HAWAII GOP CALLS FOR ETHICS INVESTIGATION ON HONOLULU CITY COUNCILMEMBER NESTOR GARCIA

News Release from www.GOPHawaii.com

The Hawaii Republican Party filed a complaint today with the Honolulu Ethics Commission against Councilmember Nestor Garcia.

"The Honolulu City Council has long been plagued by ethics troubles and it appears City Council Chair Nestor Garcia is keeping with this sorry pattern," said Jonah Ka'auwai, Chairman of the Hawaii Republican Party. 

The Hawaii Republican Party filed an ethics complaint against Honolulu City Councilman Nestor Garcia for failure to comply with ethics rules.  HRP will also call upon Garcia to step aside as Council Chair pending the investigation. 

"We are disappointed that the new Chairman of the Honolulu City Council is using former Councilman Rod Tam as his role model.  This perpetuation of unethical and corrupt government spreads through all levels of government, as evidenced by the controversial bill introduced in the State Senate that would greatly expand the types of 'gifts of aloha' and 'charitable events' elected officials are allowed to attend under State ethics laws. 

"Until Hawaii breaks the lock of one-party rule, ethical misconduct by local politicians will always sadly be the norm in our community."

KITV reported that Nestor Garcia is accepting $60,000 as Executive Director of the Kapolei Chamber of Commerce, a business organization funded by rail contractors and failed to disclose this while simultaneously voting on rail contract proposals. 

SB 617 was deferred yesterday by the House Judiciary Committee after being introduced by Sen. Brickwood Galuteria and fiercely debated and ultimately passed by the Senate.  The bill would allow for more special interest lobbying from non-profits, which, according to the Honolulu Star Advertiser, include "charities, such as credit unions, labor unions, chambers of commerce, employee funded pension trusts, mutual insurance companies or associations and teachers retirement fund associations."

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