HI-LG: Luke (D) Campaign Violations Referred To AG For Possible Prosecution
The Hawaiʻi Campaign Spending Commission on Wednesday voted to refer a set of alleged campaign finance violations by Lt. Gov. Sylvia Luke’s campaign to the Attorney General’s Office for possible prosecution.
The commission’s executive director, Kristin Izumi-Nitao, filed the complaint with the commission in May accusing the campaign, Friends of Sylvia Luke, of mishandling funds in 2021 and 2022. It alleges eight counts of filing false reports and four counts of unauthorized handling of campaign funds.
Luke has been on unpaid leave since April after becoming the target of a bribery investigation by the Attorney General’s Office. Also named in the complaint are Michael Luke, Emmanuel Zibakalam, Leo Asuncion, Kalowena Komeiji and Matt Sasaki, who were all identified as Luke campaign treasurers or deputy treasurers.
David Louie, a former Hawai‘i attorney general who is representing Luke and Friends of Sylvia Luke, told the commission he had no comment.
https://www.civilbeat.org/2026/07/luke-campaign-violations-referred-to-ag-for-possible-prosecution/