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Let the Sunshine In


Tracking Corruption And Government Accountability

Tracking Corruption And Government Accountability

Civil Beat opinion writers are closely following efforts to bring more transparency and accountability to state and local government — at the Legislature, the county level and in the media. Help us by sending ideas and anecdotes to sunshine@civilbeat.org.

The Sunshine Blog: Hawaiʻi And New Hampshire Are Magnets For PAC $$$

Short takes, outtakes, our takes and other stuff you should know about public information, government accountability and ethical leadership in Hawai‘i.

By The Sunshine Blog · September 13, 2026 · 5 min read

Collaboration During A Disaster Is Critical

No single organization can see or do everything.

By Kristin Frost Albrecht · September 13, 2026 · 4 min read

Anything But Easter Eggs: How Hawaiʻi Could Settle Tied Elections

Flip a coin, pick a card, draw straws — do anything except use plastic eggs and a lauhala basket, the state’s high court suggests.

By Chad Blair · September 13, 2026 · 9 min read

Labor Votes: Discontent At The Polls

Candidates who have practical ideas for turning the economy around and exhibit empathy for Americans worried about how to pay their bills could receive the bulk of the union vote.

By Robert Forrant · September 6, 2026 · 5 min read

More Articles

Columns

  • Neal Milner
    Columnist
  • Lee Cataluna
    Columnist
  • Kirstin Downey
    Columnist
  • Denby Fawcett
    Columnist
  • Beth Fukumoto
    Columnist
  • Eric Stinton
    Columnist
  • Danny de Gracia
    Columnist
  • Chad Blair
    Civil Beat Staff
  • Catherine Toth Fox
    Columnist
  • John Hill
    Civil Beat Staff
  • Naka Nathaniel
    Editor-at-Large
  • Jonathan Y. Okamura
    Columnist
  • Ben Lowenthal
    Columnist
  • Matthew Leonard
    Senior Reporter
Matthew Leonard/Civil Beat/2026

Neal Milner: A Notorious UH Elevator Offers A Lesson About Disaster

September 13, 2026 · 5 min read

Screenshot/2026

Neal Milner: How To Pick An Election Winner The Right Way

August 30, 2026 · 6 min read

Cory Lum/Civil Beat/2014

Neal Milner: We Need More Insurgencies In Hawaiʻi Elections

August 23, 2026 · 7 min read

Craig Fujii/Civil Beat/2026

Neal Milner: New Police Drones May Run Afoul Of Hawaiʻi Culture

August 17, 2026 · 6 min read

More from Neal Milner
Craig Fujii/Civil Beat/2026

Lee Cataluna: Sometimes The Best Campaign Ad Is No Campaign Ad

September 13, 2026 · 5 min read

Screenshot/2026

Lee Cataluna: It's Not What You Say, It's How Often We Have To Hear It

May 31, 2026 · 5 min read

Christina Jedra/Civil Beat/2026

Lee Cataluna: When The Pono Posse Goes Quiet

May 17, 2026 · 6 min read

Getty Images/iStockphoto

Lee Cataluna: Wheelies? Really? Laws Don't Work Without Enforcement

May 10, 2026 · 5 min read

More from Lee Cataluna
Kevin Fujii/Civil Beat/2026

Kirstin Downey: How 2 Hawaiʻi Civilians Exposed Historic Navy Scandal

September 11, 2026 · 13 min read

AP

Kirstin Downey: ‘Fat Leonard’ Corrupted The Navy. Will Trump Pardon Him?

September 4, 2026 · 9 min read

Kirstin Downey/Civil Beat/2026

Kirstin Downey: Book Reveals Splendor, Brutality Of Kamehameha's Court

August 28, 2026 · 8 min read

David Croxford/Civil Beat/2024

Kirstin Downey: Honolulu Needs Your Help To Identify Historic Sites

August 7, 2026 · 5 min read

More from Kirstin Downey
Kevin Fujii/Civil Beat/2026

Denby Fawcett: Can Oʻahu Spend Millions On Pandas And Also Upgrade The Zoo?

September 9, 2026 · 9 min read

Courtesy Honolulu Museum of Art

Denby Fawcett: Why Engaging With Art Bolsters Your Brain

September 2, 2026 · 6 min read

Denby Fawcett/Civil Beat/2026

Denby Fawcett: No Pidgin Allowed In Hawaiʻi's Once-Elite Public Schools

August 19, 2026 · 10 min read

AP Photo/Petros Giannakouris

Denby Fawcett: Understanding 'The Odyssey' In Territorial Hawaiʻi

August 12, 2026 · 5 min read

More from Denby Fawcett
Screenshot/2024

Beth Fukumoto: Who Doesn't Like Ranked Choice Voting? Incumbents

September 6, 2026 · 6 min read

Cory Lum/Civil Beat/2022

Beth Fukumoto: The Debate Over Debates

June 18, 2026 · 6 min read

Ronen Zilberman/Civil Beat/2022

Beth Fukumoto: New Honolulu Election Proposal Is A Good Small Step

June 9, 2026 · 5 min read

Kevin Fujii/Civil Beat/2026

Beth Fukumoto: What High School Graduations Ought To Mean To All Of Us

June 1, 2026 · 9 min read

More from Beth Fukumoto
Craig Fujii/Civil Beat/2026

Eric Stinton: School Phone Ban Is A Good Idea, But The Problem Runs Deeper

August 3, 2026 · 7 min read

Ronen Zilberman/Civil Beat/2021

Eric Stinton: What Is A Protest That Follows The Rules?

July 19, 2026 · 5 min read

Kevin Fujii/Civil Beat/2026

Eric Stinton: Here's How To Approach Using AI In Schools

June 21, 2026 · 7 min read

Flickr: The Official CTBTO Photostream

Eric Stinton: Hawaiʻi Is In The Crosshairs Of A Dangerous Nuclear Policy

December 14, 2025 · 7 min read

More from Eric Stinton
David Croxford/Civil Beat/2024

What The Future of Hawaiʻi’s Republican Party Looks Like

January 4, 2026 · 6 min read

Getty Images

Danny De Gracia: You Don't Have The Right To Use AI Deepfakes In Politics

June 15, 2025 · 8 min read

Nathan Eagle/Civil Beat/2023

Danny De Gracia: The Case For Young People To Stay In Hawaiʻi

June 9, 2025 · 8 min read

Screenshot

Danny De Gracia: Hawaiʻi Needs Serious Leadership From Local Republicans

June 2, 2025 · 7 min read

More from Danny de Gracia
David Croxford/Civil Beat/2025

We Must Preserve The Human Rights Of Children Who Commit Crimes

May 16, 2025 · 4 min read

The White House/2025

Jacob Aki: Trump’s Address To Congress Wasn’t A Vision — It Was A Warning

March 7, 2025 · 6 min read

Chad Blair/Civil Beat/2024

Chad Blair: Campaign Signs Are Everywhere. Is There Anywhere They're Not Allowed?

July 31, 2024 · 8 min read

David Croxford/Civil Beat/2024

Chad Blair: Senate Interrogations And House Lovefests When The Money Committees Meet

May 13, 2024 · 8 min read

More from Chad Blair
David Croxford/Civil Beat/2024

Catherine Toth Fox: Closed Since 1979, Waikīkī Natatorium May Be Restored

January 21, 2025 · 5 min read

Catherine Toth Fox/Civil Beat/2024

Catherine Toth Fox: The Big Business Of Pokemon Comes To Honolulu

August 16, 2024 · 5 min read

Cory Lum/Civil Beat/2021

Catherine Toth Fox: There Should Be Such A Thing As A Free Lunch — At Least In Schools

August 9, 2024 · 4 min read

Catherine Toth Fox/Civil Beat/2024

Catherine Toth Fox: This Principal Made A Community Centered On Raising Fish And Vegetables

July 12, 2024 · 5 min read

More from Catherine Toth Fox
Cory Lum/Civil Beat

John Hill: She Begged The State To Save Her Grandkids. Instead, One Is Dead

October 18, 2024 · 6 min read

Screenshot: Multidisciplinary team report/2024

John Hill: An Abused Child's Hidden Death

September 30, 2024 · 6 min read

David Croxford/Civil Beat/2024

Danny De Gracia: Government Could Help Make Day-To-Day Life Less Annoying

September 23, 2024 · 7 min read

Cory Lum/Civil Beat/2019

John Hill: The State Keeps Bleeding Money For Failing To Protect Vulnerable Children

September 5, 2024 · 7 min read

More from John Hill
Cory Lum/Civil Beat/2020

Naka Nathaniel: The Military Wants New State Land Leases. What Should We Get In Return?

September 23, 2024 · 6 min read

(Naka Nathaniel/Civil Beat 2024

Naka Nathaniel: Hawaii's Ag System Needs An Overhaul To Promote Food Independence

September 18, 2024 · 6 min read

Jonathan Salvador photo/2024

Naka Nathaniel: The Voyage To Becoming The Breadbasket Of The Pacific

September 11, 2024 · 6 min read

Cory Lum / Civil Beat

Naka Nathaniel: We Need To Foster A Culture Of Belonging In A Land Of Inequality

August 21, 2024 · 6 min read

More from Naka Nathaniel
Kevin Fujii/Civil Beat/2024

Jonathan Okamura: Here's How Some Hawaii Candidates Covet The Japanese Vote

July 28, 2024 · 6 min read

David Croxford/Civil Beat/2022

Jonathan Okamura: Ethnic Names Give Hawaii Candidates An Advantage — And They Know It

July 21, 2024 · 7 min read

Angelo Villagomez

Jonathan Okamura: There May Be No 'Black Jobs,' But What About Micronesian Jobs?

July 14, 2024 · 5 min read

Charlie Kaijo/Civil Beat

Jonathan Okamura: Immigrant Students In Hawaii Defy Stereotypes To Tell Their Own Stories

June 30, 2024 · 6 min read

More from Jonathan Y. Okamura
Kevin Fujii/Civil Beat/2024

Ben Lowenthal: Turning Chronic Unlicensed Drivers Into Felons Is A Bad Idea

May 31, 2024 · 6 min read

Cory Lum/Civil Beat

Ben Lowenthal: Hawaii Just Won't Give Up Its Harsh Civil Asset Forfeiture Laws

May 17, 2024 · 6 min read

Ben Lowenthal/Civil Beat/2017

Ben Lowenthal: County Fair's Demise Is Another Loss For Maui

May 3, 2024 · 6 min read

Kevin Fujii/Civil Beat/2024

Ben Lowenthal: Opponents Of Legal Cannabis Say They Want To 'Keep Hawaii, Hawaii.' Which Hawaii Are They Talking About?

April 19, 2024 · 6 min read

More from Ben Lowenthal
Cory Lum/Civil Beat

Ben Lowenthal: Hawaii Just Won't Give Up Its Harsh Civil Asset Forfeiture Laws

May 17, 2024 · 6 min read

Jonathan Okamura/Civil Beat/2024

Jonathan Okamura: Filipino UH Ceremony Creates A Cultural Space To Honor Graduates, Families And Community

May 12, 2024 · 6 min read

Kevin Fujii/Civil Beat/2024

Ben Lowenthal: Opponents Of Legal Cannabis Say They Want To 'Keep Hawaii, Hawaii.' Which Hawaii Are They Talking About?

April 19, 2024 · 6 min read

Courtesy Bernie Llanes/Aggressive Gamefarm

Eric Stinton: Chickens Have Feelings Too, Scientists Say. So Where Does That Leave Cockfighting?

April 2, 2024 · 7 min read

More from Matthew Leonard

Editorials and Interviews


David Croxford/Civil Beat/2024

The Civil Beat Editorial Board Interview: US Rep. Ed Case

December 2, 2024 · 31 min read

Nathan Eagle/Civil Beat/2024

The Civil Beat Editorial Board Interview: Kauai Mayor Derek Kawakami

November 21, 2024 · 32 min read

David Croxford/Civil Beat/2024

The Civil Beat Editorial Board Interview: Hawaii's Climate Advisory Team

November 11, 2024 · 27 min read

Kevin Fujii/Civil Beat/2024

The Civil Beat Editorial Board Interview: US Sen. Brian Schatz

August 18, 2024 · 25 min read

Danny de Gracia/Civil Beat/2019

Pay-To-Play Politics Is Staring Us In The Face. What Are We Going To Do About It?

May 28, 2024 · 6 min read

Kevin Fujii/Civil Beat/2024

Now We Know The Scale Of Pay-To-Play Politics In Hawaii. It's Long Past Time To Act

April 21, 2024 · 5 min read

More Editorials and Interviews

Political Cartoons


Will Caron/Civil Beat/2026

Will Caron: Never Forget

By Will Caron · September 13, 2026

Will Caron/Civil Beat/2026

Will Caron: Panda Excess

By Will Caron · September 6, 2026

Will Caron/Civil Beat/2026

Will Caron: Vote By Maelstrom

By Will Caron · August 30, 2026

More Political Cartoons

Community Voices


Flickr: The U.S. Army

The Enduring Lessons Of 9/11

While tragic, disasters also magnify weak points and structural deficiencies.

By Karl Kim · September 11, 2026 · 4 min read

David Croxford/Civil Beat/2024

Congress Passed Housing Reform. Hawai‘i Can Make It Work

By Perry Arrasmith · September 8, 2026 · 5 min read


Cory Lum/Civil Beat/2018

Hawaiʻi Should Remember The Injustice Of Forced Unionism

By Mark Mix · September 7, 2026 · 4 min read

Featured
Essays
Columns
Editorials and Interviews
Cartoons
Community
Videos

U.S. Navy

Why Hawaiʻi Should Take Advantage Of This Workforce Development Moment

By Kimberly Lehn · September 4, 2026 · 5 min read


Courtesy Hawaiʻi County/2026

Put Power In Our Shelters Before The Next Storm

By Noel Morin · September 3, 2026 · 5 min read

More Community Voices

Videos


Beyond the Headline: Inside Hawaiʻi’s Biggest Corruption Case Play
Beyond the Headline: Inside Hawaiʻi’s Biggest Corruption Case
2026 Hawaiʻi Election: Honolulu City Council District 4 Forum Play
2026 Hawaiʻi Election: Honolulu City Council District 4 Forum
2026 Hawaiʻi Election: House District 28 Forum Play
2026 Hawaiʻi Election: House District 28 Forum
2026 Hawaiʻi Election: House District 26 Forum Play
2026 Hawaiʻi Election: House District 26 Forum
More Videos

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