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When news first broke earlier this month of bribery charges against former state Senate Majority Leader J. Kalani English, we thought maybe federal prosecutors got the wrong guy.
English has always struck us as a man of intelligence and integrity. How could the Hana legislator be guilty of such an act? It quickly became clear the feds had an open and shut case. English was caught red-handed. The description of him allegedly trying to hide an envelope stuffed with money under a car floor mat as FBI special agents closed in will be hard to forget.
English pled guilty in Honolulu Tuesday along with former state Rep. Ty Cullen of Oahu. They are scheduled to be sentenced on July 5 and each face up to 20 years in prison. English agreed to forfeit about $15,000 in ill-gotten gains and Cullen $23,000.
English allegedly received $10,000 from a business owner on March 11, 2020 and $5,000 on Jan. 14, 2021 to introduce a bill and later “kill” legislation involving cesspools. Prosecutors claim English’s improper quid-pro-quo with the business owner started in 2015 with smaller payments that included cash, Las Vegas hotel rooms and restaurant meals. In return, they say, English provided the business operator with inside information on the Cesspool Conversion Working Group and shaped legislation to his company’s advantage.
English’s guilty plea leaves his legacy in shreds. It also opens the door for the public to ask if he pulled any other shenanigans during his time in office. The more cynical among us will question whether his citing long-term COVID-19 as the reason for his sudden retirement in May was a ruse to gain sympathy or stay out of jail.
We want to believe English. We once admired him. But he has work to do to regain this community’s trust. Redemption is possible, and we hope he tries. America has long held a place in its heart for comeback stories of people who fess up to their mistakes and dedicate themselves to putting things right.
By taking responsibility and pleading guilty early, English and Cullen will likely see reduced sentences. Whether they manage to avoid jail time remains to be seen.
Their swift downfall is the culmination of hard work by federal investigators and prosecutors, who apparently have been on the case for several years. It casts a shade on all honest legislators and civil servants, and hopefully makes those who are dirty shiver with worry. The coming months may tell us whether the bust was an isolated incident or the tip of an iceberg.