Hawaii
Hawaii lawmakers question timeline for bribery investigation completion
HONOLULU (HawaiiNewsNow) – Hawaii lawmakers are raising questions about the timeline of Attorney General Anne Lopez’s investigation into a legislator who was recorded taking $35,000 in an FBI operation.
There is conflicting information being publicly released about the case’s completion.
Two representatives, Rep. Della Au Belatti and Rep. Kanani Souza, sent a letter to Gov. Josh Green asking him to clarify comments he made regarding the schedule when he appeared on Hawaii News Now’s Spotlight Now show in late January.
Green said he thought the case could realistically be completed by spring.
“I don’t see why — with the evidence that they’re getting from the federal government — they wouldn’t have a gigantic head start,” Green said. “I assume they’re going to have to do some interviews with anybody who is being accused of acting in a terrible way. But that interview or interviews should be quick.”
That would be during the legislative session and could be helpful for bills dealing with campaign finance reform.
View the letter from Reps. Belatti and Souza:
Lawmakers given a different timeline
However, the letter pointed out that Lopez does not appear to share the governor’s goal. The representatives wrote that the attorney general “has informed House Speaker (Nadine) Nakamura that she expects to have the investigation completed by August 2026,” long after the session is over.
The representatives called that timeline troubling, especially since the person who took the money could still hold elected office.
The Aug. 8 primary election also means the information may not be public when voters go to the polls, and the unnamed person could be up for reelection.
“We want the investigation to be complete by the spring so that we can take action as the legislature before our session ends in May,” said Souza.
Belatti questioned the conflicting schedule: “Not having the answers to these questions and not being able to administratively deal with the impacts that this person may still have on the legislative process is very troubling.”
In a statement, the spokesperson for Attorney General Lopez said the attorney general did not tell anyone it would be August 2026.
The statement said, “The Attorney General did not communicate a specific date, or even month, for when the investigation would be completed.”
A statement on behalf of Nakamura did not answer HNN Investigates’ question about the August 2026 detail. It said, “The Speaker has not received any investigative details that would influence the investigation.” The statement continued that Nakamura “has urged the Attorney General to prioritize and expedite the review.”
A spokesperson for the governor did not respond to questions about the timeline either, but said in their statement, “This needs to be resolved for the good of our public trust,” and called the situation ”deeply concerning, and accountability is essential – no one gets a free pass.”
Second letter seeks legislative action details
A second letter from five representatives was sent to Nakamura on Feb. 2, asking for more details on a petition that called for the legislature to conduct its own investigation into the matter.
The representatives wanted to know when it would be presented to the House for review and what procedures and rules would apply.
“We need to understand the circumstances so we can better write legislation as well as hold this $35,000 person accountable,” Belatti said.
Souza said the delayed response creates additional concerns about transparency.
“Right now the lack of timely response and the lack of a timely report, even a preliminary report, makes this look even more like a cover-up,” Souza said.
View the second letter from lawmakers:
Bills related to campaign finance reform are currently moving through the Capitol.
The mystery lawmaker was called an “influential state legislator” by federal prosecutors in a court record connected to a bribery case that sent former state Rep. Ty Cullen and former state Sen. Kalani English to prison. Businessman Milton Choy was at the center of the scandal, and died while in federal prison serving a three-year sentence.
Previous coverage
Copyright 2026 Hawaii News Now. All rights reserved.
HONOLULU (HawaiiNewsNow) – A piece of equipment designed to provide temporary water access across Oahu is now being targeted by thieves, prompting concerns from officials over rising losses and illegal water use.
The Board of Water Supply rents out temporary meters for construction sites, public events and emergency use when potable water is needed in areas without direct service.
But officials say some of the devices are being stolen despite heavy security measures.
At installation sites, the meters are wrapped in thick steel chains and secured with multiple heavy-duty padlocks to deter tampering and theft.
“For somebody to try and take it, because you saw the chain, it’s the big links. They’re thick links, so you’d have to come with a grinder or an extremely heavy-duty bolt cutter. So it’s not impossible to remove it, but it requires quite a bit of effort to remove it,” said Kathleen Pahinui, public information officer for the Board of Water Supply.
According to the agency, about 22 temporary fire hydrant meters have been illegally removed over the past two and a half years. Eight of those thefts occurred in just the past three months.
Officials say the motive behind the thefts is not confirmed, but potential drivers include scrap value or misuse of the meters to divert water for unauthorized use.
“And we don’t want people basically stealing water because then we all end up paying for that theft,” Pahinui said.
Each temporary meter costs about $3,000 to replace, and the Board of Water Supply says responsibility for protecting the device falls on the permit holder once it is installed.
“The person who has the contract with us has to replace it,” Pahinui said.
State Sen. Brenton Awa said one stolen meter on the North Shore had been serving the Haleiwa Seed Bank, where volunteers are planting coconut and ulu trees for the community.
“We set this up with the Board of Water so that we’re within the rules, we’re paying for the water, for the project, for the community. And then it just wasn’t here one day,” Awa said.
“It’s a piece of metal on the side of the road. Who’s going to steal this thing? But apparently… it’s worth something,” Awa added.
Under Hawaii law, scrap yards are prohibited from purchasing municipal, utility or state owned equipment without proper documentation.
Recyclers say materials commonly found in the meters, including brass and bronze, typically sell for about $2 to $3 per pound depending on grade. While the scrap value is relatively low, companies say functioning used meters can resell for hundreds of dollars.
The Board of Water Supply is urging the public to report any suspicious activity involving temporary meters by calling (808) 748-5000.
Copyright 2026 Hawaii News Now. All rights reserved.
June 17, 2026, 8:39 AM HST
An early-morning magnitude 4.5 earthquake on Wednesday, 11 miles southeast of Pāhala, had no apparent impact on either Mauna Loa or Kīlauea volcanoes.
According to the Hawaiian Volcano Observatory, the shaker struck at 2:14 a.m. at a depth of 21 miles below sea level. More than 169 “Felt Reports” were documented within the first hour of the tremor, which was felt widely across Hawai‘i Island.
The U.S. Geological Survey reported the quake as a magnitude 4.6.
Aftershocks are possible in the coming days to weeks. The Hawaiian Volcano Observatory continues to monitor Hawaiian volcanoes for any changes.
No damage to buildings or infrastructure is expected given the earthquake’s intensity, and no tsunami threat was triggered.
This earthquake is part of the seismic swarm under the Pāhala area, which has been going on since 2019. Earthquakes in this region have been observed at least as far back as the 1960s.
Click here to read more about the swarm.
HONOLULU (HawaiiNewsNow) – Honolulu City Council candidate Trevor Ozawa has filed a lawsuit seeking to block Council Chair Tommy Waters from running for another term.
The lawsuit argues Waters is ineligible to seek re-election because the Honolulu City Charter limits councilmembers to two consecutive four-year terms.
According to the complaint, Waters was elected to the District IV council seat in a special remedial election in 2019 and again in the 2022 general election. Ozawa argues a successful 2026 campaign would amount to a third consecutive term, which he says is prohibited under the charter.
The challenge stems from a recent determination by Acting City Clerk Chadd Kadota, who concluded Waters is eligible to run because his first stint in office did not begin until he was sworn in during 2019. The lawsuit contends the city charter says council terms begin Jan. 2 following an election, regardless of when a councilmember takes the oath of office.
Ozawa previously filed an objection with the city clerk’s office, but the clerk declined to pursue disqualification proceedings and said no further action would be taken.
The lawsuit asks the court to quickly resolve the dispute before ballots for the 2026 election are printed.
Copyright 2026 Hawaii News Now. All rights reserved.
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