Effort to impeach Kaneshiro hits new roadblocks

An effort to get city Prosecutor Keith Kaneshiro impeached is continuing to run into roadblocks.

Deputy Corporation Counsel Moana Yost is making it clear that City Clerk Glen Takahashi, whom she represents, will only accept hand-written signatures in any petition seeking to remove Kaneshiro. The petitioners have been told that “the petition requires a legible full name, a hand-written signature and a resident’s address,” Yost told the Hono­lulu Star-Advertiser after the hearing.

Oahu businessman Tracy Yoshimura’s petition so far has been collecting signatures primarily through electronic platforms — first through change.org and more recently DocuSign at impeachkaneshiro.com.

Meanwhile, Kaneshiro attorney William McCorriston said he is filing a motion asking Circuit Judge Jeffrey Crabtree to dismiss the petition arguing that it was improperly filed. An impeachment petition against an elected city official requires 500 names be submitted, and Yoshimura’s submissions so far have been defective, McCorriston said.

Crabtree scheduled McCorriston’s motion to be heard May 21.

Yoshimura wants Kaneshiro out because he is under investigation by the U.S. Department of Justice, which has not disclosed any details of its inquiry. Yoshimura said the mere possibility Kaneshiro could be convicted of federal crimes may throw into question cases prosecuted under his authority.

Following a status conference before Crabtree Wednesday, Yost was firm that Takahashi’s office won’t accept electronic signatures.

“The city clerk will not accept electronic signatures for the petition to impeach — for any petitions,” Yost said. “The city clerk has an interest in protecting the process. And in order to prevent fraudulent signatures, it uses signatures that it receives on a petition to match the signatures they have in the statewide voter registration system.”

Yoshimura and his attorney, Keith Kiuchi, said the Uniform Electronic Transaction Act calls for electronic signatures to be accepted but Yost said that is not mandatory. “We have elected not to use electronic signatures. It’s not obligatory, it’s voluntary.”

Yoshimura, in response said, city officials have failed to produce a copy of a written policy, ordinance or rule that states electronic signatures won’t be accepted.

Both Kiuchi and Yoshimura have complained repeatedly that city officials have been vague when they’ve asked for guidance on how to file a valid petition, which they said is a first under a recently adopted law.

“If it absolutely had to be hand-written … and we knew back then, it could have been done,” Yoshimura said. “Why are they telling us this now?”

Yoshimura said he’s confident that the city ultimately will be able to accept the petitions but will continue to seek signatures. He said that asking people to sign again has led to “confusion and frustration” among voters.

Kaneshiro went on voluntary paid leave from his $170,712-a-year job on March 7, three weeks after state Attorney General Clare Connors filed her own petition asking the Hawaii Supreme Court to remove him. He is two years into the four-year term voters gave to him in 2016.