August 8, 2026 News Read > Hawaii Free Press

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Saturday, August 8, 2026

August 8, 2026 News Read
By Andrew Walden @ 10:10 AM :: 165 Views

Primary Election Day: In Person Voting Sites

Hawaii's End Run Around Citizens United Faces a First Amendment Roadblock

Praising Lahaina recovery is premature

Honolulu Council should reconsider restrictions on homeowner repairs

Hawaii high court restores smoker's $2 million award against Philip Morris

Corruption: Green’s Likely SD18 Appointee Worked Under Both Yamane and Asuncion

CB: … Gov. Josh Green is expected to announce as early as Sunday his pick to fill the Senate District 18 seat that has been vacant since Michelle Kidani retired suddenly June 30.

Several people who have been involved in the selection process say the new senator is likely to be Danielle Bass, the sustainability coordinator for the state Office of Planning and Sustainable Development.

But the appointment has some Democrats grumbling about a confusing appointment process, a lack of public involvement in electing a public official and the fact that Bass was a legislative manager for former Rep. Ryan Yamane before becoming sustainability coordinator in 2017, when the position was created.

Leo Asuncion Jr. was director of the planning office when Bass was hired and welcomed her to the position, saying, “Danielle’s experience in public policy and advocacy, legislative management, grants and project management, and community involvement will certainly contribute towards the state’s progress in meeting and achieving our sustainability goals.”

Yamane and Asuncion, you no doubt heard, were indicted July 24 along with Lt. Gov. Sylvia Luke and two others in a state public corruption investigation….

Voters in District 18 (Mililani Town, Waipio Gentry, Crestview, Waikele, a portion of Waipahu, Village Park and Royal Kunia) were already shut out of having an open primary for Kidani’s replacement because the senator, who was having health problems, did not announce her retirement until it was too late for candidates to file to run for the seat....

Meanwhile, the political parties — not the district’s voters — will each pick a candidate to run in the general election. The ballot is expected to include a Democrat, a Republican, a Libertarian and a Green. The state elections office also will come up with a nonpartisan candidate.

But Bass is considered the Democratic frontrunner to be on that ballot in November, too.

Oʻahu Democrats are expected to meet Aug. 22 to select their candidate via Zoom, and the 23-member area district council that will make that decision includes Bass and several family members….

Read … Is This Any Way To Choose A State Senator? - Honolulu Civil Beat

Recently accused Maui police lieutenant allegedly destroyed evidence before arrest

SA: … Right before he got arrested this week, Vaituulala allegedly destroyed evidence by deleting his Instagram account. Vaituulala was called into a meeting with the FBI and described having a “feeling” about what was going to happen and deleted the account.

Instagram was a key method of communication between Vaituulala and his alleged co-conspirators and likely to “contain corroborating evidence” of Vaituulala’s crimes. He had allegedly been communicating with and advising criminals on Maui how to use encrypted applications and burner phones to talk and avoid detection by police and federal agents.

Vaituulala has demonstrated that he has the money to run, having traveled to the mainland, including Nevada, Texas, and Wyoming in the past year. He recently put his home up for sale and has traveled outside of the U.S. to Japan and has strong family ties in Tonga….

Vaituulala is scheduled for a detention hearing on Tuesday before U.S. Magistrate Judge Rom A. Trader. He is being held at the Federal Detention Center, Honolulu. His attorney, Gary G. Singh, declined comment Friday….

Read … Recently accused Maui police lieutenant allegedly destroyed evidence before arrest | Honolulu Star-Advertiser

Will Scandal Force Out Maui’s Outsider Chief?

HNN: … A current Maui police officer, speaking anonymously out of fear of retaliation and his safety, called the case the biggest public corruption scandal Maui has ever seen.

“It’s bringing down the whole entire department because they were giving out secrets that compromises the safety of other officers,” the officer said.

Officer describes elite unit handpicked by chief

Vaituulala served as head of the Maui Police Department’s Criminal Intelligence Unit (CIU).

The anonymous officer said CIU was the only unit within MPD that was handpicked by Chief John Pelletier, and that Vaituulala answered directly and only to him.

“Just recently, Chief Pelletier moved that entire unit from their office at the Wailuku Police Station to an off-site office that is being rented specifically just for CIU to report out of,” the officer said. “So they don’t even come to the station. They’re an off-site undisclosed location and they work pretty secretly.”

Prosecutors: Confidential sources placed ‘in grave danger’

In a motion to detain, federal prosecutors said Vaituulala “disclosed the identity of confidential sources, placing those individuals in grave danger.”

The motion also states he used his official position “for personal gain and to the endangerment of everyone on Maui.”…

Chief Pelletier issued a statement Friday saying the allegations are “difficult for me to reconcile with the person I have known both professionally and personally for many years.”

“I trusted him and considered him a friend, and he was present during deeply personal moments in my life, including conducting the blessing when my father’s ashes were scattered,” Pelletier said. “But as Chief, I have a responsibility that extends beyond any personal relationship. I owe that responsibility to this department, to its employees, and most importantly, to the community we serve.”

Pelletier said an internal administrative investigation was launched when the department became aware of the federal investigation and that the department will “not compromise the integrity of this department or excuse misconduct because of rank, tenure, position, or personal relationships.” …

Read … Maui police lieutenant accused of bribery led secret, off-site unit, officer says | Hawaii News Now

Legislators, PUC Help HECO Profit from Maui Wildfire

SA: … Seu noted that the state Public Utilities Commission in June approved a plan by Hawaiian Electric to recover $350 million in costs from customers to implement a $480 million wildfire safety plan for 2025-2027 after the plan was approved by the PUC in December.

For an average residential customer using 500 kilowatt- hours of electricity, the extra cost per month was initially projected to be $1.05 on Oahu, $2.86 on Hawaii island and $5.41 in Maui County spread over 60 years.

However, the utility is pursuing lower-cost financing using a tool called securitization, which uses ratepayer revenue as collateral for financing and was authorized by the state Legislature earlier this year….

With final approval of the settlement earlier this year in court, Hawaiian Electric’s remaining obligation shifted from being a contingent liability to a contractual liability. So the company could adjust its unpaid $1.44 billion to a “present value” of $1.3 billion and reduce the settlement expense on its balance sheet by $154 million….

Read … Accounting twist for Maui wildfire expense helps HEI profit soar | Honolulu Star-Advertiser

ICA Not Taking Tommy Waters appeal seriously

HNN: … The Intermediate Court of Appeals has told parties in the Tommy Waters eligibility case to submit opening briefs by Sept. 15.

The date comes after general election ballots start printing, dealing another blow to the East Honolulu council member’s effort to return to the ballot….

(REALITY: Election cases are legally established as the top priority of the State Supreme Court—why are Waters’ lawyers going to ICA? LINK: Page 13.)

Read … Tommy Waters considers challenging primary results after appeal setback | Hawaii News Now

‘Incompetence and Irresponsibility’—Judiciary Slow-walks Waters Case

SA: … Milner said the state judiciary also played a role in the uncertainty surrounding the District 4 election.

“The judge took forever to rule whether Waters was eligible or not, and courts generally try not to interfere with election processes, including doing things in a timely manner,” Milner said. “That didn’t happen.”

“And so the only thing we seem to know for sure is that the ballots went out with Waters’ name on it,” he said. “Some people presumably have voted for him already, but according to the state Election Office they won’t count.

“What that ultimately means in terms of a lawsuit, I don’t know, but my guess is that they’re never going to have any kind of meaning anyway,” Milner said. “And if (Waters) won his appeal the only possible thing would be another election, which is what happened with him and Ozawa last time.

“So it’s very weird,” Milner added. “I mean it strikes me as a combination of incompetence and irresponsibility.” …

(REALITY: Judge Ashford playing politics and arranging outcomes. Election cases are legally established as the top priority of the State Supreme Court. LINK: Page 13.)

REALITY: Mafia News: Will Court Ruling Give Miske Pal Council Seat? -- Waters files Appeal

FLASHBACK 2013: Full Senate to Vote Today on Confirmation of Honolulu District Court Judicial Nominee James Ashford

Read … Tommy Waters dispute clouds East Honolulu Council race | Honolulu Star-Advertiser

Long Overdue law forcing homeless off streets puts some on path to healing

HNN: … Del Rosario said she had been a victim of crime in her decade at Sun Yat Sen park in Chinatown.

She said thieves took her cart and bag even as she slept on the bag. “It was so, ugh, so crazy,” she said. “They did take my IDs, my money, my... everything they took.”

In January, she was taken for a mandatory evaluation against her wishes. “You’re going to have to go with us,” CORE and HPD told her. When they said she had to see a doctor, she replied, “But I’m not sick.”

She first went to Adventist Health Castle where she was evaluated. Then she was taken to the respite center.

It took a few days before she settled in and realized it wasn’t like other shelters she had been to, where she ran away.

Faye Manalastas, a clinical assessor at the respite center, said Del Rosario arrived in a difficult state.

“Just depressed about life,” Manalastas said. “We kind of see that a lot with our homeless population where the hopelessness, the helplessness kind of just takes over. For her, she didn’t think she was going to get better.”

But she did get better. She is enrolled in classes and group therapy at the center and tries to comfort others brought in through the MH-3 process….

The MH-3 program is the result of a bill that passed the legislature last year. Critics said it criminalizes homelessness, but supporters insisted traditional programs weren’t helping those who needed the most care and resisted.

Since the program started in January, about 100 individuals have been transported through MH-3. CORE says 25% have remained off the streets.

Others have been reunited with family and there have been a handful of repeat patients taken via the MH-3 process, showing ~~it doesn’t work for all of them~~ (MORE FORCE NEEDS TO BE APPLIED) ….

Read … Controversial law forcing homeless off streets puts some on path to healing | Hawaii News Now

Man and woman accused of torturing kids in Waianae

SA: … Honolulu Police Department officers arrested two people in Waianae on Thursday after they allegedly tortured three kids.

HPD District 8 Patrol officers arrested a 35-year-old woman and a 36-year-old man on suspicion of child torture following an investigation at a residence in Waianae, police said in a statement.

“The juvenile disclosed ongoing abuse, and officers located evidence consistent with the allegations during the investigation,” police said….

KITV: The relationship between the adults and children has not been disclosed.

KHON: HPD said Child Welfare took three children in protective custody.

PDF: 2026-08-07-11-00-47_Arrest_Log.pdf

Read … Man and woman accused of torturing kids in Waianae | Honolulu Star-Advertiser

US Pacific Command Considers Moving Billions in Planned Infrastructure Out of Micronesia

TD: … In part because locals see for themselves the comparatively lavish lifestyle of visiting U.S. government officials – often staying the best hotels in town, and eating out every meal – and the relatively astronomical rates given to U.S. consultants and contractors, there is often the perception in FSM that the U.S. government is a bottomless piggy bank. This combines with reporting about the importance of Second Island Chain defenses to give some the feeling they have the U.S. over a barrel.

There is a pool of lawyers, negotiators, environmental experts, and others keen to fan this perception (and, incidentally, few of them seem to be around when Chinese projects are involved). Given human nature, some local leaders and land owners are drawn to hiring these representatives. In this case, Yap’s negotiators and leaders clearly overreached. …

H: Yap Airport and Seaport Expansion - Habele Institute

Read … US Pacific Command Considers Moving Billions in Planned Infrastructure Out of Micronesia – The Diplomat

Booking.com Gets Hawaii Justices to Revive Use Tax Rule Case

BT: … Booking.com will get another chance to pursue a challenge to the validity of a Hawaii tax rule that it filed before the state assessed $19.7 million in use taxes on its services.

A state law that bars courts from providing declaratory relief “in any controversy with respect to taxes” doesn’t apply in this case, the Hawaii Supreme Court ruled Friday in vacating dismissal of Booking.com’s case.

Nothing in a different statute on challenging regulations “says declaratory relief cannot be granted regarding the validity of a tax administrative rule,” Justice Sabrina S. McKenna wrote for the unanimous court….

Read … Booking.com Gets Hawaii Justices to Revive Use Tax Rule Case (1)

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