HONOLULU (AP) — An Office of Hawaiian Affairs trustee who admitted to making an inquiry with a business from the Thirty Meter Telescope after publicly advocating for its construction will pay a $25,000 fine to the Hawaii State Ethics Commission.
HONOLULU (AP) — An Office of Hawaiian Affairs trustee who admitted to making an inquiry with a business from the Thirty Meter Telescope after publicly advocating for its construction will pay a $25,000 fine to the Hawaii State Ethics Commission.
The commission announced on Wednesday that trustee Peter Apo was fined for violating ethics laws by using his state office, staff and resources multiple times for business purposes.
The commission found Apo, who owns The Peter Apo Co., likely violated the Fair Treatment Law and the Conflicts of Interests Law.
The commission accuses him of using his position to enrich himself by swaying Office of Hawaiian Affair’s board members to amend their position on the Thirty Meter Telescope observatory.
The commission did not issue a charge against Apo.
