ANOTHER SCANDAL FOR KAMEHAMEHA SCHOOLS?
Na`i Aupuni Involvement Could Trigger IRS Probe
June 25, 2016
To: Trustees of the Kamehameha Schools
Board Members, Pauahi Foundation
Aloha Trustees,
We are forwarding you this letter of concern relating to public statements and blogs about the use of the Kamehameha Schools Ho`oulu Hawaiian Data Center for racial and blood quantum verification for the Na`i Aupuni (Native Hawaiian Nation Constitution) / Kana`iolowalu ‘ratification/ federal recognition’ effort.
Kanaiolowalu (Act 195) was created by State Legislation. Its Commissioners were political appointees of Neal Abercrombie, the State Governor. Oversight was under OHA a State Agency. Some of the Bills and Committee reports accompanying these bills specifically mention and refer to the Kamehameha Schools. These references were made because those supporting the Bills wanted access to the KS Ho`oulu Hawaiian Data Center for election and racial verification purposes. These bills involved heavy lobbying in Hawai`i and also Washington DC.
Recently, information was circulated on the Internet verifying that Brendon Kalei`aina Lee, who is currently the Po`o of the KS Alumni Association, made statements in Alaska indicating he was working with Kamehameha Trustees and the Pauahi Foundation to give "Workshops" about the Native Hawaiian Nation Constitution adopted by 88 members of the Na`i Aupuni Aha and the upcoming ratification process of it. He alluded to the use of the KS Ho`oulu Hawaiian Data Center for verification of the race/blood quantum of the people who enrolled on Kana`iolowalu. Upon returning to Hawai`i, it is understood that Brendon Lee sought and received permission to engage the Pauahi Foundation Board in "workshops". As we understand it, these “Workshops” are being explained as “educational efforts”.
We strongly object to the usage of the KS Ho`oulu Hawaiian Data Center for any and all political purposes. The Federal 9th Circuit is currently reviewing the process relating to the alleged election of delegates for the Na`i Aupuni ConCon and the continued usage of the Kana`iolowalu list. The fiscal allocations from OHA now exceed 6.7 million dollars, of which 4 plus million were spent for Kana`iolowalu purposes. No accounting has been made on these trust funds to date, however the Judicial Watch OIP request resulted in OHA being forced to publish all invoices paid, which totaled 2.9 million dollars leaving 1.1 million dollars as unaccounted for expenditures.
Use of any data from Kamehameha Schools risks embroiling our Kamehameha Trust in another IRS probe . It is our opinion that allowing use of the KS Ho`oulu Hawaiian Data Center can only be interpreted by the IRS as Kamehameha Schools involvement in political processes that have been heavily lobbied in Hawai`i and Washington DC.
The students and alumni of the Kamehameha Schools have not agreed to or have given their approval for the use the KS Ho`oulu Hawaiian Data Center for verifying the race of individuals registered to participate in these political processes.
We are requesting the Board respond to this inquiry directly. We are forwarding our letter to other KS alumni and the Hawaiian Community.
Sincerely,
Melissa Moniz
Mililani B. Trask
Class of 1969
