Hawaii Lt. Gov. Sylvia Luke was indicted by a state grand jury over an alleged scheme to secure COVID-19 contracts in exchange for campaign contributions.
The 12-count indictment charged Luke, a Democrat, with criminal conspiracy to commit bribery and falsifying candidate committee reports, charges that carry up to a 10-year prison sentence. She was indicted by an Oahu grand jury along with five co-defendants, including businessman Tobi Solidum, former Democratic state Rep. Ryan Yamane, Department of Transportation airports administrator Ford Fuchigami, and former Public Utilities Commission Chairman Leo Asunción.
Recommended Stories
Gov. Josh Green (D-HI) told Politico on Saturday that Luke should consider resigning.
“The Attorney General announced significant developments in her department’s corruption investigation and has provided an update on their findings,” he said. “The Lieutenant Governor needs to consider formally resigning to address this matter and so that the state of Hawaiʻi can move forward.”
Luke has been on an indefinite, unpaid leave of absence since April 23, when she was first informed by the state attorney general’s office that she was the subject of a bribery investigation.
HAWAII CITED A SLAVE CODE TO DEFEND ITS GUN LAW. THE COURT DIDN’T BUY IT
According to prosecutors, at a January 2022 meeting at a steakhouse, Solidum gave Luke two checks for $5,000 made out to her campaign committee. He promised tens of thousands more in exchange for a COVID-19 testing contract for the National Kidney Foundation of Hawaii, which was a client of his.
Luke has denied any wrongdoing and has resisted calls to resign. She ended her reelection campaign in April, the same day she began her leave of absence.
