FORMER COUNTY CLERK JAMAE KAWAUCHI AND FORMER COUNTY COUNCIL CHAIR Dominic Yagong gained support from a judge yesterday regarding a suit that charged them with investigating and firing four election workers in a “willful and wanton way.” According to a story by Erin Miller, of West Hawai`i Today, Judge Elizabeth Strance said “the admissible evidence now before this Court appears to clearly support a finding that Defendants Kawauchi and Yagong acted both with cause and within the scope of their employment within the County of Hawai`i.” The judge also wrote that the “plaintiffs have not provided this Court with ‘clear and convincing’ evidence of any animus or ‘willful or wanton;’ tortious conduct by Defendants Kawauchi and/or Yagong towards the Plaintiffs…. Similarly, there is no evidence that Defendants Kawauchi and/or Yagong personally conducted any investigation, regarding the actions of the Plaintiffs in connection with the County Elections Warehouse.” The four were fired for allowing outside business activity and drinking in a county warehouse. An email from the defendants’ attorney Francis Jung, reported this morning in West Hawai`i Today, said, “Dominic Yagong and Jamae Kawauchi are both extremely thankful and pleased with the Court’s decision. All of their actions were made with the intent of fulfilling their duties to the public to the best of their knowledge and abilities as hardworking, dedicated and honest public servants. Hopefully, the young people of Hawai`i will not be afraid to seek future careers in public service or elected office out of fear of being persecuted by frivolous lawsuits. Justice will prevail in the end.” See more at westhawaiitoday. Since leaving the County Clerk’s post, Kawauchi has been working for the Prosecuting Attorney’s office. Yagong’s term ended as Council member, and he lost his run for mayor.
Posted on: Thu, 06 Jun 2013 01:25:36 +0000
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