US·United States·Democratic
Derek S.K. Kawakami
Candidate
active
LINKED SCANDALS
0
LEGAL EVENTS
0
RESEARCH
13 days ago
SANCTIONS
CLEAR
Deep research · Exaupdated 13 days ago
Derek S.K. Kawakami, the current Mayor of Kauaʻi and a candidate for lieutenant governor, has faced recent criticism regarding $15,000 in campaign contributions he received from Milton Choy, a businessman convicted of bribery in 2022. While other elected officials returned or donated Choy-linked funds in 2022, Kawakami initially maintained that the contributions were legal and that Choy had not received preferential treatment. Following public pressure and media reports in June and July 2026, Kawakami announced he had donated $12,000 to local schools and transferred the remaining $3,000 to the Hawaiʻi Campaign Spending Commission. There are no other reported scandals, indictments, or findings of fraud or corruption in his public record.
Citations
The Sunshine Blog: Kawakami Finally Sheds Tainted Campaign Cash - Honolulu Civil Beat
www.civilbeat.org · 2026-07-12
Three Debate Moments that Prove Derek Kawakami Is Unfit for Lieutenant Governor – HGEA
www.hgea.org
Campaign Cash From Convicted Briber Is Raising Questions In Hawaii LG Race | Hawaii Oahu Region
spotonhawaii.com · 2026-06-28
Disclosure Report
csc.hawaii.gov
Derek Kawakami
en.wikipedia.org · 2026-06-08
2026 Election: Derek Kawakami | Honolulu Star-Advertiser
www.staradvertiser.com · 2026-07-09
Civil Beat Data – Civil Beat Disclosures – Derek S.K. Kawakami
disclosures.civilbeat.org
Civil Beat Data – Civil Beat Disclosures – Derek S.K. Kawakami
disclosures.civilbeat.org
Linked scandals← back
no scandals on record.