HONOLULU -- Evan Dobelle returned home Tuesday, still insisting he has not been told why he was fired as president of the University of Hawaii one week ago.

In his first television interview since his dismissal, Dobelle told KITV 4 News that "messy bookkeeping" was to blame for any questions about improper spending. And he said it never involved tax money.

''I don't see (anything) other than some messy bookkeeping by lower-level clerical people. All these errors were corrected where I write checks and they write checks for about the same amount of money. I don't see how that rises to cause (for dismissal)," Dobelle said. "I think that's kind of a mean-spirited thing to say, given I've never been given an opportunity to respond to it. There's no due process here."

Dobelle was asked if he had ever used any UH Foundation money for personal items.

"No, I didn't use them for personal things. There might be an occasional dinner that somebody thought was a business dinner that I said was a personal dinner or vice versa. I'd write them a check or they'd write me a check, but that's all it was," Dobelle said.

Dobelle said he thought the board of regents picked the June 15 meeting to fire him even though he was out of town because of an upcoming meeting on the loss of accreditation.

"My personal belief is there was a loss of accreditation meeting on the Friday after that meeting that was highly critical of the board that I was supposed to appear at. I don't think they want me as president going to that meeting in California and that's why they decided to have that meeting June 15," Dobelle said.

.Asked if he thought his firing was politically motivated, Dobelle answered, "Of course."

Asked if he thought the governor was behind it, Dobelle said:

" I can't tell you that. There's all kinds of politics. But this is the politics of top down control -- the management not allowing the University of Hawaii being autonomous -- and having a changing agent come to Hawaii and then deciding that the change affects the status quo and that status works for a lot of people and they don't want a change agent. But the people of Hawaii want one."