Thursday, November 21, 2024
Hawai'i Free Press

Current Articles | Archives

Friday, January 10, 2020
Pine: High Profile Ousters Cast Shadow on Government Transparency
By Councilmember Kymberly Marcos Pine @ 5:41 PM :: 5087 Views :: Honolulu County, Ethics, Law Enforcement

HIGH-PROFILE OUSTERS CAST A SHADOW ON GOVERNMENT TRANSPARENCY

TOUGH QUESTIONS MUST BE ASKED

News Release from Councilmember Kymberly Marcos Pine, January 10, 2020

HONOLULU, HAWAI‘I — This week, the Honolulu Police Commission ousted vocal Kealoha critic, Loretta Sheehan, from her Chair position. Additionally, it was reported that the Federal Public Defender for 24 years, Peter Wolff, who originally exposed the crimes of former City Prosecutor Katherine Kealoha and former Chief of Police Louis Kealoha, will also be ousted from his job.

“We are facing unprecedented corruption at all levels of government,” said Councilmember Kym Pine. These dismissals show clearly that this is not a time for Aloha as stated by the Police Commission members this week. Rather, this is a time for everyone to raise concerns and ask the tough questions that will make the City what it is supposed to be—an entity that serves the public, not private interests and agendas.”

“Now, more than ever, all agencies involved in enforcing laws and ensuring public trust and confidence should foster and encourage transparency and accountability. The people of the City and County of Honolulu deserve nothing less and they are tired of the corruption,” said Pine.

Sheehan was the only member of the Commission to vote against the $250,000 retirement payout for disgraced Louis Kealoha while he was under investigation. Councilmember Pine also publicly spoke against the payment. Now, with Kealoha’s conviction and escalating legal fees, the City will likely never be reimbursed for this payout by Kealoha, as required by law.

Despite overwhelming approval for his job performance by many in the local legal community, a panel of judges at the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit made a confidential decision not to reinstate Peter Wolff as federal public defender for the District of Hawai‘i. He served the Federal Public Defender’s office for 24 years and was one of the first to expose the Kealoha crimes.

Councilmember Kym Pine represents residents of District One, comprising portions of  ‘Ewa Villages and  ‘Ewa Beach, Kapolei, Makakilo, Kalaeloa, Honokai Hale, Ko  ‘Olina, Nānākuli, Mā‘ili, Wai‘anae, Mākaha, Kea‘au and Makua) and is chair of the City Council’s Committee on Business Economic Development and Tourism.

Links

TEXT "follow HawaiiFreePress" to 40404

Register to Vote

2aHawaii

Aloha Pregnancy Care Center

AntiPlanner

Antonio Gramsci Reading List

A Place for Women in Waipio

Ballotpedia Hawaii

Broken Trust

Build More Hawaiian Homes Working Group

Christian Homeschoolers of Hawaii

Cliff Slater's Second Opinion

DVids Hawaii

FIRE

Fix Oahu!

Frontline: The Fixers

Genetic Literacy Project

Grassroot Institute

Habele.org

Hawaii Aquarium Fish Report

Hawaii Aviation Preservation Society

Hawaii Catholic TV

Hawaii Christian Coalition

Hawaii Cigar Association

Hawaii ConCon Info

Hawaii Debt Clock

Hawaii Defense Foundation

Hawaii Family Forum

Hawaii Farmers and Ranchers United

Hawaii Farmer's Daughter

Hawaii Federation of Republican Women

Hawaii History Blog

Hawaii Jihadi Trial

Hawaii Legal News

Hawaii Legal Short-Term Rental Alliance

Hawaii Matters

Hawaii Military History

Hawaii's Partnership for Appropriate & Compassionate Care

Hawaii Public Charter School Network

Hawaii Rifle Association

Hawaii Shippers Council

Hawaii Together

HiFiCo

Hiram Fong Papers

Homeschool Legal Defense Hawaii

Honolulu Navy League

Honolulu Traffic

House Minority Blog

Imua TMT

Inouye-Kwock, NYT 1992

Inside the Nature Conservancy

Inverse Condemnation

July 4 in Hawaii

Land and Power in Hawaii

Lessons in Firearm Education

Lingle Years

Managed Care Matters -- Hawaii

MentalIllnessPolicy.org

Missile Defense Advocacy

MIS Veterans Hawaii

NAMI Hawaii

Natatorium.org

National Parents Org Hawaii

NFIB Hawaii News

NRA-ILA Hawaii

Obookiah

OHA Lies

Opt Out Today

Patients Rights Council Hawaii

Practical Policy Institute of Hawaii

Pritchett Cartoons

Pro-GMO Hawaii

RailRipoff.com

Rental by Owner Awareness Assn

Research Institute for Hawaii USA

Rick Hamada Show

RJ Rummel

School Choice in Hawaii

SenatorFong.com

Talking Tax

Tax Foundation of Hawaii

The Real Hanabusa

Time Out Honolulu

Trustee Akina KWO Columns

Waagey.org

West Maui Taxpayers Association

What Natalie Thinks

Whole Life Hawaii