In an ongoing battle for independence, the Honolulu Ethics Commission sent a letter to Mayor Kirk Caldwell highlighting the latest affront by corporation counsel and asking the administration to demonstrate its commitment to a strong ethics program.

The letter mentioned commission plans to investigate city employees suspected of getting paid for work they did not do. The suspected fraud is estimated to cost the city a quarter of a million dollars per year, and the commission requested authority to purchase a $600 GPS tracking device to use as part of its investigation. Donna Leong, the city’s corporation counsel, took five weeks to conditionally approve the purchase, by which time the investigative window had closed.

The Caldwell administration did not respond or comment on the letter; it will likely be discussed at the June 26 Ethics Commission meeting.