Posted on 07/25/2026 5:20:42 PM PDT by Miami Rebel
Hawaii Lt. Gov. Sylvia Luke (D) was indicted on bribery charges on Friday following a monthslong state investigation into a campaign finance scandal.
Luke was accused of accepting campaign finance contributions in 2022 while she was a state lawmaker in exchange for securing funding for COVID-19 testing sites.
A Hawaii grand jury returned a 12-count indictment charging Luke with criminal conspiracy to commit bribery and falsifying candidate committee reports among other charges, according to the state’s Department of the Attorney General.
The Hill has reached out to Luke’s office for comment.
The charges stem from allegations that Luke accepted at least $35,000 in campaign contributions from businessman and lobbyist Tobi Solidum in exchange for support for testing sites operated by the National Kidney Foundation, where Solidum served as a lobbyist and consultant.
Prosecutors allege Solidum handed Luke two $5,000 campaign checks during a meeting at a Morton’s Steakhouse in January 2022, where the two allegedly discussed state funding for COVID-19 testing sites, according to court filings.
Attorney General Anne Lopez (D) said the indictments followed an investigation launched in January that stemmed from a federal public corruption probe.
Hawaii Gov. Josh Green (D) told Politico that he believes Luke should resign in light of the findings.
“The Attorney General announced significant developments in her department’s corruption investigation and has provided an update on their findings,” he said in a statement to Politico on Saturday. “The Lieutenant Governor needs to consider formally resigning to address this matter and so that the state of Hawaiʻi can move forward.”
Five other people were indicted on Friday alongside Luke, including former state Rep. Ryan Yamane (D), Solidum, Hawaii Department of Transportation official Ford Fuchigami and former state Public Utilities Commission official Leo Asunción.
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“I’m going to suggest that you give me a substantial campaign contribution.”
“I don’t want to.”
“We can do this the hard way or the easy way. And let me tell you, you don’t want Luke to use the Force.”
Whoopsie.
She got caught.
If not for the Feds, far left Hawaii wouldn’t have batted an eye. Probably some whistle blower mad they didn’t get a cut started singing.
IMHO, Hawaii is one of the most corrupt states in the 50 states.
It is looking like the political class is full of corrupt losers. Is that surprising?
A Democrat involved in a scandal?? No, it’s fake news... 😀
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