Honolulu ‘Ethics’ Commission: Kealoha Investigations Closed, Lets go After Tupola

by Andrew Walden

Hawaii Ethics and Audit Function at their Lowest Level in Years, but the Honolulu Ethics Commission is suddenly a beehive of activity.

Two reports this week sum up the Honolulu ‘ethics’ function--covering up for the big sharks while spearfishing manini to make it look like they are doing something.

The Honolulu Ethics Commission ‘Annual Report’, released March 8, 2022,  announces “Kealoha Investigations Closed,” informing readers:

We closed Louis and Katherine Kealoha-related ethics cases that we held pending for years. Upon completion of the Kealohas’ federal cases, we evaluated our investigations against the federal record. And, after much discussion, we determined to close them for reasons we reported in our open session minutes of February 17, 2021:

“The Ethics Commission’s goal is to achieve justice. After a careful review of the cases on hold pending resolution of U.S. v. Kealoha, the Commission has determined that further investigation of these matters would neither achieve that goal nor be in the public’s interest. The Commission’s records were made available to the federal authorities responsible for prosecuting the Kealohas. Given their convictions, the Commission’s resources are better spent investigating other ethics offenses and addressing the existing case backlog.”

Although this may have been an unsatisfying conclusion for some, the Kealohas are serving sentences in federal penitentiary and owe restitution. We stand by our decision.

But readers are feeling ‘unsatisfied’ can take solace in a new case popping up on the Honolulu Ethics Commission fishfinder.

Honolulu Ethics Commission Advisory Opinion 2022-01 makes a big splash in today’s Star-Advertiser:

Honolulu Councilmember Andria Tupola improperly used city funds to buy materials for COVID-19 community events put on by her former private employer.”

Tupola, who represents District 1 covering the west side of the island, used about $1,500 in public funds to pay for banners, chairs and promotional materials for COVID-19 vaccination and testing events at S&G Labs Hawaii, where she was the executive director of operations.

The councilwoman has returned $1,119 and will be giving the city about $400 worth of chairs that she bought for the event, according to her spokesman.

Promote COVID vaccinations--get busted.

Snort cocaine on the Chief’s desk, frame people up, rob orphans and grandmothers, and help one of the island’s biggest meth dealers evade justice--investigation closed.

The Honolulu ‘Ethics’ Commission is back!

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