Lt. Gov. Sylvia Luke takes leave of absence without pay amid bribery investigation

Lt. Gov. Sylvia Luke is taking a leave of absence without pay, for an indefinite period, according to a statement released today. This comes the day after her attorney, David M. Louie and the Friends of Sylvia Luke confirmed that a target letter was received from the Special Investigations and Prosecution Division (SIPD) of the Department of the Attorney General stating that Luke is the target of a bribery investigation.

Luke said the decision was made after careful consideration. “This decision is not made lightly. Serving the people of Hawai‘I has been the honor of my professional life, and I remain deeply committed to the responsibilities entrusted to me,” she said in a statement.

“I understand that allegations which have been made against me are concerning. I ask for the public’s understanding and to allow this process to move forward appropriately,” she concluded.

The Department of the Attorney General has been issuing regular biweekly updates since February regarding the ongoing criminal investigation into the previously federally disclosed transfer of approximately $35,000 in funds.  

Earlier this year, federal authorities informed state officials that they would provide to the attorney general evidence concerning an alleged incident involving an unnamed “influential state legislator” who is alleged to have accepted the funds. 

The AG has been careful in the amount of information shared during past updates in an effort to ensure individual constitutional rights are protected. In an update earlier this month, Attorney General Anne Lopez said, “Releasing information for any purpose other than to further the investigation would violate my oath of office and my promise to the people of Hawaiʻi.”

In her most recent update on April 10, Lopez said the SIPD had reviewed thousands of pages of subpoenaed materials and conducted 18 interviews that have helped refine the timeline of events surrounding the transaction, noting that the actions had brought investigators closer to resolving key questions.