Billy Kenoi indicted today of theft

[jrw]

When is he going to be arrest or turn his self in how many days after the warrant has been issue does it take to charge him?

jrw

[Guest]

This could be a very sticky situation if this type of theft with public money was taking place during these times of emergency.

http://www.bigislandvideonews.com/2014/0...laws-puna/

Not sure what type of thieves are worse, those who steal from your home or those who steal from sworn in power to protect?

[Punatic007]

quote:

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Originally posted by gypsy69

This could be a very sticky situation if this type of theft with public money was taking place during these times of emergency.

http://www.bigislandvideonews.com/2014/0...laws-puna/

Not sure what type of thieves are worse, those who steal from your home or those who steal from sworn in power to protect?

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That's a very good point gypsy.

[shockwave rider]

quote:

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Originally posted by sistersue

I'm just wondering - how could someone so STUPID be a "mayor" of anything?? Why didn't he just use his own credit card? He's either retarded or self-destructive. ???

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You are insulting the developmentally delayed here. They are the way they are through no fault of their own and using their status as an insult is playground level cruelty to those who will never have the opportunity to do something like be a mayor.

[knieft]

So why don't we all run for mayor?

Cheers,
Kirt

[opihikao]

FYI: (Snipped - More at link)

http://www.hawaiinewsnow.com/story/31563...theft-case

HILO, HAWAII (HawaiiNewsNow) -
Big Island Mayor Billy Kenoi rejected a plea deal offered by state prosecutors, sources said, paving the way for his theft indictment Wednesday.

One reason Kenoi turned down a plea bargain, according to an experienced defense attorney, is that he could lose his license to practice law with any conviction in this case.

"If he gets a conviction, any kind of criminal conviction, then the Office of Disciplinary Counsel would be involved. There would be a separate independent investigation and then he'd have to address that matter before the Hawaii Supreme Court," said Myles Breiner, a defense attorney and former deputy city prosecutor.

In the case against Kenoi, according to two well-known criminal defense lawyers, prosecutors will have to prove whether Kenoi intended to steal from taxpayers.

"They'd have to prove that he had the intent. Not reckless, but the specific intent to defraud the county of those funds,” Breiner said.

Eric Seitz, a lawyer who’s defended several Hawaii officials in public corruption cases, agreed.

"Did he intend to deprive somebody permanently of property? And that's going to be very difficult to prove, especially since he says 'Oh, I intended to pay it all back, and I have paid it all back,'" Seitz said.


Additionally, the Ethics Board is to hear the complaint: (*Snipped - More at link)

http://hawaiitribune-herald.com/news/loc...-complaint


Mayor Billy Kenoi will face an ethics complaint, in addition to criminal charges, for charging personal expenses to a county credit card.

After initially deferring a petition from Kapaau resident Lanric Hyland, the Hawaii County Board of Ethics has agreed to hear his complaint against the mayor at its May 10 meeting, according to a letter he received from the board. The letter was copied to Kenoi’s attorneys.

Hyland alleges Kenoi violated the county’s ethics code by using his purchasing card, known as a pCard, for noncounty expenses that included trips to two Honolulu hostess bars.

The board initially deferred the petition last May while the state attorney general’s office investigated Kenoi’s spending habits.


Very sad, very disturbing, and very embarrassing situation. Most of all, I feel badly for his wife, keiki, and ohana. The comments here make valid points. The salacious details, however, continue to flood the media with both fact and fiction, which inhibit the truth finding.

It breaks down to basics, in my mind:

1) Extremely poor decision. Morally, ethically, and perhaps, legally (we shall see what the courts/lawyers decide).

2) Intent: What was his intent? (Rhetoric question, at this point. The courts will decide "intent", not us.)

3) Political influences/Political career - (ie. Ige, "et al" may not want Kenoi running against him the next election; Senate seat is also up for grabs, etc.) Without perceived integrity, credibility, and trust, you may be done/toast/pau.

Let us trust that ALL elected officials are scrinitized given their position and kuleana. From Washington D.C., to Honolulu, to the shores of Moku o Keawe.

SMH.

JMO.

[birdmove]

quote:

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Originally posted by gypsy69

This could be a very sticky situation if this type of theft with public money was taking place during these times of emergency.

http://www.bigislandvideonews.com/2014/0...laws-puna/

Not sure what type of thieves are worse, those who steal from your home or those who steal from sworn in power to protect?

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In at least one case I read about a few months ago, the dude that broke in and stole stuff from house, and should have been prosecuted under that well meaning law, was NOT prosecuted using said law. Why are we passing something like that, and then not using it??

Jon in Keaau/HPP

[dakine]

I wonder, considering how it appears that so many here feel what Billy did was bad, criminal, and should be punished, does the same hold true for truth in government? Does politicians weaving a web of lies bother folks anywhere near the same as Billy abusing his government credit card does? I mean it's not as if he actually embezzled funds, but yeah "borrowing" them to pay for high cost hostess bars is as silly as it comes... way poor judgment, stupid, and kind of small town-ish. But man that guy Donald is building an entire national campaign on lies, hateful, ugly, racist lies and it seems like nobody rates that as anything but normal, steady as we go, the same old thing.

All's to say, if Donald can keep going on like he is without the whole world being discussed about it what Billy did doesn't add up to anything. Water under the bridge. He'll hire Brian De Lima and it'll all go poof.

EDA: I agree with opihikao when she said, most of all, I feel badly for his wife, keiki, and ohana. This is sad way over being a reason to shame him and them with calls for his head etc.

[HereOnThePrimalEdge]

Does politicians weaving a web of lies bother folks

Even if it bothered us, there's no law against it.
Lying is perfectly legal, with very few exceptions.

Look at much of what was said about the TMT. I won't even bother to start listing the lies told, as it would hijack pages.

"How we spend our days is, of course, how we spend our lives." -Annie Dillard

[Punatic007]

Doesn't make sense if the Pcard is for business expenses only, who cares what is his intent at payback for personal use, especially for prostitution? Which by the way he did not pay back until BUSTED. Apparently we have rules and codes of conduct for our elected officials with only "selected" accountability.

I have faith in our AG office on Oahu. They have been involved in the real world for quite some time now unlike the Big Island, the lagging stepchild now prematurely forced into maturity and accountability.

Time for the Big Island to grow up and learn how to merge traffic in Keaau and use a roundabout properly. Dishonesty and bad conduct that infringes upon others often times is not legal and there are consequences, that's the deal, get with the program. The days of racism, favoritism and nepotism are going away quickly, adapt or go to jail.