HONOLULU - Hawai'i Republican Party Chairman, Willes K. Lee, released the following statement today in response to allegations of credentials and resume padding by Honolulu City Council District 3 candidates Steve Holmes and Ikaika Anderson.

"It is apparent that Honolulu City Council candidates Steve Holmes and Ikaika Anderson will stop at nothing to get elected, including making false statements about their own credentials and accusing the other of doing the same. With so many challenging issues facing our communities, it's very unfortunate that Windward voters have two less candidates they can trust. The voters will see through Holmes' and Anderson's dishonest campaign trickery and wisely choose among the other more qualified candidates."

Mr. Lee's comments come as a response to yesterday's KITV story. In the report, Mr. Holmes questions Mr. Anderson's claim in a television advertisement that Anderson was former Councilwoman Barbara Marshall's senior aide for six years. Two former senior advisers to Marshall have also claimed this statement to be inaccurate.

Mr. Anderson responded to Mr. Holmes by stating that Holmes is the "one with problems on his resume."

In 1999, Mr. Holmes was unable to explain why he could not produce documentation of graduate and undergraduate degrees from the University of Iowa, despite his claim that he earned both a bachelors and master degree from the university.

The University of Iowa has said that Holmes was a former student for three semesters, but earned no such degrees.

KITV: Candidates Allege Resume Padding