Candidate for
Souki’s seat wants
him investigated

Kalani Tassill
questions the awarding of a
Hawaiian Homes bid

By Gary T. Kubota
Star-Bulletin

WAILUKU -- Republican state House candidate Kalani Tassill today asked the state attorney general to investigate state House Speaker Joseph Souki and the awarding of a bid for a 109-unit Hawaiian Homes project in central Maui.

Tassill, president of the Paukukalo Hawaiian Homes Association, is running against Souki in the state House 8th District on Maui.

Tassill held a news media meeting this morning to discuss a letter sent to Attorney General Margery Bronster, asking why developer Everett Dowling was awarded the contract when there were two other developers with lower bids.

Tassill said he was raising questions about whether Souki's political influence might have affected the awarding of the bid.

Souki, responding to the criticisms, said he stopped being Dowling's real estate agent for the Waiehu Kou 2 project in May and never received compensation for the project.

Souki said Hawaiian Homes officials were responsible for selecting the developer.

Souki called Tassill's request for an investigation a "smear" tactic and said Tassill himself had a criminal record that included abusing his wife. "I think it's just a desperate action by a desperate man," Souki said.

Earlier this month, Tassill went public with his criminal record so it would not be raised as an election issue. Tassill said he was convicted of assault in a bar fight, spouse abuse and capturing an endangered green sea turtle.

Tassill said he wasn't alleging anything in calling for the investigation, but wanted to make sure native Hawaiians "got a fair shake."

Dowling, Bronster and Hawaiian Homes Commission chairman Kali Watson were unavailable for comment.