A state judge today denied Honolulu Prosecutor Keith Kaneshiro’s request to have an impeachment petition against him thrown out on procedural grounds.

Oahu businessman Tracy Yoshimura is seeking to have Kaneshiro impeached because he is under investigation by the U.S. Department of Justice, which Yoshimura contends has cast a cloud over the city Department of Honolulu Prosecutor and the cases prosecuted under his authority.

Kaneshiro has been on paid leave from his $170,712-a-year job since March 7. He stepped down after being notified last year that he was a target of a federal investigation into government corruption. Kaneshiro had been the boss of former city deputy prosecutor Katherine Kealoha, who is on trial for one of two federal public corruption cases against her.

Kaneshiro is two years into a four-year term voters gave him in 2016.

A hearing to allow Yoshimura to amend his petition is scheduled to be heard before Circuit Judge Jeffrey Crabtree on June 24.