The following ethics complaint was submitted anonymously to the Maui County Board of Ethics:

TO: Maui County Board of Ethics

RE: Opposition to approval of registrations of Our Hawaii Action lobbyists Paele Kiakona, Courtney Lazo, Katie Austin, Jordan Ruidas, and Lauren Rego (collectively the “Our Hawaii Lobbyists”)

Dear Chair Sturdevant, Vice Chair Lilly, and members of the Maui County Board of Ethics:

Let this serve as my opposition to approval of the Our Hawaii Lobbyists. I will remain anonymous because the organization has a history of threatening and attempting to intimidate anyone who speaks out against them.

The Maui County Board of Ethics should decline to approve the Our Hawaii Lobbyists because Our Hawaii and Lahaina Strong was not transparent about how fundraising proceeds received during the last year would be used and because of inappropriate connections between elected officials and Our Hawaii and Lahaina Strong’s lobbying operations.

Lack of Transparency and Inconsistencies About Use of Donations

Our Hawaii Action is a 501(c)(4) public welfare organization founded by Kaniela Ing and Evan Weber. Civil Beat investigated Our Hawaii back in September of 2023 and raised questions about how this organization was using donations. This Hawaii Super PAC Says It's Raising Money For Wildfire Victims — And Political Candidates Too - Honolulu Civil Beat. When questioned about use of proceeds by Civil Beat, Weber asserted “over 75% on direct aid to impacted survivors including immigrant populations unable to receive federal funds. The rest has been spent on informational and organizing materials, or direct relief infrastructure needs.”

In fact, Our Hawaii’s own website indicates that only 8% of funds dispersed went to direct community relief:

• “As of June 30, 2024, $571,072.21 in funds have been raised to the Maui Community Power Recovery Fund and $406,656.97 funds have been spent or disbursed.”
• “Immediate relief $33,480.10”

See Our Hawai'i – For Local, Working Families (our-hawaii.org). Our Hawaii has disbursed $255,497.45 to Lahaina Strong for lobbying and political influencing efforts. Our Hawaii is registered with the Hawaii Attorney General Tax and Charities Division, but has not filed a tax return since 2022 which is the only way the general public would know how much this organization has raised.

Eddie Dowd from Hawaii News Now wrote about Our Hawaii as well in his piece about cracking down on wildfire fundraising fraud:

• “Ing says his fund has raised at least $650,000 and admits that money could be used to support political candidates who want to help Lahaina rebuild in a way that represents the community.”
• “He says about a quarter of the money raised has been spent — about 75% was direct aid to residents, and the rest paid for things like signs, shirts, and banners.” 
• “State House Speaker Scott Saiki is asking the state to do more to crack down on fundraising fraud — and ensure transparency in Maui relief donations.”

See: Controversy over politically-linked Maui donation fund prompts call for transparency (hawaiinewsnow.com)

According to Civil Beat, Ing has been the subject of multiple charges and investigations surrounding falsifying campaign finance records. See Kaniela Ing-faces-more-charges-of-campaign-spending-violations ; see also Rep Kaniela Ing-fined $15,000-for-campaign-spending-violations.  

The Attorney General Tax and Charities Division investigation of this organization may be pending. See: This Hawaii Super PAC Says It's Raising Money For Wildfire Victims — And Political Candidates Too - Honolulu Civil Beat.

Lahaina Strong organizer Paele Kiakona admitted in an Instagram comment to receiving lobbyist payments, but claimed that Our Hawaii raised specific funds from unidentified “corporations” and from “private philanthropy” that was specifically intended for paying him and others as lobbyists. Mr. Kiakona, who sometimes goes by Paele Kulani, almost immediately deleted the comment:

In light of Mr. Kiakona’s statements, it should be easy for Our Hawaii and Lahaina Strong to identify the funds that were provided directly and specifically for paying individuals as lobbyists as opposed to general donations funds that were supposed to go to the community.

Additionally, Lahaina Strong was conducting a commercial operation at Canoe Beach on August 8, 2024 and was selling t-shirts and other clothing using an unknown Venmo account. In addition to commodifying grief by selling t-shirts at a community paddle out event, there is no accountability regarding where that money went, and it remains unclear whether Lahaina Strong paid any General Excise Tax on the proceeds.

“Lahaina Strong” is actually a registered trade name for a for-profit limited liability company called KA HO`OILINA O LA`IKŪ LLC that is managed by Jordan Ruidas.  This organization is not in good standing with the State of Hawaii DCCA.

Despite handling well over $25,000, KA HO`OILINA O LA`IKŪ LLC has not registered with the Hawaii Attorney General Tax and Charities division, and does not have tax exempt status with the Internal Revenue Service. Ms. Ruidas had a General Excise Tax license but that is now expired so it is unclear if this for-profit LLC pays any GET on any its commercial operations.

The Maui community deserves more accountability and transparency relating to Our Hawaii and Lahaina Strong.

Unacceptable Relationships Between Elected Officials and Our Hawaii/Lahaina Strong

Councilmember Tamara Paltin proudly displays a Lahaina Strong lobbying sign behind her desk in council chambers.

Councilmember Rawlins-Fernandez proudly wears Lahaina Strong shirts, participates as a member of the Lahaina Strong lobbying operation at community events, and is even “on the front lines” with Lahaina Strong’s lobbying efforts:

In an unusual course of events, Councilmembers Paltin, Rawlins-Fernandez and Johnson have also pledged support to Lahaina Strong:

It is quite unusual and alarming for elected officials to pledge support for a lobbying organization.

Additionally, Councilmember Rawlins-Fernandez sits on a board of a claimed non-profit organization that claims to have a “Coalition Partnership” with Our Hawaii Action. See SEJ Program Area — HAPA: Hawai'i Alliance for Progressive Action (hapahi.org).

One of HAPA’s organizational goals is to “Regulate vacation rentals” which is a private interest that Councilmember Rawlins-Fernandez is pursuing through her elected position on the County Council.

Rawlins-Fernandez carried out this this private advocacy by introducing vacation rental legislation just months ago which does raise questions about compliance with Maui County Charter Section 10-4.1.c.; 10-4.1.g., and 10-4.1(4).

Prior to making any decision regarding the lobbyist registrations, the Maui County Board of Ethics should further investigate Our Hawaii, Lahaina Strong, and all elected officials that have demonstrated to be inextricably intertwined with private lobbying organizations.

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