The state Campaign Spending Commission agreed Wednesday to hold off for at least a month on making a decision on the 31 counts of campaign violations that it has alleged in a complaint against Rep. Kaniela Ing, a Democrat running for Congress.

Ing faces more than $15,000 in fines for numerous alleged violations, including filing false campaign spending reports, accepting excessive contributions and using his campaign funds for personal expenses, such as paying his rent and his partner’s credit card bill.

He made a brief statement at the commission’s meeting, thanking the staff and appointed members for their time and work. He vowed to cooperate fully and accept “full responsibility for any mistakes that were made.”

Nathan Eagle/Civil Beat

“I understand the seriousness of this body and the counts outlined in these complaints,” he said.

Accountant Ryan Akamine, who appeared with Ing at the meeting, said Ing had only recently retained a lawyer, Alen Kaneshiro, to represent him in the matter. With that being the case, he said they requested the commission postpone action until its next meeting June 20.

However, he added that Kaneshiro is expected to be off-island that day, so they would likely seek another deferral until the commission’s July meeting, tentatively set for July 25 — two weeks before the Aug. 11 primary election.

Ing is trailing in the polls. He was fourth out of the top five candidates to represent urban Oahu in Congress, according to the latest Civil Beat Poll, conducted in early May.

He held a press conference Thursday to address the complaint, saying as a young candidate in his 20s he tried to manage his books on his own and lacked the campaign support that “establishment” Democrats enjoy.

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