News Clips

Thank you for taking the time to write to me regarding transparency and democracy during the COVID-19 crisis. Please know that many of your concerns were carefully considered prior to the decision to temporarily suspend certain requirements of the State’s Sunshine Law, part 1 of chapter 92, Hawai‘i Revised Statutes (HRS). While I agree that transparency is of utmost importance, the ability of government to function at all during a pandemic of the unprecedented sort we currently face is also critical and all possible flexibility in this regard must be provided to government entities.

Common Cause Hawaii is a nonpartisan, nonprofit, grassroots organization dedicated to upholding the core values of American democracy. Transparency in government is key to a healthy and strong democracy. Common Cause Hawaii provides comments regarding the transparency of the April 2, 2020 General Business Meeting of the Board of Education (Board) and specifically Agenda Item III, Board Action on temporary rules of operation to conduct virtual board meetings.

In times of emergency the Constitution is not suspended, in fact, it is needed even more for transparency and accountability. ...The public needs to be able to participate in government in order for democracy to continue to function. Government transparency and support of the public’s right to know are more, not less, critical during emergency situations.

Common Cause Hawaii is a nonpartisan, nonprofit, grassroots organization dedicated to upholding the core values of American democracy. Transparency in government is key to a healthy and strong democracy. Common Cause Hawaii provides comments regarding the transparency of the April 2, 2020 General Business Meeting of the Board of Education (Board) and specifically Agenda Item III, Board Action on temporary rules of operation to conduct virtual board meetings.

Below is a letter from Sandy Ma, executive director of Common Cause Hawaii to the Maui County Council about ethics and transparency while emergency rules issued by Mayor Victorino to stay at home and work from home until April 30, 2020, similar to the entire State of Hawaii.

Whether true or not, Hawaii has a perceived ethics problem among government employees and elected officials. The most obvious are the former Honolulu Police Chief Louis Kealoha and his city deputy prosecutor, soon-to- be ex-wife Katherine Kealoha, who were both convicted in 2019 of conspiracy and obstruction of justice. The Kealoha corruption investigation embroiled the Honolulu Corporation Counsel Donna Leong and Honolulu Prosecuting Attorney Keith Kaneshiro, who have both been on paid leave since early 2019. Common Cause Hawaii strongly supports passing bills addressing these kinds of ethics issues.