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| Galen Fox |
The only local political story in recent months more bizarre than former Republican lawmaker Galen Fox being convicted for fondling a sleeping female passenger next to him on a flight from Honolulu to Los Angeles, is his complete meltdown that followed -- all under the heat of the media spotlight.
It ended at an all time low yesterday morning with Fox dressed in a gray suit and tie, flashing a bright smile and Shaka sign at KITV reporter Daryl Huff and cameraman as he bounded into the California federal courthouse an hour-and-a-half late to be sentenced. It was as if he’d lost all sight of reality and thought he was a celebrity waving to his adoring fans.
Fox, who had kept an already skeptical judge waiting for 90 minutes, had to face reality once inside the courtroom. He was sentenced on a fourth degree sex assault conviction to three months of house arrest, three years probation, sex offender treatment and a $2,500 fine.
But whether he was in the courtroom or standing before a pack of reporters, Fox seemed to drift in and out of reality. On several occasions, he misled the public, the media, investigators and the court. Sometimes he said he did in fact touch that woman - other times he adamantly denied doing so, claiming he was being set up.
A recently divorced father of three kids, Fox changed his account of the incident -- sometimes minute to minute -- depending on who he talked to.
Oct. 31, 2005, in a statement to reporters who had just learned about his conviction, Fox said: "I vigorously fought the charges against me, which I hold to be untrue. I lost. I believe the people of Waikiki, Ala Moana, and Kakaako deserve to be represented by someone unclouded by a conviction such as the one I now carry."
Oct. 31, 2005 and after, he told Hawaii Reporter on several occasions that he was innocent and had not done anything wrong.
But just days before that on the stand in federal court in California, Fox told the judge under oath from the stand that he touched the woman’s thigh and her crotch on that Dec. 18, 2004, flight.
Nov. 1, 2005, KITV, the station that broke the story and followed it closely through its twists and turns, reported that assistant U.S. attorney Rupa Goswami said: "He took the stand and he admitted he touched her thigh. He admitted he touched her crotch."
In this same report, Fox told KITV he hoped his conviction would remain a secret so he could serve out his term in office. He also told KITV the same story he told Hawaii Reporter: "In my heart I know I didn't do it."
All throughout his claims of innocence, Fox alleged the victim was clever and made up the story, but that he had to be careful what he disclosed about her actions because he could suffer further consequences if he did not remain silent.
Then on Jan. 25, 2006, Fox confessed in court that he hoped for romance with the young woman and had touched her leg and arm, taking her complete lack of response as consent. She actually had taken sleeping pills. He told investigators earlier that he had taken no alcohol or drugs.
Even though he claimed he was innocent in court on Jan. 25, 2006, saying -- "I cannot admit to something I did not do," he still apologized for his actions, admitting to doing something wrong -- he just did not say what.
"I am deeply apologetic about what happened. I'd like to move on with my life," Fox said to the judge, according to KITV.
The judge and prosecutor said they were concerned that Fox could not admit to what he’d done and seemed to show little, if any, remorse.
In sex offender treatment, Fox reportedly will be asked to take a lie detector test. As a courtesy, Fox, who obviously has not been honest with his constituents, supporters or the media, should make those results public.
Maybe that way the people of Hawaii can get to the truth, put the strange story of Galen Fox behind them, and enable his victim to stop having what she calls "nightmares of Galen Fox."
Reach Malia Zimmerman, editor and president of Hawaii Reporter, via email at mailto:Malia@hawaiireporter.com
