemeanors each punishable by up to one year in jail and a $2,000 fine.
- Count 8: False Swearing, a petty misdemeanor punishable by up to 30 days in jail and a $1,000 fine.
Attorney General Doug Chin said “The Department of the Attorney General sought this indictment after an intensive investigation that lasted almost a year. I thank the investigators and prosecutors for their efforts.” An indictment is a finding of probable cause and is not a criminal conviction.
Mayor Kenoi is presumed innocent unless and until he is found guilty of the charges beyond a reasonable doubt.
PDF: Full Text Kenoi Indictment
Bonus PDF: Kenoi Drug Dealing Conviction
* * * * *
Inouye: Kenoi Should Resign
KHON: Sen. Lorraine Inouye, D, Hilo, Kohala, Waimea, served as Hawaii Island mayor from 1990 to 1992.
“Do you think he should resign as mayor?” KHON2 asked.
“I would think that because as opposed to an election year and his term is up, I think at this time a resignation would probably be best for the mayor,” she said. (Apparently this makes her the only politician in the entire state to call for Kenoi to step down.)
Hawaii County Councilwoman Margaret Wille did not have an opinion just yet.
“I don’t wanna judge someone moments after I’ve heard what’s coming from the news, before I sit and look at it and discuss with the council,” Wille said.
She believes that could happen at their next meeting in two weeks.
If the mayor does decide to resign, the county’s managing director would be next in line for mayor.
“If the managing director, something happens to that position or if he declines or she declines the position, then the finance director becomes next in line,” Inouye said.
HNN: "Resign! Resign already! Resign already!" one audience member shouted at a Hawaii County City Council briefing in 2015.
read … Resign
Pathetic Big Island Politicos Wring Hands But Don’t Call for Resignation
SA: …Former county Managing Director Wally Lau declined to pass judgment on Kenoi, saying the mayor is owed due process. (But then what else could he say since his candidacy depends on Kenoi’s support)
“It’s now in the hands of the courts,” he said.
Lau, who is running for mayor, added that his personal pCard was audited, and he came out clean.
Another candidate for mayor, former Councilman Pete Hoffman said: “I’m sorry the county is being put through this, and I’m embarrassed for Mayor Kenoi and the hardworking (partying) people who work in his administration.”….
read … Pathetic
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