Hawaii’s Lieutenant Governor Indicted, Governor Calls for Resignation

Hawaii’s Democratic Governor, Josh Green, has requested the resignation of Lieutenant Governor Sylvia Luke following her indictment on multiple criminal charges, including bribery and election report falsifications.

On Friday, a grand jury charged Luke with 12 counts after an extensive investigation led by Hawaii’s Attorney General, Ann Lopez. “The lieutenant governor needs to address this issue and consider formally resigning in order for the state of Hawaii to move forward,” Lopez stated.

Luke is allegedly involved in a bribery scheme with lobbyist Tobi Solidum to promote a coronavirus testing contract from 2022. At that time, she served as the chair of the state House Finance Committee. Additionally, four others, including a former Democratic human services secretary and a previous chairman of the Public Works Committee, have also been indicted. Bench warrants are active for all five individuals charged.

Governor Green expressed his stance on the matter, saying that Luke should step down. “The Attorney General announced significant developments in the department’s corruption investigation,” he noted. “The lieutenant governor needs to address this issue and consider formally resigning.”

In April, Luke took a leave of absence due to the ongoing investigation and paused her re-election campaign. Initially, her bail was set at $100,000 but was later reduced to $80,000. Deputy Attorney General David Van Acker remarked, “We are simply asking for $100,000 bail based on the seriousness of the charges against her,” while acknowledging that she is not considered a flight risk due to her strong ties to the community.

Bribery charges fall under class B felonies, carrying a potential prison sentence of up to 10 years.