-Andrew Walden
With the recent media attention to Maui Democrat Rep Joe Bertram’s April 1 court room antics in support his “friend” 52-year-old child predator Mark Marcantonio, Hawaii’s other legislature-connected molesters might be expected to keep a low profile. Not Leon Rouse. Sources in the Legislature confirm that Rouse, a convicted child molester, was rehired earlier this year to work as office manager for Democrat Legislator Rida Cabanilla and has worked for her all session. Rouse may be the only Legislative employee anywhere in the US to have a criminal record as a child molester.
This isn’t the first time Hawaii Democrats have gone out of their way to help Rouse. After being released from prison in late 2003, Rouse was immediately deported and banished for life from the Philippines. But returning to Hawaii after nearly eight years out of circulation, Rouse was quickly able to receive employment references from several legislators which he used to land a job at Norwegian Cruise Lines starting May 2, 2004. He didn’t last long. On June 11, 2004 was fired and thrown off the ship in California after being accused of sexually harassing his male coworkers.
When news of Rouse’s firing reached his friends in the Hawaii Legislature, they immediately sprung into action. According to a January 19, 2006 article in Hawaii Reporter:
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