A Year Of Embarrassing Scandal May Help Hawaii Finally Reform Campaign Finance

In the opening months of this election year, Hawaii voters witnessed the outrageous spectacle of two influential state lawmakers pleading guilty in a corruption scandal that seemed to confirm everyone’s worst suspicions about “pay to play” in local politics.

The convictions of former Senate Democratic Majority Leader J. Kalani English and Rep. Ty Cullen centered on their relationship with a prolific campaign contributor named Milton Choy, who has showered local political leaders with legal donations for years. In this case, Choy also paid cash bribes to English and Cullen to influence...