I think this story is noteworthy because it shows, once again, that it's always the Feds who clamp down on corruption in Hawaii. Before anyone points out that the state attorney general has sent a target letter to the lieutenant governor, don't forget that the AG had to be dragged kicking and screaming into doing anything at all. She spent weeks denying that there was any basis for her to intervene before being forced into it.
The only state initiated corruption trial that I can remember was that of Billy Kenoi, and the consensus is that the purpose was to end his upstart political career and not to produce a conviction.
Our own Puna state representative Greggor Ilagan voted to table a citizens' petition for an in-depth investigation into the now infamous $35K paper bag:
https://www.civilbeat.org/2026/04/hawaii...-bag-case/
As a lifelong Democrat, I am embarrassed to say that corruption is deeply ingrained in the Hawaii party, and most elected officials don't want to do a thing about it.
Warheit. Audit everything. Prioritize elections.
The only state initiated corruption trial that I can remember was that of Billy Kenoi, and the consensus is that the purpose was to end his upstart political career and not to produce a conviction.
Our own Puna state representative Greggor Ilagan voted to table a citizens' petition for an in-depth investigation into the now infamous $35K paper bag:
https://www.civilbeat.org/2026/04/hawaii...-bag-case/
As a lifelong Democrat, I am embarrassed to say that corruption is deeply ingrained in the Hawaii party, and most elected officials don't want to do a thing about it.
Warheit. Audit everything. Prioritize elections.