Hawaii’s Democratic lieutenant governor indicted in state corruption investigation

Hawaii Lt.Gov.Sylvia Luke(Office of the Lieutenant Governor of Lieutenant Governor Sylvia Luke)

All five defendants were swept up as part of state Attorney General Anne Lopez’s January investigation, which was an offshoot of afederal bribery probe.

Solidum represented the National Kidney Foundation of Hawaii, which had contracts with the state to provide COVID-19 testing sites.

In January 2022, with his client’s contracts set to expire, Solidum met with Luke at a steakhouse and allegedly gave her two $5,000 checks made out to her campaign committee, Friends of Sylvia Luke, according to prosecutors.

NEWSOM ADMIN FACES QUESTIONS OVER $6.2M DIAPER CONTRACT AFTER TOUTING ‘COMPETITIVE’ PROCESS

“By next week, we’ll have 35, so it will be halfway to our 70,” Solidum allegedly told Luke, promising to give her $70,000, according to the indictment.

Read More → Disney settlement could pay YouTube TV and DirecTV users

“Oh wow,” Luke allegedly replied, according to the documents.“That’s terrific.”

Read More → New cancer tech sends chemo straight to tumors

Honolulu, on the south coast of the island of Oahu, is the capital of Hawaii and the gateway to this U.S.island chain in the Pacific.(Patrick Pleul/picture alliance via Getty Images)

Luke admitted to accepting the two $5,000 checks but denied taking more than that and also denied any money influencing her lawmaking.

MASSACHUSETTS DEMOCRATIC PARTY CHAIRMAN ADMITS TO SUFFICIENT FACTS IN JUNE DRUNKEN DRIVING CASE

“I never granted special favors to a contributor,” she said in a social media post, adding she “prized integrity and honesty above all throughout her career.”

Read More → LIZ PEEK: Democrats’ affordability scam collapses in states they actually run

The indictment also argues that Solidum appeared to be attempting to leverage Luke’s upcoming run for lieutenant governor.Speaking about Luke to another state representative, Solidum said, “All I gotta do is give her more money now,” the indictment alleges.

Hawaii Gov.Josh Green delivers remarks as President Joe Biden listens during a visit to an area devastated by wildfires in Lahaina, Hawaii, Aug.21, 2023.(Mandel Ngan/AFP via Getty Images)

Read More → Massachusetts Democratic Party chairman admits to sufficient facts in June drunken driving case

onelink.me/xLDS?pid=AppArticleLink&af_web_dp=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.

Hawaii Gov.Josh Green called for Luke to resign hours after the indictment.

“The attorney general announced significant developments in her department’s corruption investigation and has provided an update on their findings,�

“The lieutenant governor needs to consider formally resigning to address this matter and so that the state of Hawaiʻi can move forward.”

�s and lieutenant governor’s offices for further comment.