City ethics commission slaps Cachola with $50,000 fine

The Honolulu Ethics Commission is imposing its largest-ever civil fine on state Rep. Romy Cachola, a former city councilman, for multiple alleged violations of city ethics laws.

The commission said in a news release Saturday the $50,000 fine is part of a settlement.

In a statement Saturday, Cachola said he was unfairly targeted by the commission and Executive Director Chuck Totto, and chose to settle rather than incur more than $125,000 in legal fees to defend himself.

He said the commission’s opinion paints him as "an intentional violator of the ethics laws" but that he is not.

At the same time, he said, other City Council members accepted gifts, mainly food and beverages, from lobbyists but were not targeted by the commission.

"I am pleased that the investigation has come to a conclusion and no finding of fact or opinion as to any violation has been found," said Cachola (D, Sand Island-Kalihi-Airport). "I agreed to a settlement of $50,000 with the Ethics Commission in order to prevent any further defamation of my name and hardship to my family and legal fees and costs in excess of $125,000 to defend and clarify the circumstances. The advisory opinion states there was no violation and I maintain that I did not intentionally violate any ethics laws and I will support the passage of clarifying laws to further direct the Commission’s activities and prevent Mr. Totto from unfairly being selective in his interpretation and prosecution of the laws."

The commission said Cachola collected more than $9,000 from the city for expenses related to his SUV, even though his political campaign fund was already reimbursing him for the same expenses.

He also allegedly accepted dozens of prohibited gifts — including meals at high-end restaurants and golf outings — from lobbyists who had matters before the Council.

Cachola received the gifts before voting on about 100 bills and resolutions related to rail transit, construction projects and rezoning that came before the Council in 2008-2012, the commission said.

And he continued to accept gifts from lobbyists worth more than $200 after repeated warnings from the commission not to do so, the commission said.

In the news release, Totto said, "Public corruption is the use of public office for private gain, and in this case is a perfect storm of public corruption."

In July, Cachola agreed to pay a $2,496 fine to the state and reimburse his campaign $32,166 to settle a complaint filed against him by the Campaign Spending Commission.

The commission charged that Cachola used a Nissan SUV, paid for by his campaign committee, for personal use. It also questioned his use of campaign funds to pay for expenditures labeled as "public relations" and "food and beverages."