By TOM CALLIS
By TOM CALLIS
Tribune-Herald staff writer
Every election can bring a level of uncertainty for public employees who could face having a new boss in November.
Each has their own views on who would do the best job but are typically are left on the sidelines of the political jousting.
This year, 23 staff members of the Hawaii County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office, including 18 deputy prosecutors, have chosen instead to become active participants in the election by publicly endorsing candidate Lincoln Ashida to be the county’s top prosecutor and their next boss.
The employees appeared recently in a Tribune-Herald print ad with Ashida, the county’s corporation counsel, with a statement calling him the right man for the job.
Together, they make up about 25 percent of the office’s staff.
Missing from the ad’s two photos, among others, is Deputy Prosecuting Attorney Mitch Roth, also running for the top prosecutor job.
Roth declined to comment on the ad Thursday morning, adding that he had yet to see it.
“I know they took something a while ago,” he said of the photos.
Roth said he would comment further after reviewing the ad but did not respond as of press time.
The ad itself, funded by the 18 deputy prosecuting attorneys, is not a violation of the county’s ethics code, said Renee Schoen, attorney for the Board of Ethics and deputy corporation counsel. Ashida is her boss.
Several of the deputy prosecutors have also donated to his campaign.
Schoen said the “general rule” is they can’t use county time or property for campaigning.
The ethics code states that using “county time, equipment or other facilities for private business or campaign purposes” is prohibited.
Ashida said the photos were taken after business hours, and that he consulted with Schoen beforehand.
One of the photos was taken outside the Hilo Judiciary Complex, which is state property. It’s unclear where the other photo was taken, and Ashida said he didn’t know.
He said it’s “not unusual” for public employees to endorse a candidate for the position of their supervisor.
As a deputy prosecuting attorney, Ashida had also appeared in an ad with former Prosecuting Attorney Jay Kimura, endorsing him as a candidate.
“It’s not inappropriate,” he said.
Ashida said he’s made it clear that he wants the campaign to be run outside of the Corporation Counsel and Prosecuting Attorney’s offices.
Asked if using endorsements from staff politicizes the office, he said, “I don’t think so. When I talk about not campaigning (in the office) … what I mean is not campaigning on state or county time or using their resources.”
Jack Matsukawa, one of the deputy prosecuting attorneys in the ad, said he felt like they should make a public stance on the election to help inform the voters.
“We figure the public needs to know who is the best person, who has our support,” he said.
Matsukawa said Ashida has more trial experience, which helped win his support.
“It’s an uncomfortable feeling,” he said, when asked if the public endorsements have affected the work place. “Mitch is my friend, too.
“To me, the public needs to know … who’s the best one for the office.”
Both Roth and Ashida have said, if elected, they wouldn’t fire anyone for supporting any of their opponents.
Roth has received $1,390 in donations from fellow Deputy Prosecutor Rick Damerville.
County Immigration Specialist Rose Bautista has appeared in one of Roth’s ads.
Email Tom Callis at tcallis@hawaiitribune-herald.com.