STATEMENT: Clean Elections Hawai‘i Coalition Calls For Special Prosecutor to Investigate Contribution Improprieties

The Legislature must also act boldly and expeditiously to fix the culture of money in Hawai‘i politics.

News Release from Clean Elections Hawaii, Feb 10, 2026

HONOLULU, Hawaiʻi — In response to recent revelations regarding ongoing investigations into potential campaign and ethics improprieties, potentially involving the Executive Branch, Clean Elections Hawai‘i today called for the expeditious appointment of an impartial Special Prosecutor to investigate newly reported improper campaign contributions and/or other payments and continue the investigation unearthed by the federal Department of Justice and FBI investigations resulting in the indictments and convictions of former lawmakers Ty Cullen and Kalani English in 2022.

Under Hawai‘i Revised Statutes § 28-8.5, Attorney General Ann Lopez has the discretion to appoint a special assistant. It is imperative that Governor Green and Attorney General Lopez empower a special prosecutor through these means, with appropriate staff and resources, to ensure maximum impartiality in determining the facts and potential violations of state law. 

The Executive Branch cannot investigate itself. Public trust in government has been severely impacted by recent revelations. Restoring public trust requires an appropriate arm’s length distance from the interested parties in the Executive Branch.

Furthermore, the Legislative Branch should act expeditiously to pass the laws before it that would put an end to the status quo of private moneyed interests corrupting our political system. This is what is at the root of causing the culture of mistrust and confusion between the public and our elected officials. Only fixing the culture that allowed this to happen will close the trust gap and allow us all to move forward.

The time is now to:

Close the loophole allowing government contractors and their associates to contribute to political campaigns. (SB2530/HB2052) 

Implement a public financing system that would provide a real alternative to the private money campaign system and reduce the pernicious influence of monied interests in the functioning of our government once and for all. (SB2313/HB2238)

Increase Penalties and Extend the Statute of Limitations for enforcement actions of potential campaign and ethics related crimes. (SB2447/HB1520 & SB2824/HB2124)

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About Clean Elections Hawai‘i: The Clean Elections Hawaiʻi Coalition represents over forty leading local organizations coordinating to advance a pro-democracy agenda in our islands and help end the corrupting influence of big money on our politics. Supporting organizations include: Common Cause Hawaiʻi, League of Women Voters of Hawaiʻi, Our Hawaiʻi, Hawai‘i Alliance for Progressive Action, ACLU Hawai‘i, Chamber of Sustainable Commerce, HULI PAC, The Hawaiʻi Workers Center, Lāhainā Strong, Free Access Coalition, Sierra Club of Hawaiʻi, Global HOPE (Hawaiʻi Organization for Peace and the Environment), HOPE Services Hawaiʻi, Kauaʻi Women’s Caucus, Friends of Makakilo, Kauhakō ʻOhana Association, Living Wage Hawaii, 350 Hawaiʻi, Democratic Party of Hawaiʻi Education Caucus, Imua Alliance, Pono Hawaiʻi Initiative, Our Revolution Hawaiʻi, LGF Consulting, Community Alliance Partners, Habitat for Humanity Hawaii Island, Going Home Hawaii, Young Progressives Demanding Action, Holomua Collaborative, League of Women Voters of Honolulu, Malama Makua, Americans for Democratic Action Hawaii, Indivisible Hawaii, Kihei Community Association, Aloha ʻĀina Women’s Patriotic League, Clarity Project, Funder Hui, Saturation Point, Hawaii-Fi, Makawalu Creatives, Energy Transitions, Public Citizen, Rethink Media, and more. For more information, contact team@cleanelectionshawaii.org

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