https://youtu.be/wyCU9fuzIqQ
During a recent hearing on Leo Caire’s wrongful termination suit, which accuses Mayor Bissen and Corporation Counsel of wrongdoing, council members openly questioned conflicts of interest, independent oversight, and whether Corporation Counsel was still influencing the County’s legal strategy despite the conflicts.
Outside counsel described his Corporation Counsel liaison as his “handler.”
Council members then questioned that relationship and participation, challenged the County’s conflict procedures, and ultimately chose to bar Corporation Counsel and the “handler” from executive session.
Throughout this video, I pause the hearing to explain key moments and compare them with concerns that Chris Salem and Maui Causes have been raising for years to ensure that the county council has access to legal advice that is not from conflicted corporation counsel.
Removing the entire corporation counsel department from an executive session is historic.
Watch the hearing. Listen to the questions. Decide for yourself if Corp Counsel got caught trying to hide their improper influence on outside counsel.
THE RIPPLE EFFECT…
In countless executive sessions over Chris Salem’s case, corporation counsel, even after they were conflicted out of the case, still came into executive sessions and quite possibly improperly influenced the county council. The Office of Information Practices has launched an official investigation.
They have subpoenaed corp counsel for recordings of executive sessions in which they improperly participated. We fully expect the OIP to see how the corporation counsel improperly influenced the county council.
Corp council is the 800-pound gorilla in the room, and for the first time ever that we know of, the county council has thrown them
out.
If you’re tired of government operating behind closed doors, watch this hearing. Then ask yourself whether Maui needs leaders who will demand transparency, independent oversight, and accountability.
Maui Causes is a crowd-funded media production group dedicated to supporting Maui’s Environmental and Progressive Causes. Your non-tax-deductible donations help support our work. Go to mauicauses.org.
And please vote in both the primary and general elections. Maui needs your participation; without it, it’s just business as usual.
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