Petition Calls for Investigation of Legislator Amid Bribery Allegations

HONOLULU, Hawaii – A new petition is urging state lawmakers to investigate one of their own after federal court documents revealed that an “influential state legislator” allegedly accepted a $35,000 bribe but has not faced any charges.

The petition calls for the legislature to “immediately convene an investigative committee” with subpoena powers and hold public hearings to determine if any state laws or ethical guidelines were breached.

This revelation comes nearly three years after two former elected officials were convicted of accepting bribes from the owner of a wastewater company. They served federal prison sentences and were released in 2024. One of those officials, former legislator Ty Cullen, was implicated in the new findings. He died in prison.

The details surrounding the unnamed legislator surfaced after the Honolulu Civil Beat and attorneys with the Public First Law Center successfully sued to unseal court documents that had initially been redacted.

The documents indicated that in January 2022, Cullen met with another suspect and the influential legislator, during which Cullen recorded a conversation where the legislator accepted a $35,000 bribe intended for a political campaign.

Dan Foley, a retired judge and former chair of the State’s Commission to Improve Standards of Conduct, emphasized the urgency of the situation. “If we have credible evidence that a member of the legislature accepted a $35,000 bribe, there’s a cloud over that body until clarified,” he said.

Foley noted that while the commission had recommended 31 measures to increase transparency in state government, progress has stalled in recent years. He hopes lawmakers will treat this petition seriously.

Tom Simon, a retired FBI agent, stated that the statute of limitations for accepting bribes as a state official typically lasts five years, placing the alleged incident within a prosecutable timeframe.

In contrast, Alexander Silvert, a retired federal public defender who has uncovered other corruption scandals, expressed concern over the potential inaction. He initiated the petition and worries that if the situation remains unresolved, vital details could be lost over time. “We need some entity to investigate, and that entity has to be the legislature,” Silvert said.

Colin Moore, a political analyst, suggested that legislative action could help restore public trust. “It would show that elected officials are policing their own, which is essential for maintaining faith in the system,” Moore noted.

This petition can be filed at the capitol without a minimum number of signatures. Experts warn it could create discomfort among elected officials. Camron Hurt, director of Common Cause Hawaii, stated, “$35,000 is a huge stain on the integrity of our institution.” Silvert plans to file the petition before the end of the year.