If any lasting reform comes out of Hawai'i's political scandals of the last decade, Robert Watada will stand out as an icon of the revolution.

Watada, who recently retired as executive director of the state Campaign Spending Commission, was in the middle of watershed events from the ouster of disgraced Bishop Estate trustees to the disruption of a corrupt system of public works contracting.

A half-dozen elected officials who tangled with Watada ultimately were jailed for campaign law violations or other offenses, and a like number saw their political careers fizzle.

Watada's work with Honolulu police and city prosecutors punished more than 100 corporate contributors caught making illegal donations to office-holders such as former Honolulu Mayor Jeremy Harris, former Gov. Ben Cayetano and former Maui Mayor James "Kimo" Apana.

That four-year investigation effectively broke up a crooked system in which businesses seeking government work felt they needed to pay the politicians if they wanted to play.

Watada failed to persuade self-serving state lawmakers to impose an outright ban on political donations from government contractors who bankroll their campaigns.

But he helped win reforms that at least made campaign spending more transparent so voters could see where candidates get their money.

The agency Watada took over in 1994 was as discredited as the system it oversaw; his predecessor, Jack Gonzales, was sent to federal prison for a fraudulent investment scheme.

Politicians and their benefactors, who until then could flout campaign finance laws with impunity, were soon in for a comeuppance.

Watada, a Democratic appointee, didn't hesitate to aggressively scrutinize members of his own party, who then held virtually all political power in Hawai'i.

He blew the whistle on the trustees of Kamehameha Schools/Bishop Estate for illegal contributions to Democratic politicians.

His investigations contributed to legal problems that brought prison time for former House Speaker Daniel Kihano, Sens. Milton Holt and Marshall Ige, Honolulu City Council members Rene Mansho and Andy Mirikitani, and most recently, Republican lieutenant governor and congressional candidate Dalton Tanonaka.

His exposure of massive illegal donations in the 2000 Harris mayoral campaign was a key factor in driving the Democratic frontrunner out of the 2002 governor's race, virtually assuring Linda Lingle's election as Hawai'i's first Republican governor in 40 years.

Former City Council chairman Jon Yoshimura, enmeshed in controversies including campaign law violations, was forced to drop his bid for lieutenant governor, and Apana was defeated for re-election on Maui.

State Sens. Cal Kawamoto and Melodie Aduja were voted out of office last year after running afoul of campaign spending laws.

Some of Watada's targets accused him of a personal agenda — or even a political vendetta.

Harris attacked him with lawsuits and ethics complaints, and Kawamoto led a Senate effort to strip Watada of his job by putting the Campaign Spending Commission under the control of the lawmakers it regulates.

Even after Kawamoto failed, leaders of feuding Democratic Senate factions — President Robert Bunda, Vice President Donna Mercado Kim and Majority Leader Colleen Hanabusa — united in a display of pique at Watada by trying to stick the Campaign Spending Commission with a harassing audit.

Watada weathered all of the attacks and will be enjoying his retirement a whole lot more than most of those who accused him.

The challenge now is to carry Watada's noble work forward with tough enforcement of campaign spending rules to keep elections honest and with renewed efforts to tighten laws that still allow private interests to buy influence by donating to politicians.

The Campaign Spending Commission made a good first step by appointing Barbara Uphouse Wong, former Honolulu assistant police chief, to succeed Watada.

David Shapiro, a veteran Hawai'i journalist, can be reached by e-mail at dave@volcanicash.net.