Every branch of Hawaii government has built an oversight mechanism controlled by the institution it exists to oversee. The overseer is appointed by the overseen. Proceedings are sealed. Reform legislation dies in committee — killed by the entity it was designed to constrain. The variable changes. The architecture doesn’t.
This series maps the closed loops, branch by branch.
The Pattern
| Judicial | Executive | Law Enforcement | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Oversight body | Commission on Judicial Conduct | Attorney General / SIPD | Police Commission / SHOPO |
| Appointed by | Supreme Court (all 7 members) | Governor | Mayor (7 members) |
| Track record | 0 sustained complaints in 6 years | 0 political corruption prosecutions in 4 years | ~75% of fired officers reinstated via arbitration |
| Reform killed | HB 3056 (2008) — died in committee | SB2107 (2024) — killed by AG’s own testimony | Contract expired June 2025; renegotiation pending |
| Confidentiality | Rule 8.4 seals everything | Investigations unconfirmable until charges | Arbitration proceedings private |
Part I: The Zero Commission
The Judicial Branch
Seven members. All appointed by the Supreme Court they exist to oversee. 1,009 inquiries over six fiscal years. Seven formal complaints. Zero sustained. Proceedings sealed behind confidentiality rules so total that complainants cannot obtain copies of their own filings.
Published: February 15, 2026
Part II: The Paper Bag and the Architecture of Self-Investigation
The Executive Branch
The Attorney General killed a special counsel bill in 2024, testifying that the power already existed. In 2026, asked to investigate her own boss in the $35,000 bribery scandal, she reversed course: no such power exists. The bill is dead. SIPD — the state’s anti-corruption unit — has produced zero prosecutions of elected officials in four years. The 45-year-old precedent of Amemiya v. Sapienza says “any serious doubt will be resolved in favor of disqualification.” The AG says she cannot be influenced.
Published: February 20, 2026
The Closed Loop is an ongoing series. Future installments will examine law enforcement oversight, the Ethics Commission, and campaign finance enforcement. If you have information relevant to these investigations, contact the author at [email protected].