Nadamoto forms campaign committee

Acting Honolulu Prosecuting Attorney Dwight Nadamoto informed the state Campaign Spending Commission on Friday that he organized a campaign committee, a strong indication that he might dive into the 2020 election for the four-year job.

Nadamoto would join U.S. Attorney and state Judge Steve Alm, who has the highest profile among the handful of previously announced candidates, as well as onetime Deputy Prosecutor Megan Kau, former Deputy Prosecutor R.J. Brown and Deputy Public Defender Jacquelyn Esser.

Nadamoto has served as Hono­lulu’s acting prosecuting attorney since March when Prosecuting Attorney Keith Kaneshiro went on voluntary leave.

Kaneshiro went on paid leave from his $176,688-a-year job in March following the call by state Attorney General Clare Connors and Honolulu Police Chief Susan Ballard for him to step down when he was notified that he was a target of a federal investigation into government corruption.

Nadamoto, a deputy prosecutor for 16 years, was named first deputy in December 2018 after First Deputy Prosecutor Chasid Sapolu put himself on leave.