We have no idea what was in Mr. Johnson's emails, and chose a random risque image for your viewing pleasure.
HONOLULU, HAWAII — Some board members of the Hawaii Tourism Authority are asking President and Chief Executive Officer Rex Johnson to resign.
The issue is over sexually explicit adult images found on Johnson’s government office computer — x-rated e-mails Johnson received from friends that he apparently then e-mailed to other friends.
Some Hawaii Tourism Authority officials said they are upset that during a state audit in June, x-rated adult material was found on Johnson’s office computer.
The concern, they said, that is Johnson used a state computer to receive, hold, then forward to his friends e-mails containing sexually explicit cartoons, slides and photographs.
Johnson told the Hawaii Tourism Authority Board this week he is very sorry.
“It was a stupid mistake, an error in judgment. I will abide by the board’s decision,” Johnson said.
The tourism authority board will make a decision soon on whether Johnson will keep the $240,000-a-year job.
“The tourism authority’s administrative standing committee will be meeting here Wednesday, behind closed doors, to discuss Johnson’s future with the agency,” said Sen. Colleen Hanabusa, the state senate president.
Johnson said he was e-mailing on his office computer with 10 different friends — none of them business contacts.
Hanabusa said Johnson showed very bad judgment, but it shouldn’t rise to his firing or forced resignation.
“There is no evidence that Mr. Johnson went and searched the Web and did any of this on his own. If he is guilty of anything, he is guilty of being friends with his buddies — his fishing and his baseball buddies — and I think his baseball and fishing buddies will not send him any e-mails,” Hanabusa said.
House Tourism Chairman Rep. Ryan Yamane said it will be a huge loss if Johnson is dismissed.
“With our struggling tourism economy I hope the board considers their actions because we are entering a very difficult time,” Yamane said. “Even if they hire someone, there is a learning curve. It will take some time to develop the relationships and can our economy wait that long? That’s the concern I have.”
Johnson has been president and CEO of the Hawaii Tourism Authority for the last six years.
Tourism authority Chairman Kelvin Bloom said he is unable to comment about Johnson because it is a personnel matter.
Bloom said the full tourism board is expected to meet on the Johnson issue Aug. 12.
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