It’s the last Sunday in February and time to “flASHback” on the month’s news that amused and confused:
>> State Sen. J. Kalani English and state Rep. Ty Cullen admitted taking bribes in cash and casino chips from a cesspool executive. It was a shocking surprise — to exactly nobody.
>> Fellow legislators rushed to get rid of hundreds of thousands in campaign donations (aka legal bribes) they got from the cesspool guy, Milton J. Choy. They were offended he didn’t pay in casino chips.
>> Shaken lawmakers are thinking of banning their controversial political fundraisers during session. It’s the political equivalent of plea bargaining.
>> State Sen. Donovan Dela Cruz, who directs spending as Ways and Means chairman, held 19 in-session fundraisers in recent years garnering $521,453, and his House counterpart, Rep. Sylvia Luke, collected $356,557 in 13 events. When they follow the money, the money follows them back.
>> Public agencies are pressing legislators to overturn a state Supreme Court ruling forcing them to open up the documents showing how they come to decisions. How much of a bribe it takes to get things done is proprietary information.
>> As omicron wanes, Hawaii is the only state clinging to an indoor mask mandate. Ditching masks would make it too easy for the FBI to tell the bribers from the bribees.
>> The state picked two teams to submit plans for developing 73 acres of public land around Aloha Stadium. There’s one team to miscalculate the numbers and another to misapply them.
>> The city Ethics Commission, which refused to probe Louis and Katherine Kealoha and stood by as planning officials took payoffs under its nose, is now rejecting staff plans to require gift disclosures from city employees to help thwart police bribery. Instead of watchdogs, we get fraidy-cats.
>> Two Honolulu rail board members refused Chair Colleen Hanabusa’s demand to sign a confidentiality agreement threatening “criminal penalties” for disclosing information. You know we’re cooked when the crime isn’t misspending billions of taxpayer dollars, but talking about it.
>> Mayor Rick Blangiardi said he supports draining Red Hill fuel tanks “with no apprehension” and claimed his previous refusal to comment “got twisted.” He twists his own undies in a bunch.
>> Lt. Gov. Josh Green launched his campaign for governor in a video extolling his medical background and flashing his stethoscope. If he really hopes to diagnose Hawaii’s political ills, he’ll need a proctoscope.
>> U.S. Rep. Kai Kahele, who left a short tenure in the Legislature to run for Congress, says he’s thinking of abandoning his seat after one term to run for governor. Political ADD is the new ego trip.
>> Hawaii’s former U.S. Rep. Tulsi Gabbard, who ran for president as a progressive Democrat, joined former President Donald Trump, Ted Cruz and Marjorie Taylor Greene in headlining a conservative Republican event. To paraphrase Groucho, if you don’t like her principles, she has others.
And the quote of the month … from House Speaker Scott Saiki on bribery revelations: “This is really bad. This is public corruption. … I hope it’s uncommon.” It’s uncommon when they get caught, anyway.
Reach David Shapiro at volcanicash@gmail.com.
