Hawai‘i State Ethics Commission

The Hawaii State Ethics Commission (“Commission”) today announced a Resolution of Investigation of Office of Hawaiian Affairs (“OHA”) Trustee Peter Apo.  In its investigation, the Commission considered allegations that Trustee Apo violated the State Ethics Code by using OHA resources, and his position with OHA, to advance his private business interests. The Commission concluded that Trustee Apo likely violated Hawaii’s Fair Treatment law and Conflicts of Interests law, and agreed to resolve the matter in a settlement that included Trustee Apo’s payment of a $25,000 administrative penalty to the General Fund.  The Resolution is available here.

More information about the Hawaii State Ethics Commission (including information on the laws that apply to state officials, how to obtain ethics advice, and how to file a complaint) is available on the Commission’s website, https://ethics.hawaii.gov.  For the latest news, follow us on Twitter @HawaiiEthics.