Ing is given more time in campaign spending case
Mar. 15—Former state House Rep. Kaniela Ing has until April 24 to prove that campaign spending documents he filed are accurate, allowing him to potentially avoid an additional $18, 250 in fines—on top of the $22, 000 in fines he's already been assessed for the same documents.
Former state House Rep. Kaniela Ing has until April 24 to prove that campaign spending documents he filed are accurate, allowing him to potentially avoid an additional $18, 250 in fines—on top of the $22, 000 in fines he's already been assessed for the same documents.
The state Campaign Spending Commission on Wednesday gave Ing a six-week extension to prove that 24 campaign spending allegations over documents that he filed are accurate.
For the second month in a row, Ing appeared without legal counsel.
At its February meeting, commissioners deferred a vote on whether to again fine Ing so he could be represented to respond to the alleged violations. At the time, Ing told the commission that his attorney was traveling.
Ing on Wednesday told the commission that he had made multiple, unsuccessful attempts to retain legal counsel after his attorney, William Harrison, was unavailable.
Harrison did not immediately respond to a request for comment from the Honolulu Star-Advertiser on Thursday, and his office said he was in Honolulu.
The commission's next meeting has been scheduled for May 8.
The latest 24 accusations include a possible $1, 000 fine for failing to keep rec ords and $750 for each of 23 accusations of filing "23 false amended reports, " according to the Campaign Spending Commission, for potential fines totaling $18, 250.
The latest allegations are related to Ing's original campaign spending filings that led him to pleading no contest to a misdemeanor.
Ing represented South Maui in 2018 and was running for Congress when the commission assessed nearly $22, 000 in penalties, administrative fines and restitution for 23 inaccurate reports he filed between 2011 and 2016.
In February 2023 the city Department of the Prosecuting Attorney filed a criminal complaint against Ing alleging that he "intentionally, knowingly, or recklessly failed to timely file a supplemental report with the Campaign Spending Commission " by a July 31 deadline for the period covering the first six months of 2022, thereby committing the offense of "failure to timely file (a ) supplemental report with the Campaign Spending Commission."
Ing pleaded no contest and received a "deferred acceptance of no contest." He faced the possibility of a year in jail and a $2, 000 fine.
The misdemeanor count for his original campaign spending violations included using campaign funds to cover $2, 125 in rent for residences on Oahu and Maui and $219 to make a payment on his domestic partner's credit card account. Ing also deposited a campaign check worth $2, 000 into his personal checking account but failed to document it on his campaign spending reports.
When he appeared remotely for February's Campaign Spending Commission hearing, Ing—the father of 4-and 7-year-old children—said he did not have the money to pay another $18, 250 after spending $350 a month to pay off his original fines.
"It was brutal, " Ing told the commission. "It was a lot of money."
He told the commission that he does not plan to seek political office but offered no clear explanation of why he did not close his campaign spending account.
Even former candidates who maintain campaign accounts are required to provide timely updates to the Campaign Spending Commission.
Ing said in February that his reputation has been damaged, he's had trouble finding work and he has been "harassed on the street."
