State Rep. Faye Hanohano met privately Monday with House leaders to give her side of the controversy that has swirled around her conduct.
Hanohano, who had postponed two previously scheduled meetings with House leaders last week, spoke with House Speaker Joseph Souki, House Vice Speaker John Mizuno, House Majority Leader Scott Saiki and others for about a half-hour. Rep. Marcus Oshiro accompanied Hanohano in what he described as "moral support."
Sources familiar with the discussion said Hanohano was not contrite or remorseful about her behavior. The Hawaii island representative, sources say, insisted that she has been mischaracterized and taken out of context by critics who have accused her of being abusive, racially discriminatory and inappropriate at committee hearings.
Hanohano (D, Hawaiian Acres-Pahoa-Kalapana) also met one-on-one with Souki behind closed doors for about a half-hour. The representative declined to speak with reporters afterward about what transpired.
Souki (D, Waihee-Waiehu-Wailuku) also declined to comment other than to say that no decision was made about how the House will proceed.
House leaders have privately been hoping that Hanohano will agree to step down as chairwoman of the House Ocean, Marine Resources and Hawaiian Affairs Committee and offer some public contrition for her actions.
The House has the option of naming a special committee to investigate Hanohano or recommending that lawmakers take disciplinary action against her. But House leaders would prefer a voluntary agreement with Hanohano rather than a drawn-out inquiry or a potentially divisive floor debate over punishment.
Other lawmakers who have encountered problems took the voluntary approach instead of forcing House leaders to act. Rep. Karen Awana, for example, stepped down as majority floor leader last year after her fourth fine for campaign-finance violations since 2011. Former Rep. Jon Riki Karamatsu resigned as vice speaker in 2007 after a drunken-driving arrest.
Last week House leaders said privately that they had taken suspension and expulsion off the table as options against Hanohano. The more likely scenarios involve an apology, her removal as committee chairwoman or censure.
Hanohano apologized last year after she made ethnic and racial remarks in front of exhibit specialists who were installing art in her office as part of the "Art in Public Places" program.
This month a Hawaii Pacific University student complained that he was treated rudely by Hanohano when he testified before her committee in favor of a bill that would protect sharks and rays.
William Aila Jr., director of the state Department of Land and Natural Resources, detailed several incidents in which Hanohano was allegedly abusive, racially discriminatory and inappropriate to department staff at committee hearings.
