THE SENATE	S.R. NO.	4
THIRTY-THIRD LEGISLATURE, 2026
STATE OF HAWAII

SENATE RESOLUTION

URGING THE SENATE TO ESTABLISH AN INVESTIGATIVE COMMITTEE PURSUANT TO CHAPTER 21, HAWAII REVISED STATUTES, TO INVESTIGATE ALLEGATIONS OF A 2022 CASH OR CHECK PAYMENT FROM AN UNKNOWN INDIVIDUAL TO AN “INFLUENTIAL LEGISLATOR” FOR THE PURPOSE OF INFLUENCING AN EXISTING POLITICAL CAMPAIGN, AND TO EXAMINE POSSIBLE VIOLATIONS OF STATE LAW, STATE ETHICS CODE, AND CAMPAIGN FINANCE PROVISIONS.

WHEREAS, a document filed in the United States District Court for the District of Hawaiʻi by the United States Attorney’s Office reported that in 2022 former State Representative Ty Cullen, acting in cooperation with federal law-enforcement authorities, made an undercover recording of an unknown individual providing “an influential legislator” with approximately $35,000 in cash or checks intended to influence “an existing campaign”; and

WHEREAS, to date, no federal criminal charges have been filed against the “influential legislator,” whose identity remains undisclosed and who may still be serving as a member of the Hawaiʻi State Legislature; and

WHEREAS, following mounting public pressure, in January 2026 it was announced the state has initiated an investigation for which federal authorities will be sharing evidence; and

WHEREAS, due to a five-year statute of limitations, the state only has until January 2027 to pursue charges; and

WHEREAS, allegations suggesting that an elected legislator may have accepted a substantial cash payment intended to influence an election or campaign strike at the core of democratic accountability and, if left unexamined, risk eroding public confidence in state government; and

WHEREAS, transparency, oversight, and public inquiry are essential components of ethical governance and

are necessary to preserve public trust and ensure adherence to the rule of law; and

WHEREAS, Chapter 21, Hawaiʻi Revised Statutes, authorizes either house of the Legislature to establish investigative committees vested with the power to issue subpoenas, administer oaths, compel the production of documents, and hold individuals in contempt for failure to comply; and

WHEREAS, as this matter affects a member of the legislative body, it is imperative that the Legislature take responsibility for the actions of one of its own and pursue its own investigation concurrently; now, therefore,

BE IT RESOLVED by the Senate of the Thirty-third Legislature of the State of Hawaii, Regular Session of 2026, that the Senate establishes an Investigative Committee pursuant to Chapter 21, Hawaiʻi Revised Statutes, to:

(1) Investigate the alleged 2022 transaction involving the delivery of $35,000 in cash or checks from an unknown individual to an unidentified “influential legislator”;

(2) Determine whether any state criminal statutes, campaign finance laws, ethics rules, or other legal provisions were violated by any individual involved;

(3) Examine the adequacy of existing laws, rules, and enforcement mechanisms intended to prevent corruption, bribery, improper influence, or misuse of campaign funds;

(4) Receive testimony, compel the attendance of witnesses, require the production of records and documents, and conduct public hearings in accordance with Chapter 21;

(5) Prepare findings and recommendations, including legislative proposals to strengthen anti-corruption safeguards, increase transparency, and improve ethical oversight within state government; and

(6) Refer any evidence of potential criminal, civil, or administrative violations to the Attorney General, the Hawaiʻi State Ethics Commission, the Campaign Spending Commission, or any other appropriate authority; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the President of the Senate shall appoint the members of the investigative committee, designate the chairperson, and authorize the committee to employ staff, legal counsel, or other resources necessary to carry out its duties; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that certified copies of this Resolution be transmitted to the President of the Senate, the Attorney General, the State Ethics Commission, the Campaign Spending Commission, and the United States Attorney for the District of Hawaiʻi.

OFFERED BY:

_____________________________

Report Title:

Legislative Investigative Committee; Improper Campaign Influence