Whatever Happened...

An update on past news

Wednesday, October 16, 1996

Capitol offices weren't bugged

QUESTION: Whatever happened to the case a few years ago when a woman presented a bill for electronically debugging the governor's office and those of several legislators?

ANSWER: Nora Feuerstein, now 35, claimed in 1993 that she found clandestine listening devices in the offices of Gov. John Waihee and four legislators.

She and Jay Hayase were indicted by an Oahu grand jury in July 1993 on felony attempted theft and conspiracy charges. The indictment, which was subsequently dismissed on a technicality, alleged that they billed the state nearly $4,000 for electronically sweeping the offices and claiming they'd found bugs in hopes of getting a contract to remove them.

The state attorney general's office decided not to reindict Feuerstein or Hayase in 1994 after she admitted she never found listening devices in the offices and that she had no expertise in surveillance or counter-surveillance measures.

News of bugs in the offices of House Speaker Joe Souki, Sen. Ann Kobayashi, Sen. Donna Ikeda and House Finance Chairman Calvin Say in May 1993 prompted a grand jury investigation and the subpoena of the lawmakers.

At the time, Feuerstein, a former Honolulu Cellular Telephone Co. sales coordinator, was vice president of Hawaii State Communications.


Ever wonder what happened to a person, event or issue that has been in the news? We'll try to find out for you if you call the City Desk at 525-8640, email to citydesk@starbulletin.com or write us at P.O. Box 3080, Honolulu 96802. Whatever happened to . . . runs Wednesdays.



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