(AP) — The Honolulu City Council has approved hiring a law firm to represent the city’s prosecutor against an impeachment effort launched when he became a target in a federal corruption investigation.

The council voted 5-2 Friday to pay up to $75,000 to represent Prosecuting Attorney Keith Kaneshiro.

Kaneshiro is on paid leave after the state attorney general called for him to step down because he received a letter from the Justice Department informing him he’s an investigation target. He earns about $171,000 annually.