There are many things the Legislature can do to bring far greater transparency and accountability to a sometimes shady political industry.

Amemiya’s attorney says his client played no role in arranging the retirement deal with disgraced ex-police chief Louis Kealoha. Federal prosecutors say otherwise.

Updated: The Legislature is considering a bill to ban legislators from holding fundraisers during session.

The bottlenecks for power in Hawaii are obvious and the rewards for kowtowing are consistent.

What two former lawmakers did was so simplistic, obvious and tragically comical that it’s easy to miss the real point: Legal influence is another sign of American inequality.

Amid a new push for change, critics say the process surrounding legal campaign contributions urgently needs to be reformed.

As Scott Saiki put it, “We want to believe these kinds of things only happen on the mainland.”

The owner of a wastewater business has been a prolific campaign donor and received millions in sole-source government contracts over the years.

Democrats have such a complete lock on power in Hawaii — and Republicans are so marginalized —  that there may be little political fallout from even these egregious cases.

J. Kalani English and Ty Cullen are accused of accepting thousands of dollars to alter the course of certain measures in 2020.

The former Honolulu managing director and two other defendants have been charged with participating in a conspiracy to misappropriate government funds.

The $250,000 retirement payment to disgraced police chief Louis Kealoha was done legally, Leong’s attorney says.

Now a convicted felon, Louis Kealoha is supposed to pay the money back but so far has not done so.

The former Honolulu managing director’s public records request was rejected by city attorneys.

UPDATED: All defendants pleaded not guilty, and a judge allowed their release on unsecured $50,000 bonds.

Daniel Sellers was indicted along with the former HPD police chief and his prosecutor wife in 2017. After taking a plea deal, he was fired by the department.

In Hawaii, arbitrators look to previous decisions in order to be fair, no matter how serious the misconduct or whether it’s even similar.

In an upcoming criminal trial, Katherine Kealoha’s brother, Rudolph Puana, is accused of running a prescription drug ring out of his Big Island pain clinic.

The Honolulu Ethics Commission hired two outside attorneys to investigate the Kealohas as well as the people who had previously scrutinized their wrongdoing.

Roy Amemiya, who served as city managing director under former Mayor Kirk Caldwell, was already on notice when he received a subject letter last year.

Donors to the former elected Honolulu prosecutor have come under increased scrutiny as the U.S. Justice Department tries to build its case.

The mayor says he wants someone on the commission who has empathy for law enforcement officers.

The Honolulu mayor, a former coach, can score points early on when it comes to the planning department fiasco.

Federal prosecutors say city workers accepted tens of thousands of dollars to fast track permits and provide other special treatment.

A former Big Island firefighter who admitted to having an affair with Katherine Kealoha received a much more lenient sentence.

Ransen Taito admitted to lying to federal investigators after Kealoha told him his mom would go to prison if he didn’t cover for her.

Derek Hahn and Minh-Hung “Bobby” Nguyen were key players in the attempted framing of Katherine Kealoha’s uncle, Gerard Puana.

Katherine Kealoha and her husband, retired Honolulu police chief Louis Kealoha, are at the center of a years long investigation into public corruption.

The former deputy prosecutor, who’s guilty of a series of federal crimes, blamed her drug addiction for clouding her judgment.

Honolulu Prosecuting Attorney Keith Kaneshiro and his former deputy, Katherine Kealoha, are central to the allegations.

The case involves the botched prosecution of several people suspected of running illegal game rooms.

Donna Leong submitted her resignation over a month ago, but the city never shared the news.

The mayor said Managing Director Roy Amemiya is needed now “more than ever.”

Unlike other city officials under investigation by the feds, Amemiya will not be going on leave, city officials say.

COVID-19 shut things down for a bit. But prosecutors are back in town and recently called former police commissioner Max Sword before the grand jury.

Secrecy has long masked serious incidents of misconduct and outright corruption within the ranks of the Honolulu Police Department.

For too many years, lawmakers have turned aside efforts to allow public scrutiny of police misconduct. Now outrage over abuse of power should outweigh any pushback by the police union.

Gerard Puana’s attorney wants a federal judge to lift a temporary hold on the case so that a resolution can be found.

In a series of sentencing memos filed Friday, prosecutors are seeking the harshest sentences for the Kealohas and their co-conspirators.

Honolulu Police Chief Susan Ballard and the city’s top civil attorney have submitted letters to a federal judge that could be used to increase the sentences for Louis and Katherine Kealoha.

She was a key witness against her granddaughter and former Honolulu Police Chief Louis Kealoha during their recent public corruption trial.

Even if Honolulu’s lawsuit succeeds, it could take a long time for the city to get the money back.

Tenari Maafala left the Honolulu Police Department in 2018 after he was moved to another assignment by the new police chief.

The city agency charged with regulating Oahu’s liquor industry is struggling to fill positions. It’s been a problem for at least 15 years.

Sefo Fatai, an auto mechanic, spent nearly three years in jail awaiting trial. He was never convicted.

As the police corruption investigation continues with a focus on other city agencies, leaders and voters must take steps to guard against similar problems.

The court-appointed attorney for Katherine Kealoha received the largest chunk of the fees.

Accused drug dealer Tiffany Masunaga wants charges against her dropped because Katherine Kealoha admitted manipulating the case.

The federal court has made public a number of letters aimed at helping her when she’s sentenced on numerous felonies next year.

Several wrote that Louis Kealoha, convicted of conspiracy in federal court, did not know the extent of crimes committed by his wife, former deputy prosecutor Katherine Kealoha, but her lawyer said it’s unfair for her to take all the blame.