Politician behind bid may raise eyebrows
PROSPECTIVE Warriors owner Richard Fale has a past that may not go down well at the NRL or among the club’s fans.
Fale, who is the CEO of a consortium looking to buy the club from Eric Watson was embroiled in a financial scandal when running for office in state elections in Hawaii.
The Tongan-born politician also voted against same-sex marriage for America’s 50th state.
The NRL has a fit and proper person test to assess potential club owners and before anyone can take over a club this must be passed, but there may be a few eyebrows raised about Fale.
He got into hot water for initially reporting to have received $40,000 in election campaign contributions during the first 10 months of 2014, but later added $23,000 when he rewrote his report.
He pleaded no contest in July 2016 at the Hawaii State District Court for failing to compile a complete and accurate candidate committee report.
Under the terms of his plea agreement, which was accepted by a Honolulu district court judge, Fale paid US$1000 to the Crime Victim Compensation Fund, published an apology and paid US$500 of fines.
Of the incident, attorney general Doug Chin said: ‘‘Former Representative Fale recklessly filed candidate committee reports that were not complete and accurate.’’
Over recent years, the NRL has tried to promote league as a sport that’s moving forward and GETTY IMAGES embracing all parts of communities.
But Fale’s decision in 2013 to vote against same-sex marriage when a Republican member of the Hawaiian house of representatives, may not fit into that thinking.
Bizarrely, all 19 members of the House lawmakers who voted against same-sex marriage received a lump of coal in the mail.
A typed message on a card that accompanied each lump of coal said: ‘‘You left a piece of your heart at the State Building when you voted on SB-1 (the same-sex marriage bill).
‘‘Your lifestyle choice of judging others and ignorance is very unfortunate. Good luck in the next election,’’ (Fale was voted out at the 2014 elections).
Hawaii News Now reported that this message was lost on Fale, who is a Mormon.
‘‘We got lickins when we weren’t doing what we were supposed to be doing,’’ Fale told Hawaii News Now at the time.
‘‘I guess kids on the mainland that’s actually a better thing. I would rather get a piece of coal in my stockings then lickins.’’
Last year, Fale criticised students at the University of Hawaii for protesting against Donald Trump becoming the next American president.
‘‘These rallies are gonna have zero impact,’’ Fale told Hawaii News Now.
‘‘Donald Trump will be sworn in as the 45th President of the United States, and these rallies, all they do is reveal the closed mindedness or people of who are gonna be participating in those rallies.’’