The stench from Tuesday’s disgraceful account of lawmakers — politicians on the take for thousands of dollars — has left many suspicious that there is much more rot beneath it.
It was one of those episodes both stunning in their flagrancy and, sad to say, surprising to few in a state dispirited by arrogance and egregious greed of the not-so-distant past.
If there’s anything good to say about the revelations by the U.S. Department of Justice about state Capitol veteran Democrats J. Kalani English and Ty Cullen, it’s that it spotlit a resolve by federal attorneys to uncover bribery and corruption where they find it.
It also strips away any excuse to avoid reforming the system, efforts that must gain traction during the current session.
English was the state Senate majority leader when he cited health concerns and stepped down last year. Cullen, a state representative who abruptly resigned on Tuesday, was vice chairman of the powerful House Finance Committee.
The crimes — each was charged with a count of honest services wire fraud — reveal a stark quid-pro-quo between an executive of a cesspool company and these two influential lawmakers. This became a federal case because the defendants’ allegedly fraudulent gift disclosure documents — which omitted any reference to the sizeable gifts — were filed via the internet, said U.S. Attorney Clare Connors.
The investigation, which dated back at least seven years, concerned legislation that the company first was pushing to pass and then wanted killed, according to charging documents filed in U.S. District Court.
Testimony from a company representative, identified in the documents as “Person A,” described the two elected officials doing the company’s bidding, acting in their own self-interest and self-enrichment. Whether they were advancing legislation or moving to kill it, they accepted large gifts with each action.
Their audacity, as alleged, was jaw-dropping. In all, English received more than $18,000 in bribes to steer bills — more than matched by the $23,000 Cullen received. There was cash, casino chips, hotel rooms and the like — the kind of palm-greasing that’s stereotypical for a corrupt politician.
House Speaker Scott Saiki said in a press briefing on Wednesday that he hopes this kind of behavior is not common. Even then, he acknowledged, “it casts a shadow on all our work.”
Written statements of a similar nature came from Senate President Ron Kouchi, who vowed members would “work to rebuild the public’s trust in government,” and state Rep. Sylvia Luke, the House Finance chairwoman and candidate for lieutenant government, who said she “shared the feelings of shock and betrayal.”
These are words that a cynical public has come to expect from politicians. Even if sincere, they have little meaning without action taken to correct what’s wrong.
Saiki pointed to last year’s Act 84, which authorizes the court to order the forfeiture of half the retirement benefits of any state or county employee convicted of a felony. He added that discussion of new legislation responding to the current scandal has just begun, and that it’s likely to include enhanced penalties for criminal violations of this kind.
He also said the House is willing to consider changes in the lawmaking process that would make special-interest requests for legislation, and the rationale for a bill, more transparent.
This is essential. Punishing bad behavior is only half the solution. Enabling right-minded public service, through openness in government, is the rest of it.
It’s fine for elected leaders to express dismay when a new scandal erupts, but only if that’s followed with an answer to this question: What are you going to do about it?
