Hawaiʻi’s Department of the Attorney General has paused any state-level investigation into a $35,000 incident to avoid interfering with a federal case, which previously led to convictions of former Senator Jamie Kalani English and former Representative Ty Cullen for Honest Services Wire Fraud. A newly unsealed document revealed that an "influential state legislator" was recorded accepting the sum, reportedly for campaign funding, according to the Office of the Governor.
Attorney General Lopez said, "I have spoken directly with the United States Attorney, who affirmed that a parallel investigation by state authorities would potentially interfere with their federal investigation." He expressed support for the federal efforts and said the state will step in once the federal proceedings conclude, as reported by the Office of the Governor.
“The Department of the Attorney General has forged a strong partnership with the Office of the United States Attorney and federal law enforcement,” Attorney General Lopez said. The department is limiting public details to protect the ongoing investigation. They noted that overlapping state and federal investigations can cause problems, such as evidence being destroyed. After the federal investigation is complete, the Department of the Attorney General will review the results and decide if a state investigation or other actions are needed, as stated by the Office of the Governor.
