Commissioners are responsible for investigating complaints on government officials and lobbyists, providing advisory opinions and enforcing decisions.
An investigation found a Kauai district manager falsified documents to favor a contractor, improperly accepted gifts and could have faced 165 counts of state ethics violations.
The longest-serving OHA trustee faces allegations of ethics violations while also waging a re-election fight.
Supporters say current requirements discourage volunteers, but opponents say they help prevent conflicts of interest.
Les Kondo says a release to the media of a draft audit into problems at the Office of Hawaiian Affairs violated state ethics law.
Ethics Commission reports provide some details about what Hawaii’s professional persuaders spend, and what they earn.
It doesn’t take a whole lot to satisfy the state’s legal definition of a lobbyist.
Lobbyists spent millions trying to influence lawmakers last year.