Money changers: The Sunshine Blog is still scratching its head at the taxpayer cash flow involving two former high-ranking city officials who ran afoul of the law when they arranged to give former Honolulu Police Chief Louis Kealoha a nice $250,000 payoff even as he was being forced out while under federal investigation for public corruption.
Former Corporation Counsel Donna Leong and former Honolulu Police Commission chair Max Sword pleaded guilty in March to misdemeanor conspiracy charges. They’re supposed to repay $100,000 each in restitution to the city. (Former managing director Roy Amemiya who got a different legal arrangement that lets him get his charges dismissed is supposed to repay $50,000.)
But now Honolulu City Council members are set to confirm final payments for the legal defense of Leong and Sword. Turns out the taxpayers are picking up the tab for their attorneys, which has amounted to $102,000 for Leong and $105,000 for Sword, according to council members Andria Tupola and Radiant Cordero…