Thursday, July 12, 2012

Inquiry Sought on Mayor's Alleged Gas Theft


The state Attorney General has been asked to investigate whether Mayor Bernard Carvalho Jr. stole gasoline from Kauai County.

The County Auditor apparently found some irregularities in the fuel accounts that were allegedly traced to the mayor's improper use of a county fuel card to put gasoline into his private vehicle.

One of Carvalho's department heads allegedly instructed the mayor in how to fraudulently charge the gasoline to another use. It's unclear how many persons may be involved.

I'd been hearing about this for a few weeks, but was only recently able to confirm the reports from several sources.

“Wow,” I told a friend after learning the news. “We're looking at people who make a hundred grand a year possibly stealing fricking gas, just like the tweakers at the end of the road.”

“Except the tweakers no more one job,” he corrected me.

I asked the mayor's office for comment, but did not receive a reply. Update: I just received this comment from Beth Tokioka at 10:57 a.m.: We have participated in an audit of the County's fuel use system, which included questions about the Mayor's fuel use. The administration has cooperated fully with this audit. As explained to the auditors, the Mayor has followed fuel use practices that date back at least to the 1980's. We have not been apprised of the current status of this inquiry or its referral to another agency.


The matter came before the County Council on June 27, when County Attorney Al Castillo requested an executive session to discuss the “audit of fuel costs, consumption and management, the referral of the audit to specified external parties, and related matters,” according to the Council meeting agenda. The session was also “to consider the hire, evaluation, dismissal, or discipline, of a officer or employee or charges brought against the officer or employee....”

The Council reportedly has the authority to refer criminal allegations involving prominent officials to the Attorney General's office for investigation.

As opposed, say, to giving the mayor's arch enemies, Prosecutor Shaylene Iseri-Carvalho and Police Chief Darryl Perry, the satisfaction of investigating and possibly arresting their foe.

Still, that does raise the question of why allegations that Councilman Tim Bynum had committed a zoning violation weren't also forwarded to the AG's office for investigation. Is he not considered prominent enough? Or is that just another example of the many glaring inconsistencies in how the county deals with stuff?

Kauai has been keeping the AG's office pretty busy this year. Prior to seeking a probe into the Administration's fuel irregularities, the county asked the AG's office to investigate whether Shay had violated the state procurement law with her POHAKU program. Oh, as a quick aside here, I also recently learned that not everyone was required to do community service under POHAKU — even though that was touted as the key "restorative justice" aspect of the program.

The AG's office also was brought in this year to handle prosecution in three cases, including the one against Bynum, which it dismissed, after Shay had to recuse her office due to conflicts of interest.

In other news regarding the mayor's office, Tommy Contrades has been fired from the position that Carvalho created for him to manage the county's capital improvement projects. It's unclear whether Tommy was dismissed because he and the mayor weren't seeing eye-to-eye, or if the firing was political payback. Tommy's son is Deputy Police Chief Michael Contrades, who refused to obey the mayor's directive not to return Perry's gun, badge and other equipment when the Police Commission ordered the chief back to work after Carvalho suspended him.

The Commission is now seeking a court ruling on whether the mayor has the authority to suspend the chief as a disciplinary action. The Commission maintains it has sole authority over hiring, firing and disciplining the chief under the County Charter.

38 comments:

Anonymous said...

Don't know which is more dysfunctional County or State, but this so ridiculous its almost comical if it weren't so fucking maddening! Give em a little power and they think their entitled! Just like how he thinks County monies should be best spent traveling to the Academy Awards at a time when KPD had no leadership because of him. His true colors are shining through. I neva buy his "together we can" propaganda from day 1. More like together we can milk the County Coffers. He should be put on leave during this investigation! Karma's a bitch.

Anonymous said...

To previous poster, how absutly right you are.

How much motor oil goes home with mechanics? How much tp,cleaning supplies,and plastic bags goes home with park workers. The list goes on and on.

Point being, you have to be on the preffered milkers list!

Anonymous said...

Whatever happened to integrity as a political value?

Anonymous said...

Day after day, you're rockin with the news of the day.
Maybe Bernard will be lucky if he gets to finish his first term. Not exactly a class act to follow.
For awhile, no one was interested in running for Mayor, bet things change now. More posturing to come ...

Anonymous said...

everyone knows you got to bring in the bottles of alcohol to get a building / zoning permit.

what's a little theft ontop of the extortion?

Anonymous said...

class? who are you talking about?

classless bozos, who will get re-elected because no one here believes in VOTING.

Anonymous said...

sorry but Tommy was quite the best choice for CIP - not sure he knew what it even stands for...not the brightest, but really Christian nice.

Anonymous said...

Impeach and clean out the administration!

Anonymous said...

How do we impeach the giant bozo?

Anonymous said...

GREED!!!!!!!

If they don't get prosecuted and face the same penalties as the people who stole from Chevron then I am going to run for Mayor and clean house.

Everyone is FIRED!!!!!!

Anonymous said...

So fuel theft, or use for personal use has been going on , as if it is legal, since the 1980's?
There are the old stories about Kunimura demanding free gas from the service stations.
Then there is Kusaka's limo story. Where did she get the gas for that?
Where is the policy that Mayor can use County car for personal use or personal car on County gas?
This is manini compared to the rest of the corruption going on, but looks like someone is out to get the mayor. The PA?
They just threw out the mayor of Baltimore for illegal purchases.
And the athletic director at UH..
So if convicted of a felony, Carvalho could not run again? That would stir things up!!!

Anonymous said...

There never has been and never will be, perception is a false reality.

Anonymous said...

E'Komo mai Together We Can!

I guess this means 2012 is the End of the World, when Satan is fighting with the Devils.

Anonymous said...

I saw so many non county vehicles so many times at night across chevron in kapaa near KCFCU putting gas in their personal vehicles that I wondered what was going on.

Now I know all these county crooks, their family members, and their friends was stealing gas.

Classic Kauai Corruption

Anonymous said...

Yeah even the one by the armory in Kapa, these fricking theives was stealing gas. All you gotta do is park at kapaa park and watch these county twackers.

Anonymous said...

Cesspool overflowing running down Rice Street turning left at Hoolako and onto Kaana. They all stink.

Anonymous said...

Nobody died because of the current crop. Not like Kusaka.

Anonymous said...

This is just one example of the amount of theft that goes on - showing up for work late and leaving early - sitting in Tip Top during work hours meeting with potential clients - while getting paid on COK time(also known as) TAX PAYER time?

The theft is rampant part of the County's culture.

Anonymous said...

Yes, let us not forget Kusaka's victims. Think MUFI does not know about that?

Anonymous said...

Clueless or calculating?

Anonymous said...

It's a mess in the County, but we deserved what we got. Next time folks, do not elect an entertainer for mayor. Can't fault the mayor actually, because he has no clue what's going on right in front of his eyes. Blame his inner circle of advisers (some have retired, and some in high level positions earning more than $90,000 a year) who's screwing him up - - all self-serving scumbugs.

Anonymous said...

This is why Kauai desperately needs a County Manager and a FBI office.

Anonymous said...

The Ombudsman would be a liason to investigate this kind of reports as well as high as kite chronics that are drugged up while on duty for the county but the Ombudsman guys are fraudulent rubber stampers so thats how they have job security.

Anonymous said...

The county is the single largest employer on Kauai. How sad these scavengers.

The county is in the round building, gems, woolworths, and they want the old big save building also. What else space they like for storage?

What they going do hire their 5 yr old kids to be 50K+ county employees too. It's getting a little too obvious you turkeys.

Kauai think Gas is the Only thing they Steal, Kauai doesn't know what else crimes they do.

Anonymous said...

Ah, not only hot air comin frrom da mayor, but gas too. Maybe he'll combust.

Anonymous said...

July 12, 2012 11:28 PM

Crimes against English grammar can be added to your list, based on your post, although I suppose that can be laid at the feed of the Board of Education.

We'd have never moved here if we had school-age children.

"Paradise Lost" relative to the abysmal state of health care, education, employment, civic misfeasance, etc.

"Paradise Won" only if you're healthy, wealthy, retired and debt-free.

Anonymous said...

Tulsi got her clock cleaned by Esther in last nights debate. I would not have guessed!

Anonymous said...

Fill 'er up!

Anonymous said...

You should proof read your post also you Donkey.

Anonymous said...

I felt the same after watching the debate. But Tulsi does make a good poster girl fot the National Guatd.

Anonymous said...

It's called pidgeon english in Hawaii, dis da way they talk hea.

Haoles no undastan, dey think wat dey like and white devils believes his culture is da best an only way to live.

Go back to germany, Hitlers children.

Anonymous said...

Hitlers children.

July 13, 2012 8:21 AM

a little too much don't you think?

If you are this racist - and don't see the irony. I fear your education should be blamed on someone or your racist parents.

Anonymous said...

Througout history and in my lifetime the white race has been the most hateful racists people the world has ever known.

I have experienced the good and the bad of the white race, so I only judge one's character and not his skin color or ethnicity.

President Obama is half black and half white, most white people call him racists names and are hateful towards him.

Anonymous said...

The Mayor has a hybrid SUV and makes over 110K a year and he has to steal gas just to survive and make it to work cause 110Kyou is not enough.

County Council give the Mayor a pay raise so he doesn't have to steal GAS from tax paying dollars and hire all of his family and friends so they don't have to steal GAS too.

Isn't it funny that the OPA blames DeCosta for the POHAKU program "saying that's the way its been done before" "there's procurement rules that the county does not follow but should follow"-DeLaplane

The theft of gas has always been that way since the 1980's- so even though we known its wrong and we swore an oath not to commit these kinds of offenses, we just do it because its always been done even. It shows that they have total disregard for the law and the office that they serve under, undermining the people's trust and their position of authority.

What Hypocritical Boars they are, the criminals are in office. Circumventing the system to steal and commit crimes has been the norm on Kauai as a public official, that's what came out of the Donkey's mouth.

Anonymous said...

IT SURE LOOKS LIKE AN ORGANIZED CRIMINAL NETWORK HERE ON KAUAI.

Anonymous said...

They are sick and stupid and let's pray they get their dicks caught in the many traps that have been set for them.

They won't even see it coming.

Let the fireworks begin.

Anonymous said...

I hate dick traps. I met one, once, in New Orleans, but that's another story...

Anonymous said...

May 25, 2012 Kauai Prosecutor under investigation

June 11, 2012 0159pm comment

"A source inside KPD told me that the Police Commission investigation against Quebilan, Asher, and Perry was complete. The accusations by Darla was confirmed by the Police Commission."

Looks like some familiar DICKS got caught in the Trap already.