Ethics

...nepotism and preferential treatment that could have been mitigated if the Department had implemented the Commission’s instructions from a prior investigation of the same situation....

individuals looking to serve the public should apply for state board or commission openings that will occur as Senate Bill 2682 takes effect on July 8....

One of the Export-Import Bank’s largest investment partners, BNP Paribas SA, pleaded guilty on Monday to violating U.S. sanctions against Sudan, Iran and Cuba....

...Abercrombie today sent a letter to Senate President Donna Mercado Kim and House Speaker Joe Souki stating that he will let the measure become law without his signature....

Cayetano sued to clear his name after PRP Hawaii spent $2 million on a media campaign against him....

...This is just an example of the "same old, same old," where the Governor and his appointees get to wield power with a distinct lack of public scrutiny....

...Tom Brower's use of state money to buy the sledgehammer that he used to smash the shopping carts of the homeless is a story that just won't die...

...Lois Lerner’s missing emails are likely gone forever because the Internal Revenue Service destroyed the hard drive....

"...Brower abused the power of his position last year by using legislative office funds to purchase a sledgehammer which he subsequently used in raids to destroy shopping carts used by the homeless...."

On June 13, 2014, the HAWSCT accepted cert in Oahu Publications, Inc., dba The Honolulu Advertiser v. Neil Abercrombie....

Corruption increases and distorts spending by U.S. states....

...Cayetano had claimed PRP's ad campaign tarnished his reputation by unfairly portraying him as corrupt for accepting about $500,000 in illegal campaign contributions during the Democrat's narrow re-election victory over Linda Lingle....

...even a failed grab for federal money has apparently been enough for CNHA to turn DHHL and OHA inside out....

2012: Commission staff received a complaint that Employee was using city work time to stand in line to process residential building permit applications....

...and the allowance was used to buy a sledgehammer for Rep Tom Brower to attack the homeless....

The public and the employees were told that county offices needed to be shut down because the county was in financial difficulty. This was not true....

...when the Bracy family investigated their options they couldn’t find any plan that didn’t both cover elective abortions and require a surcharge solely for that purpose....

Reid has purposely tried to damage the names of Charles and David Koch, prominent conservative donors....

Cox tells how he has literally risked life and limb in the pursuit of the truth behind crime and cover-ups in Hawaii government....

“In New Zealand we are trying to make new geothermal power stations work, competing with other forms of generation at probably 7.5 cents per KWh."

...I wrote to OHA on May 15 asking for a copy of the agenda and minutes of the meeting. They had 10 working days to reply....

Among the candidates to represent District 41 in the state House are a convicted criminal who found God and two outspoken contenders who bring their own brand of controversy....

The investigation showed Aduja’s campaign issued $30,000 worth of checks to her former husband, Lee Williams.... Williams subsequently was arrested during a Chinatown drug bust....

...there is only one region (Honolulu) in Hawaii that has records dating back "nearly a century"....

...journalists in the group — including Ian Lind, Denby Fawcett, Ikaika Hussey and Daryl Huff — had to agree not to report about what was said or who said what during the entire process....

...Sen. Malama Solomon’s office has turned in the most for allowance reimbursements at more than $21,000....

State House Majority Whip Romy Cachola, D-Kalihi, has hired Honolulu criminal defense attorney Michael Green to represent him....

...no agendas were filed in advance with the Lt Gov’s office, and no public notice appears to have been given....

...Since 2008, Employee had reviewed and approved at least 100 building permit applications that had been routed through the Department by [Business]....

Over the last several years, the Ethics Commission has faced an increase in complaints of unethical conduct by these individuals....

When Valmoja objected to the continued harassment and retaliation by other HDOT-Airports employees, including managers, her employment was terminated....

House Majority floor leader Rida Cabanilla, D-Ewa, controls a nonprofit that got a $100,000 grant from the Legislature, even though it was out of compliance with the Internal Revenue Service....

This calculator should help you to decide how large of a system to install and maybe help you comparison shop across solar providers....

Kobayashi cited examples of physical abuse, exploitation, and barbaric security measures at Maui Pineapple Company's historic pineapple plantations and old worker dormitories where the Thai workers were forced to live and other abuses throughout Hawaii.

Like price fixing, 'thought leadership' is a pretty good gig...until you get caught....

...the bill, as written, will have a chilling effect on citizen participation in government....

Because of the lack of transparency, it’s not totally clear who actually selected the three candidates from a field of nine....

IRONY: PUC Commissioner Hermina Morita, adored by environmentalists, is facing fines for violating Hawaii conservation and zoning laws....

Discussion of pending bills relating to the State Ethics Code, Haw. Rev. Stat. chapter 84, and the Lobbyists Law, Haw. Rev. Stat. chapter 97....

Interested persons should submit an application, a resume and three letters of recommendation (attesting to the applicant’s character and integrity) postmarked by Friday, February 28, 2014....

... National Journal has published an article titled “How Lobbyists Still Fly Through Loopholes” and it should not surprise anyone that our South Pacific flyboy is among the Members of Congress featured....

...Charge against John Doe, a maintenance supervisor employed by the Department of Education....

...UPDATE: Hawaii County Democratic Party January 13, 2014 released the three names sent to Abercrombie by HD5 Democrats....

...HART came into existence in July, 2012...detailed records related to HART’s predecessor were not readily available during our audit....

...in the event the commission receives evidence that the Disciplinary Board of the Hawaii Supreme Court has issued a ruling which disqualifies Mr. Caliboso, the commission intends to re-visit the issue....

Hitt's other organization is the "Food Ingredient and Health Research Institute", dedicated to peddling bogus claims that autism, Alzheimer's, and ADHD are caused by so-called 'food additives.'

...American Samoa Congressional Delegate Eni Fa'aua'a Hunkin Faleomavaega, Jr has been found...

"With Pro-Rail Candidates Having Won the Primary Election, 55-to-45 Percent, the Project's Public Involvement Team Obviously Has Been Doing Its Job"