FORMER CHIEF FINANCIAL OFFICER SUES OHA FOR CORRUPTION COVERUP

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Hawai`i News Now - January 27, 2021- By Rick Daysog

A former high-ranking Office of Hawaiian Affairs executive has filed a whistleblower lawsuit against the organization. 

David Laeha, OHA’s former chief financial officer, alleged that former OHA CEO Kamanao Crabbe began to retaliate against him just months after he was hired in 2017 and eventually fired him in 2019. 

His suit alleged that he was fired because because he questioned why OHA was not properly reporting millions of dollars in expenditures to state lawmakers and to the public. 

What he found was that they were very sloppy, he found that they went out of their way to avoid the kind of transparency which was necessary,” said Eric Seitz, his attorney. 

“At every stage, he made complaints and criticisms to his superiors and much of the time they just ignored him until finally they fired him.” 

But in an interview with HNN, Crabbe said Laeha made similar allegations in a discrimination complaint that has since been dismissed. 

He called the suit “another attempt to seek unwarranted financial gains.” 

As CFO, Laeha served as the watchdog for OHA’s $350 million trust and its million of dollars in grants and scholarships. 

Laeha’s suit also alleges he was fired because he rejected grant applications that didn’t go out for competitive bidding like they were supposed to or when the grants were issued to an ineligible company or organization. 

These are some of the same practices that were heavily criticized in a state auditor’s report in 2018. 

Federal authorities are also investigating. 

“We have a long history with these kinds of agencies where people are very sloppy about how they administer funds that belong to other people and how they use their positions to benefit friends,” said Seitz. 

OHA declined comment.

MACHADO OUSTED IN OHA RACE - PRO TRANSPARENCY CANDIDATE ELECTED

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Hawai`i Public Radio - November 5, 2020

Office of Hawaiian Affairs trustee Collette Machado was voted out of office Tuesday, after more than 24 years on the job. 

This could mean some big changes, not only for Molokaʻi and Lānaʻi – the two islands she represents – but for the overall direction of the OHA Board of Trustees. 

Hawaiʻi voters chose political newcomer and former beauty queen Luana Alapa to replace Machado. 

Alapa says she was ecstatic when she heard the news and she hasn’t been able to sleep since. "Being a brand new candidate and going up against an incumbent and sitting chairwoman – that was huge. So we knew what we were up against but I think the theme for people was change," Alapa said. 

She campaigned for greater transparency and accountability in OHA spending. 

A 2019 audit of OHA found as much as $7.8 million in potentially fraudulent, wasteful, or abusive spending. 

"A lot of negative fallout has happened because things aren’t, you know, transparent. This is a public state agency, by the way, it’s not a Hawaiian entity. It’s a state agency that serves Hawaiian people. We have a right to understand where the monies are going." 

Alapa defeated Machado by nearly 39,000 votes. 

Healani Sonoda-Pale, an analyst with political action committee Ka Lāhui Hawaiʻ, says she isnʻt surprised. "What it tells us is what’s more concerning for kanaka maoli this year is how well OHA manages the finances and because of the audit that have been scathing...it has affected this election. At a time when we are in an economic crunch, money matters," she said.

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"OFFICE OF HAWAIIAN AFFAIRS FIRST COVER-UP OF 2020"

The New Yearʻs Barely Started & Thereʻs Already A Cover-Up At OHA.

It Happened When Hawai`iʻs State Auditor Tried To Audit OHAʻs LLCʻs.

The “Old Guard” Trustees Ran For Cover Leaving Beneficiaries Holding The Bag.

Watch This For Full Details & What You Can Do To Help.

Then Share This Video Today With Your Family & Everyone You Know.

DONʻT SWEEP OHA AUDIT UNDER THE RUG

By Trustee Keli'i Akina, PhD, Ka Wai Ola, January, 2020

Some say it's not an "audit," but a "report." Others say it doesn't "show fraud," but "indicators of potential fraud." However people talk about it, you owe it to yourself to look at what the latest audit of OHA actually says.

SHOCKING FINDINGS

The firm CliftonLarsonAllen (CLA) examined 2% of all contracts and disbursements OHA and its LLCs entered into from July 2012 to June 2016. They Red-Flagged 17% of them for ''potentially fraudulent, wasteful or abusive expenditures."

Here are some of their findings:

• The Akamai Foundation, on behalf of Na'i Aupuni, received a $2.6 million grant but OHA was unable to give the CLA auditors any supporting invoices, receipts or billings to demonstrate what costs were actually incurred by the grant awardee.

•A $1.6 million contract was awarded to WCIT to produce the Conceptual Master Plan for OHA's Kaka'ako Makai properties but according to CLA, the purpose of this contract was not accomplished.

• A $250,000 contract was awarded to Kuauli 'Aina Based Insights LLC to "examine the original source deeds of former Hawaiian Kingdom Government and Crown Lands sold" from 1845-1859. The contract bypassed the required procurement process.

• OHA gave a $200,000 grant to 'Aha Kane while the OHA CEO at that time, who founded 'Aha Kane, was serving as an Advisory Chair to the organization.

• Reed Smith LLP received a $200,000 professional services contract to provide legal advice regarding Native Hawaiian self-governance and Hawaiian language immersion education. The main provider of the services contracted for was an OHA employee whose employment with OHA ended shortly before the contract was awarded.

• Absolute Plus received $185,000 to provide reports to the Board on each Trust Fund Advisor and the entire trust fund, yet OHA could not provide CLA with the reports, or any evidence that the required work was performed.

• OHA gave $150,000 to ABW Holdings, LLC for a lease guaranty OHA had signed on behalf of Kauhale, LLC when it defaulted on its commercial lease at Waikiki Beachwalk.

NOT A CLEAN BILL OF HEALTH

While the CLA report "did not identify actual instances of fraud, waste and abuse," the truth is that CLA cannot, and was not asked to make, a formal determination of fraud since it is not a law enforcement entity. CLA did what they were hired to do, which is point out indicators of potential fraud. CLA stated, "Because our engagement was limited to-the matters described in the contract, fraud and/or financial irregularities may exist within the organization that we may not have identified during the performance of our procedures."

Clearly, the auditors did not give OHA "a clean bill of health."

The Honolulu Star-Advertiser editors put it this way: "Audit should set off alarms at OHA." And Hawai'i News Now reported: "Auditors find a mess when they look into Office of Hawaiian Affairs spending."

SERIOUS QUESTIONS

There are serious questions which must now be answered:

• Where are the contract deliverables that the audit could not find?

• Where is the large amount of documentation that OHA could not produce for the auditors?

• Will OHA trustees look into cases with serious indicators of potential waste, fraud and abuse?

• Will the trustees make appropriate referrals to government agencies and law enforcement bodies?

The worst thing OHA could do is downplay the audit and fail to hold responsible parties accountable. Beneficiaries need to insist that OHA trustees follow through and complete the work the audit began.

Let's not sweep the independent audit under the rug.

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"CAUGHT - OHA AUDIT REPORT SECRETS REVEALED"

Donʻt Miss This.

An Easy To Understand OHA Forensic Audit Overview Youʻll Want To See.

A Quick Read That Reveals The Worst Financial Dirt On OHA.

Watch This For A Quick Run-Down & Where You Can See It For Yourself.

Then Share This Video Today With Your Family & Everyone You Know.

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"WHY YOU SHOULD MAHALO OHA TRUSTEE KELI`I AKINA"

How Would You Like To Do Something Good & Get Criticized For It?

Thatʻs What Happened To OHA Trustee Keli`i Akina.

Who Would Criticize Him & Why For Doing Something Good?

Watch This For The Answer & What He Did That Benefits All Hawaiians.

Then Share This Video Today With Your Family & Everyone You Know.

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"WHO PULLED A FAST ONE WHILE NO ONEʻS LOOKING?"

You Probably Wonʻt Be Surprised To Learn Theyʻre At It Again.

OHA Trustees Latest Sneaky Move Is Another Blow To Transparency.

Theyʻve Tried To Stop  A “Whistleblower” & Instead Claim Theyʻre The Good Guys.

Watch This To See Who Theyʻve Tried To Smear & Why.

Then Share This Video Today With Your Family & Everyone You Know.

OHA LLCS AGREE TO PROVIDE CHECK REGISTERS

Hawai`i Free Press - By Andrew Walden - July 7, 2019

The State of Hawaii Office of Hawaiian Affairs (OHA) has agreed to fulfill a Hawai’i Free Press Uniform Information Practices Act (UIPA) request for the check registers of four of OHA’s seven known limited liability corporations (LLCs).


This is in addition to three other OHA LLCs covered by a court order.


In the wake of First Circuit Court Judge Jeffrey Crabtree’s March 29, 2019 Minute Order directing OHA to comply with a UIPA request for three of its LLCs, Hawai’i Free Press submitted, May 20, 2019, a separate UIPA request for records of the other four. 


After six weeks of no response, in a July 2, 2019, letter to the State Office of Information Practices, OHA’s newly appointed interim CEO, Sylvia Hussey, finally acknowledges:

…the status of Hi'ilei Aloha LLC, Ho'okele Pono LLC, and Hi'ipaka LLC, as agencies for UIPA purposes, was…determined and finalized through the written Findings of Fact and Conclusions of Law (FOFCOL) and Order of the Honorable Jeffrey P. Crabtree, filed on June 25, 2019….  Furthermore, the June 25th final FOFCOL and Order determined that Hi'ilei Aloha LLC, Ho'okele Pono LLC, and Hi'ipaka LLC, as a subsidiary of Hi'ilei Aloha LLC, are each an agency for UIPA purposes of HRS §92F-3. To this end, the court set a 30-day deadline for the production of the check registers and tasked Hi'ilei Aloha LLC, Ho'okele Pono LLC, and Hi'ipaka LLC--not OHA--with complying with the court's order.  Now that it is final, the court's ruling informed the application of the UIPA to the subsidiary LLCs covered by the instant Records Request-Ho'okipaipai LLC, Hi'ikualono LLC, Hi'ipoi LLC, and Ho'opakeu LLC….

This implies that Hussey does not intend to appeal Judge Crabtree’s decision.  


Initially, neither OHA nor the LLCs responded to the May 20, 2019, request.  Likewise they did not respond to a letter from the Office of Information Practices (OIP), June 12, 2019.  But a second OIP letter to OHA and the LLCs went out June 25, 2019—just as Judge Crabtree was issuing his Final Order.   


OHA’s response comes just two days after the departure of former OHA CEO Kamana’o Crabbe. 


After spending tens of thousands of dollars in legal fees to defend an absurd theory that OHA LLCs were not part of the state government and therefore not subject to UIPA, the LLCs demanded pre-payment of $911.08 to cover the alleged cost of producing a copy of the four LLCs check registers “within 30 days upon receipt of payment.”  Implying that the records request is not in the public interest, Hi’ilei Aloha COO Mona Bernardino adds, “…we're not able to waive the $60 (public interest) fee….” 


The check is in the mail -- but it should be noted that these charges can dissuade many requesters from exercising their rights under UIPA.    


Records of the three LLCs covered by Judge Crabtree’s Final Order are due July 25, 2019 at no charge.

FELLOW TRUSTEES TARGET OHA TRUSTEE KELI`I AKINA FOR SUPPORTING FORENSIC AUDIT

Still More OHA Beneficiaries & Other Star-Advertiser Readers Praise For Keli`i Akina -
 
"OHA trustee Keli‘i Akina, who dares to make this mess-of-a-public-agency more open to the scrutiny it so rightly deserves. The board says: “Trustees should speak with one voice!” What they really mean is: “Don’t air our dirty laundry!”."


"About time an audit Is done."


"In this fight, I think Akina is definitely in the right, and the OHA trustees are again embarrassing themselves by failing to understand that the public has right to openness and accountability guaranteed by law and by the State Constitution...."


"Vote 'da other bums out. You go Keali'i. We're with you."


"Why would you contest an audit if you did nothing wrong!!!?"

FELLOW TRUSTEES TARGET OHA TRUSTEE KELI`I AKINA FOR SUPPORTING FORENSIC AUDIT

More OHA Beneficiaries & Other Star-Advertiser Readers Praise For Keli`i Akina -
 
"The imbecilic trustees are using the public money provided by all taxpayers as if it is their own private money. Akina is right to expose the fraud."


"The objective of the majority OHA Trustees is to run out the clock to complete the LLC's Audit. They are attempting to cover up potential criminal actions of a number of OHA employees and the Trustees. We must all support Mr. Akina over the rest of the OHA Board to complete OHA's Audit of the LLC's and other financial issues. The State Attorney General must get involved, if not already."


"Akina is right: OHA has much to hide. It is a foul organization that has done all too little for Hawaiians and this community. Remember that this is a public, state agency using public tax dollars. They are not a private entity and in fact are not a non-profit like the Red Cross or Iolani."

"Here we go again! Instead of promoting transparency and reform, OHA stifles any criticism and promotes infighting and cronyism. Tired of all the petty maneuvering by the trustees among themselves instead of responding to the needs of kanaka maoli."

"How can we trust these people with millions and millions of dollars when they won't even allow themselves to be audited?"

FELLOW TRUSTEES TARGET OHA TRUSTEE KELI`I AKINA FOR SUPPORTING FORENSIC AUDIT

Hereʻs What Just A Few OHA Beneficiaries & Other Star-Advertiser Readers Have To Say -
 
"Bravo to trustee Akina. His voice is badly needed and much appreciated ... except by fellow OHA trustees."


"I voted for him.......I hope he continues fighting the good fight....Imua"


"It would be nice if more Akinas were on the board."

"Akina has bravely stood up to the thugs and thieves. The Entire community owes him our thanks and appreciation."

"Transparency, transparency, transparency !!! It's about time a trustee stepped forward and took the initiative to let us, the public, know what's happening. OHA has been acting like its conceiver, the state legislature, in the way they do business...BEHIND CLOSED DOORS !!"

"Akina is the most honest trustee of them all. The others have something to hide by not wanting completion of the audit."

"OHA is a state agency. Is there such a thing as "code of conduct policy" for any state agency? There should always be check and balances especially when tax payers money are used. Every board member should have the right to speak out to avoid the level of transparency and accountability that is required by any state agency. Do they (the rest of the OHA board) have something to hide? Go for it Akina and weed out the crooked members."

UH-OH - JUDGE ORDERS OHA LLCʻS TO HAND OVER CHECK REGISTERS

By Andrew Walden - Hawai`i Free Press - June 26, 2019

In a June 25, 2019, “Finding of Fact and Conclusions of Law and Order Regarding Both”, Oahu First Circuit Court Judge Jeffrey Crabtree has ruled that Limited Liability Corporations (LLCs) owned by the Office of Hawaiian Affairs are subject to Hawai`i’s open records law known as UIPA and must within 30 days hand over "their check registers and income and expense statements."

Confirming an earlier March 29, 2019, ‘Minute Order,’ Judge Crabtree holds that the Limited Liability Corporations (LLCs) are “agencies … owned, operated, and managed by OHA, a state entity….  (T)he requested documents are not exempt from disclosure….”

How much more beneficiary money will OHA insiders waste in this futile effort to keep their own secrets?

Judge Crabtree rules, “The Court will award (attorneys representing Applicant Walden) reasonable attorney fees and costs….”  He also points out, “If the Court had imposed the relief requested by (OHA’s LLCs), it is virtually certain we would be back in the same place within months-- the only difference being more attorneys' fees incurred by all, and more time spent by all with no demonstrable benefit.”

Represented by Honolulu attorney Michael Lilly, Hawai`i Free Press editor Andrew Walden, August 28, 2018, applied to the court for an order directing three of OHA’s seven LLCs to release their check registers.   

The LLCs were represented in court by Honolulu attorney Anna Elento-Sneed.  Sneed’s ES&A law firm has pulled down over $140K in legal fees from OHA starting soon after ES&A’s 2015 foundation.  Among her first acts—negotiating OHA CEO Kamanaopono Crabbe’s controversial employment contract signed in August, 2016, with then-Trustees Chair Robert Lindsey.  That factoid came out in a long rant by Crabbe recorded in minutes of the OHA BOT January 7, 2017 (p12).

Sneed’s legal strategy featured a 403 page ‘supplemental memo’ and unsuccessful attempts to force the recusal of Judge Crabtree and to block the filing of friend-of-the-court briefs by the Civil Beat Law Center and the Tax Foundation of Hawai`i.

The litigation may have helped Sneed’s bottom line but it didn’t do much to advance her case.

OHA has poured over $34M into its seven LLCs—contradicting attorney Kimberly Greeley, then “represent(ing) Hi`ilei Aloha, LLC, Ho’okele Pono, LLC, and Hi`ipaka LLC” who, in January, 2017, falsely claimed “the State … does not provide any funding for the Companies.”

To find out where the money went, Hawai`i Free Press, in November, 2016, filed a separate open records request for the entire check register for three of the LLCs.  After two months of stalling, the LLCs then-attorney Greeley wrote back claiming  that the LLCs were private organizations and they—and their assets such as Waimea Valley--were no longer property of the Office of Hawaiian Affairs.

Since that shocking response from Greely, The LLC check registers have been sought by attorneys for Abigail Kawananakoa, by OHA Trustees, and by an auditing firm hired by OHA to look at the LLCs.  None of them have yet succeeded in making the records public.  Greeley did not represent the LLCs in court.

Sneed has 30 day to appeal.

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"WHAT ARE THE OHA TRUSTEES TRYING TO COVER UP NOW?"

Thereʻs A Serious Cover Up Happening At OHA.

But In Order For It To Work, Theyʻre Trying To Pull A Fast One.

Theyʻre Blaming Someone Else So You Donʻt Blame Them.

Watch This To See Who Theyʻre Trying To Blame & Why Their Trick Will Fail.

Then Share This Video Today With Your Family & Everyone You Know.

YOUR CHANCE TO GIVE THE OFFICE OF HAWAIIAN AFFAIRS A PIECE OF YOUR MIND

 
















Hereʻs The Schedule For Their Public Meetings

SHOW UP & Tell Them These Three Things -

Demand Transparency In Everything They Do
 
Insist They Publicly Release The Check Registers For OHAʻs LLCs
 
Demand The Forensic Audit Be Completed & Released To The Public 

All Meetings Start At 5:30 PM -

May 22 - Hilo - UH Hilo - Hale `Ōlelo - 113 Nowelo St. - Hilo, Hawai`i Island 96720

May 23 - Wai`anae - Wai`anae High School Cafeteria -  85-251 Farrington Hwy. - Wai`anae, O`ahu 96792

May 24 - Waimānalo - Blanche Pope Elementary School Cafeteria - 41-133 Hulio St. - Waimānalo, O`ahu 96795

May 28 - Lān`i - Lāna`i Community Center - Eighth St. & Lāna`i Ave. - Lāna`i City, Lāna`i 96763

June 3 - Kona - Hawai`i Island, West Hawai`i Civic Center - 74-5044 Ane Keohokalole Hwy. - Kailua, Hawai`i Island 96740

June 4 - Hau`ula - Hau`ula Elementary School - 54-046 Kamehameha Hwy. - Hau`ula, O`ahu 96717

June 5 - Kaua`i -  Kaua`i Community College Cafeteria - 3-1901 Kaumuali`i Hwy. - Līhu`e, Kaua`i 96766

June 6 - Molokai - Kūlana `Ōiwi - Mauna Loa Hwy. - Kaunakakai, Molokai 96748

Please RSVP to oha@dtlstudio.com

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"GIVE OHA A PIECE OF YOUR MIND"

It Might Seem Strange But OHAʻs Asking Your Opinion.

Do They Really Care What It Is?

Well, Nowʻs Your Chance To Let Them Know.

Watch This To Discover How To Be Heard Loud & Clear.

Then Share This Video Today With Your Family & Everyone You Know.

THE NOOSE IS TIGHTENING ON OHAʻS LLCS

 

 

 

 

 

Honolulu Civil Beat - By Tom Yamachika - April 28, 2019 

Our Office Of Hawaiian Affairs formed some limited liability companies a while ago and dropped significant assets into them, including some 1,875 acres in Waimea Valley on O`ahu that were conveyed to Hiipaka LLC in 2007.

The LLCʻs governing documents all say that they are to be managed by individuals holding specified administrative positions at OHA, specifically the CEO, COO and COO.

Over time, however, it became increasingly evident that the LLCs were being run like fiefdoms accountable to no one. The State Auditor’s Report No. 18-03 brought to light concerns about spending irregularities, for example, including finding several occasions in which OHA’s CEO funded sponsorships contrary to board-adopted guidelines and staff recommendations.

The Board of Trustees of OHA engaged the accounting firm CliftonLarsenAllen LLP to conduct a forensic accounting examination “to identify and quantify potential areas of waste, abuse, and fraud … for OHA and its LLCs.”

As of Nov. 30, 2018, however, a memo from one of the OHA trustees observed: “The LLCs have refused to provide any information to CLA. OHA’s failure and the LLCs’ refusal to honor the Board’s will[,] have led to substantial and unwarranted delays. … It is now unclear whether CLA will be able to complete the audit at all.”

Andrew Walden, publisher of Hawaii Free Press, submitted a request to turn over financial records and was told that the LLCs were independent entities to which public records laws didn’t apply.

In the resulting lawsuit, David Laeha, then OHA’s CFO and one of the managers of the LLCs, stated in court papers: “As a matter of practice, the Managers restrict [OHA] access to the information of the [LLCs] so as to reserve managerial powers in the Managers, as contemplated in Respondents’ operating agreements. Managers have explicitly limited OHA’s access to information, and reserved their right to continue to do so.”

But now the noose is closing around the LLCs from several different angles, threatening to end the fiefdom and the shroud of secrecy surrounding it.

On March 29, Circuit Judge Jeffrey Crabtree entered a Minute Order in Walden’s case ruling that the LLCs cannot avoid the public records laws. The final order hasn’t been entered yet, but the direction in which the judge is heading appears clear.

On April 12, the Senate adopted Senate Resolution 151, which urges OHA to complete the financial audit and management review of OHA and its subsidiaries.

House Bill 172, now awaiting final floor votes in the House and Senate, contains a budget proviso appropriating funds for the CLA audit, requiring the auditor to submit its report 20 days before the 2020 legislative session starts, and preventing any of the $6.4 million appropriated in the bill for fiscal year 2020-2021 from being released until the legislature receives a copy of the audit report. 

"We The People"

The fiefdom must end. We the People of Hawaii created OHA in the Hawaii Constitution and have specified that it be run by trustees elected by the people.

The lands and the vast sums of money that OHA controls (now in excess of $660 million) are assets belonging to the people of Hawaii. Their use cannot be shielded from accountability (to both the trustees and the general public) simply by tossing them into LLCs. Those who have created or perpetuated this charade must be challenged.

The dealings of the LLCs must be disclosed. If the audit discovers any misappropriation of those assets, appropriate remedial action must be taken. Not only do the beneficiaries of OHA deserve this, all the people of Hawaii deserve this.

SETTING THE RECORD STRAIGHT - A CRY FOR TRUTH & TRANSPARENCY AT OHA

YOUR KOKUA NEEDED NOW! - DEMAND THE OFFICE OF HAWAIIAN AFFAIRS INDEPENDENT AUDIT NOT BE DELAYED

Please forward this today to all Hawaiians and our supporters.

We wish to make you aware of a quickly developing situation that has very serious negative consequences for Office of Hawaiian Affairs beneficiaries.

An attempt of devious trickery is about to be perpetrated by the“Old Guard” Trustees led by Dan Ahuna and if successful it would deal a serious blow to transparency at OHA.

As you are probably aware the forensic audit being conducted at the Office of Hawaiian Affairs is currently scheduled to be completed by the end of this month with results released soon thereafter.

However, at tomorrowʻs OHA Committee on Resource Management meeting, Trustee Ahuna will be putting forth Action Item RM #19-02, which if approved, would delay the completion of the forensic audit as well as results released to beneficiaries and the public from April 30, 2019 to December 16, 2019.

Hereʻs why it is so critically important that this Action Item be defeated in tomorrowʻs Resource Committee meeting.

The contract of OHA CEO Kamana`opono Crabbe will expire June 30, 2019.

Should Action Item RM #19-02 (delay of forensic audit) be approved by a majority vote of OHA trustees this coming Wednesday, it could delay until December 16th any reporting of potential wrong doing discovered by the forensic audit which could include wrongdoing by OHAʻs CEO and administration.

That would mean OHA beneficiaries would not learn of any potential wrongdoing by OHAʻs administration until six months AFTER OHAʻs CEO contract had been potentially renewed for another three years!

Your help is urgently needed to demand OHA trustees not delay the completion of the forensic audit until December 16th when it will be too late to act on any wrongdoing uncovered by OHAʻs administration.

We ask that you do two very important things -

First, contact all OHA trustees immediately - today is the final day to do so -  and demand they vote AGAINST Action Item RM #19-02 at tomorrowʻs Committee on Resource Management meeting. Tell them you insist on transparency and accountability for all OHA employees and OHA funds.

Secondly, we ask that if at all possible you ATTEND and give testimony against this action item at tomorrowʻs meeting at 10 AM at OHAʻs headquarters in the OHA Board Room at Na Lama Kukui, 560 Nimitz Hwy., Suite 200, Honolulu 96817.

It is critically important that you let them know in person that you demand accountability and honesty.

We have attached below the OHA Action Item RM #19-02 official document.

Please read it.

Please contact Dan Ahuna and the other OHA trustees to let them know you demand they vote to defeat tomorrow this underhanded attempt to hide potential wrongdoing by OHAʻs administration.

If you have not already done so, please contact OHA right now -

Colette Machado - colettem@oha.org - (808) 594-1837

Bob Lindsey - robertl@oha.org - (808) 594-1855

Kalei Akaka - kaleia@oha.org - (808) 594-1854

John Waihe`e Jr. - crayna@oha.org (808) 594-1876

Brendon Lee - brendonl@oha.org (808) 594-1860

Keli`i Akina - TrusteeAkina@oha.org (808) 594-1976

Carmen Hulu Lindsey - hulul@oha.org (808) 594-1858

Dan Ahuna - dana@oha.org (808) 594-1751

Lei Ahu Isa - leia@oha.org (808) 594-1857

Kamana'opono Crabbe - kamanaoc@oha.org

OHA Headquarters - (808) 594-1835

Mahalo.

ALERT! - DEMAND THE OFFICE OF HAWAIIAN AFFAIRS INDEPENDENT AUDIT NOT BE DELAYED

Please forward this today to all Hawaiians and our supporters.

We wish to make you aware of a quickly developing situation that has very serious negative consequences for Office of Hawaiian Affairs beneficiaries.

An attempt of devious trickery is about to be perpetrated by the“Old Guard” Trustees led by Dan Ahuna and if successful it would deal a serious blow to transparency at OHA.

As you are probably aware the forensic audit being conducted at the Office of Hawaiian Affairs is currently scheduled to be completed by the end of this month with results released soon thereafter.

However, at this upcoming Wednesdayʻs OHA Committee on Resource Management meeting, Trustee Ahuna will be putting forth Action Item RM #19-02, which if approved, would delay the completion of the forensic audit as well as results released to beneficiaries and the public from April 30, 2019 to December 16, 2019.

Hereʻs why it is so critically important that this Action Item be defeated in this coming Wednesdayʻs Resource Committee meeting.

The contract of OHA CEO Kamana`opono Crabbe will expire June 30, 2019.

Should Action Item RM #19-02 (delay of forensic audit) be approved by a majority vote of OHA trustees this coming Wednesday, it could delay until December 16th any reporting of potential wrong doing discovered by the forensic audit which could include wrongdoing by OHAʻs CEO and administration.

That would mean OHA beneficiaries would not learn of any potential wrongdoing by OHAʻs administration until six months AFTER OHAʻs CEO contract had been potentially renewed for another three years!

Your help is urgently needed to demand OHA trustees not delay the completion of the forensic audit until December 16th when it will be too late to act on any wrongdoing uncovered by OHAʻs administration.

We ask that you do two very important things -

First, contact all OHA trustees immediately and demand they vote AGAINST Action Item RM #19-02 at this coming Wednesdayʻs Committee on Resource Management meeting. Tell them you insist on transparency and accountability for all OHA employees and OHA funds.

Secondly, we ask that if at all possible you ATTEND and give testimony against this action item at this coming Wednesdayʻs meeting at 10 AM at OHAʻs headquarters in the OHA Board Room at Na Lama Kukui, 560 Nimitz Hwy., Suite 200, Honolulu 96817.

It is critically important that you let them know in person that you demand accountability and honesty.

We have attached below the OHA Action Item RM #19-02 official document.

Please read it.

Please contact Dan Ahuna and the other OHA trustees to let them know you demand they vote to defeat this underhanded attempt to hide potential wrongdoing by OHAʻs administration.

Please contact OHA today -

Colette Machado - colettem@oha.org - (808) 594-1837

Bob Lindsey - robertl@oha.org - (808) 594-1855

Kalei Akaka - kaleia@oha.org - (808) 594-1854

John Waihe`e Jr. - crayna@oha.org (808) 594-1876

Brendon Lee - brendonl@oha.org (808) 594-1860

Keli`i Akina - TrusteeAkina@oha.org (808) 594-1976

Carmen Hulu Lindsey - hulul@oha.org (808) 594-1858

Dan Ahuna - dana@oha.org (808) 594-1751

Lei Ahu Isa - leia@oha.org (808) 594-1857

Kamana'opono Crabbe - kamanaoc@oha.org

OHA Headquarters - (808) 594-1835

Mahalo.

ALERT! - DEMAND THE OFFICE OF HAWAIIAN AFFAIRS INDEPENDENT AUDIT NOT BE DELAYED

Please forward this today to all Hawaiians and our supporters.

We wish to make you aware of a quickly developing situation that has very serious negative consequences for Office of Hawaiian Affairs beneficiaries.

An attempt of devious trickery is about to be perpetrated by the“Old Guard” Trustees led by Dan Ahuna and if successful it would deal a serious blow to transparency at OHA.

As you are probably aware the forensic audit being conducted at the Office of Hawaiian Affairs is currently scheduled to be completed by the end of this month with results released soon thereafter.

However, at this upcoming Wednesdayʻs OHA Committee on Resource Management meeting, Trustee Ahuna will be putting forth Action Item RM #19-02, which if approved, would delay the completion of the forensic audit as well as results released to beneficiaries and the public from April 30, 2019 to December 16, 2019.

Hereʻs why it is so critically important that this Action Item be defeated in this coming Wednesdayʻs Resource Committee meeting.

The contract of OHA CEO Kamana`opono Crabbe will expire June 30, 2019.

Should Action Item RM #19-02 (delay of forensic audit) be approved by a majority vote of OHA trustees this coming Wednesday, it could delay until December 16th any reporting of potential wrong doing discovered by the forensic audit which could include wrongdoing by OHAʻs CEO and administration.

That would mean OHA beneficiaries would not learn of any potential wrongdoing by OHAʻs administration until six months AFTER OHAʻs CEO contract had been potentially renewed for another three years!

Your help is urgently needed to demand OHA trustees not delay the completion of the forensic audit until December 16th when it will be too late to act on any wrongdoing uncovered by OHAʻs administration.

We ask that you do two very important things -

First, contact all OHA trustees immediately and demand they vote AGAINST Action Item RM #19-02 at this coming Wednesdayʻs Committee on Resource Management meeting. Tell them you insist on transparency and accountability for all OHA employees and OHA funds.

Secondly, we ask that if at all possible you ATTEND and give testimony against this action item at this coming Wednesdayʻs meeting at 10 AM at OHAʻs headquarters in the OHA Board Room at Na Lama Kukui, 560 Nimitz Hwy., Suite 200, Honolulu 96817.

It is critically important that you let them know in person that you demand accountability and honesty.

We have attached below the OHA Action Item RM #19-02 official document.

Please read it.

Please contact Dan Ahuna and the other OHA trustees to let them know you demand they vote to defeat this underhanded attempt to hide potential wrongdoing by OHAʻs administration.

Please contact OHA today -

Colette Machado - colettem@oha.org - (808) 594-1837

Bob Lindsey - robertl@oha.org - (808) 594-1855

Kalei Akaka - kaleia@oha.org - (808) 594-1854

John Waihe`e Jr. - crayna@oha.org (808) 594-1876

Brendon Lee - brendonl@oha.org (808) 594-1860

Keli`i Akina - TrusteeAkina@oha.org (808) 594-1976

Carmen Hulu Lindsey - hulul@oha.org (808) 594-1858

Dan Ahuna - dana@oha.org (808) 594-1751

Lei Ahu Isa - leia@oha.org (808) 594-1857

Kamana'opono Crabbe - kamanaoc@oha.org

OHA Headquarters - (808) 594-1835

Mahalo.