Ethics

...Kelii Akina Talks Story with Journalism Professor Gerald Kato....

...Ige's COVID order suspends law requiring that people who want to do business with the State or municipal governments need to be current with their state and federal taxes....

...The intense secrecy that has come to characterize the Honolulu Police Department....

...This year Hawaii will vote exclusively by mail. Now as many of us know this increases the chances of fraud. Couple that with the checkered history of our Office of Elections, makes it more important as ever that all political parties have representation in our vote counting centers across the State....

...The measure requires the disclosure of the identity of officers who are suspended or discharged for misconduct in a report to the Legislature, removes the exemption for police from disclosure under Hawaii’s Uniform Information Practices Act, and clarifies additional authorities and powers of the Law Enforcement Standards Board....

... Of the three candidates, two have family members that are already sitting in the Honolulu City Council ....

...anonymous, threatening messages, disturbing deliveries – including a box of live cockroaches, a funeral wreath and a bloody pig mask – and conducting covert surveillance of the victims....

...“We do not have the ability to get rid of many of these officers that we know have done wrong in the past due to issues with both the contract and the arbitration associated with the union.”....

...Honolulu Mayoral Candidate Keith Amemiya knows a lot about the ‘affordable’ housing system and how to ‘work’ it....

...the UPW still has not agreed to allow all guards to be searched for contraband....

... On May 30, Mayor Victorino issued a directive indicating certain shoreline development approval requests will be reviewed within fifteen days or be automatically approved ....

...Top US official misused office to get son-in-law job....

... Earlier this month, the Hawaii Republican Party’s (HRP) Chairwoman Ms. Shirlene Ostrov sent a letter to Chief Daniel Hanagami, Special Agent, Office of the State Attorney General, who is investigating Honolulu’s Light Rail Project ....

... In the Seventh Supplemental Proclamation on May 6, the Administration backed off a bit ....

...To possibly develop draft legislation for 2021, the Office of Information Practices (OIP) wants to hear from you....

"...If a request is not acknowledged, the requester may ask the Office of Information Practices to verify that the agency received the UIPA Request...."

“...South Pacific island nations are scouring shipping records for vessels with links to North Korea after Fiji said it had identified 20 falsely flagged ships it suspects the isolated regime is using to evade United Nations sanctions....”

...The bill calls for no increases until July 1, 2021....

...it isn’t the kind its leaders were counting on....

...the DOT superintendent told him that removal of the sand was not permitted....

...significant deficiencies in internal control over financial reporting....

...OHA’s letter to Ige was timed to coincide with a media campaign designed to make Hawaiians appear as exceptional COVID victims....

"...abuse and misuse of union funds and the existence of questionable perks and benefits...."

...defendants include FSM previous TCI Sec'y Lukner Weilbacher, the former boss of Lyon Associates convict Massey Halbert....

...Today, Life of the Land filed a direct appeal to the Hawai'i Supreme Court regarding the Public Utilities Commission's decision to deny its motion to void approvals related to the Kahuku windmills project....

... Sunlight and openness are essential to keeping our lawmakers and administrative officials honest and accountable to citizens .... 

...Was it really necessary to suspend those laws to help fight the coronavirus? What can be done to restore government transparency and accountability in Hawaii?....

...suit against the Board of Education for holding a secret, closed door meeting last February, that resulted in denying her petition for rulemaking, violating the state Sunshine Law....

...Mayor will decline pay raises for City officials....

...In February, Oshima became the senior executive advisor of Hawaiian Electric Company, Inc. (HECO) after serving five years as its president and chief executive officer....

...In the meantime, if any of you are aware of specific instances in which you believe a State board or commission has acted unreasonably under the current circumstances, please provide the details for me to consider....

...As recently as several months ago, the governor was enjoined by the First Circuit Court from using his emergency powers to infringe upon the constitutionally protected traditional and customary practices of Native Hawaiian practitioners at Mauna Kea....

...while you are locked down with COVID, this is what some politicians are doing....

...Common Cause Hawaii sent a letter today to Gov. David Ige and the state's four county mayors, signed by more than 40 groups and individuals, imploring them to restore open government in Hawaii....

...Dr. Mary J. Ruwart, a well-known research scientist and ethicist discusses how the federal government has handled its response to the Coronavirus....

...We strongly urge government branches and agencies to recommit to, and not retrench from, their duty to include the public in the policy-making process....

...As part of his supplemental emergency proclamation, Ige suspended the state’s Sunshine Law, which allows public access to the meetings of government bodies. He also suspended the state’s open records law — the Uniform Information Practices Act — which governs access to public records....

...time was spent communicating with her former co-workers at the Health Information Management department....

...Ige’s Health Emergency Declaration waves many of the state laws ensuring public participation, transparency, and accountability.    

The implicit understanding is that elected officials will utilize these extraordinary powers only to combat the Corona Virus pandemic in Hawaii.

It only took two days to find out....

...alleged Meth Dealer to be removed from Committees by Reso set for approval at March 25 meeting....

...Ige, by Supplemental Emergency Proclamation dated March 16, 2020, waived many laws pertaining to transparency and accountability, specifically Hawaii Revised Statutes Chapter 92 dealing with open meetings, and Chapter 91 dealing with rulemaking....

...State of Hawaii’s “Digital Currency Innovation Lab” seeks applicants for first pilot program....

...the Rules of the Supreme Court of Hawaiʻi provides that a “[r]esignation in lieu of discipline is a disbarment for all purposes under these rules, including reinstatement.” RSCH Rule 2.14(d)....

...Sunshine doesn't cure Corona Virus -- but Corona Virus cures Sunshine....

"...The attorney general’s office has refused to publicly release documents related to its inquiry, although it has shared its final investigative reports with certain state legislators...."

...The EB-5 program offers alien investors a family-sized set of green cards if they invest....

...Sitting Kauai County Councilmember and Eleven Others Charged with Participation in a Drug Trafficking Organization....

... OHA Needs a Watchdog to Fight for Hawaiians and Hawai‘i ....

...a perception that the organization and its management "are ineffective, poorly managed, or corrupt" and "do not help or represent the Hawaiian people effectively."....

...The Hawaii County Ethics Board is planning an investigation into non-enforcement of the law at the Mauna Kea Access Road....