Seems there was a bit of miscommunication between Honolulu City Councilwoman Ann Kobayashi and the Ethics Commission over a $500 fine she was forced to pay for breaking the rules.

Last week, the commission announced it had reached a settlement agreement with Kobayashi over her not filling out the proper conflict of interest paperwork as is required under the city’s ethics guidelines.

Shortly after that announcement, however, Kobayashi blasted the commission for not giving her due process and continuing its investigation into her after she agreed to settle her case.

She outlined these concerns in a press release and an Aug. 23 letter she sent to Ethic’s Commission Executive Director Chuck Totto.

Seems these criticisms didn’t sit too well with Totto, and he asked her to retract some of her statements about the Ethics Commission, particularly those related to her not receiving due process.

Turns out Kobayashi listened, and in an odd move Tuesday she issued a new press release and letter that removed certain phrases from the original documents.

Here’s what she removed from one of her letters:

As members of the Council, we are regularly tasked with making decisions on numerous and various issues. This is in turn requires us to file disclosure statements more frequently than other City officials or employees. With this being the reality, a fair method of due process should be given to all members. The Ethics Commission’s ignoring of my request for a hearing only deprives me of such due process.

Still, Totto wasn’t completely pleased. In an emailed statement to Civil Beat he said that despite the recanting, Kobayashi repeated the “inaccuracies” about due process that were included in her previous comments.

Specifically, he took issue with her saying the Ethics Commission continued its investigation into her actions after she agreed to pay the $500 fine and that the Commission refused to give her a hearing on the matter even though the case had been resolved.

Totto even said Kobayashi’s defense of her actions were similar to those of former City Councilman Nestor Garcia, who was slapped with a record ethics fine for not disclosing conflicts of interest while voting on legislation.

In both instances, Totto said the council members failed to follow the rules despite the fact that they “receive regular training on these and other ethics requirements.”

Photo via Flickr courtesy of One Way Stock.

—Nick Grube