ANOTHER BISSEN ADMINISTRATION SCANDAL?
by Andrew Walden
Recently discovered social media video apparently shows Laksmi Abraham, Director of Communications and Government Affairs for the Maui Mayor’s Office, traveling by private jet and attending the Packers vs. Vikings game at Lambeau Field in the Sentry Insurance Luxury Box, September 29, 2024.
The images are taken from Abraham’s FoxyLaksy Instagram which is currently set to ‘private.’
SIX MONTHS LATER
Maui Now March 29, 2025: “For the first time, three major sporting events on Maui — The Sentry PGA Tour golf tournament, the Maui Invitational college basketball tournament and the Maui Marathon — are proposed to receive funding in Maui County’s budget in the same fiscal year, according to county officials. The line-item amounts proposed in the $1.5 billion fiscal year 2026 budget presented by Maui Mayor Richard Bissen on Tuesday are $250,000 to Kemper Sports Marketing for the basketball tournament, and $100,000 each to the PGA Tour for the golf tournament and to the Maui Marathon.”
BRIBERY?
August 9, 2018, the Maui News reported: “Ethics board warns against accepting Maui Jim Basketball Tournament gifts.” -- “The Maui County Board of Ethics approved an advisory opinion Wednesday (August 8, 2018) saying that gifts of swag and tickets from Maui Jim Maui Invitational basketball tournament officials can be inferred as being an intent to influence or reward county officers and elected officials in the performance of their official duties.”
Sentry Insurance is the title sponsor of The Sentry PGA Tour event historically held on Maui. Maui Now reported that the mayor’s FY2026 budget proposed $100,000 for the PGA Tour golf tournament, and public budget records show a FY2026 appropriation connected to the PGA Sentry Tournament for $100,000, which was later targeted for deletion and reallocation when the Tourney was cancelled due to poor course conditions. The same reporting noted that The Sentry had not received county grant funding in either of the prior two fiscal years, though it had received a $100,000 OED grant in FY2023.
According to the Maui County Board of Ethics website: “Board of Ethics Rules Section §04-101-42(a)(9) Contents of disclosure. states, Financial Disclosure Statements shall include “a description of any gift or gifts, valued singly or in the aggregate at $50.00 or more, from a single source, received directly or indirectly by the person, the person’s spouse or dependent child within the preceding twelve months, the name of the source, the date the gift was received, and an estimate of the value of the gift….”
Conveniently, according to the Board of Ethics website, “(Financial Disclosure) FDS forms are reviewed by the Board of Ethics members, the assigned deputy of the Corporation Counsel, and board secretary. Boards and Commissions FDS are confidential … and are unavailable for public distribution.”
Laksmi Abraham has not responded to an emailed request for comment. Will update if response is received.