Ty Cullen
{{short description|American politician}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=February 2022}}
{{Infobox officeholder
| name = Ty Cullen
| image = 154th Wing, Staff Delegate Visit (Dec. 13, 2018).jpg
| caption = Cullen in 2018
| office = Member of the Hawaii House of Representatives
| constituency = 41st district (2010–2012)
39th district (2012–2022)
| term_start = November 2010
| term_end = February 8, 2022
| predecessor = Jon Karamatsu
| successor = Luella Costales
| birth_date = {{birth based on age as of date|42|2023|4|6}}
| birth_place =
| death_date =
| death_place =
| nationality = American
| party = Democratic
| alma_mater = University of Hawaii at Manoa
}}
Ty J.K. Cullen is an American politician and a former Democratic member of the Hawaii State House of Representatives who represented District 39 from January 16, 2013 until his resignation on February 8, 2022. Cullen served in the District 41 seat from 2011 to 2013.
Education
Cullen earned a BA in sociology and political science and a MPA from the University of Hawaii at Manoa.{{Cite web|url=http://www.filamcourier.com/cover-story-filipino-americans-in-the-hawaii-state-legislature/|title=COVER STORY: Filipino-Americans in the Hawai'i State Legislature|last=Cordero|first=Radiant|date=January 18, 2019|website=Fil-Am Courier|language=en-US|archive-url=|archive-date=|access-date=2019-01-24}}{{cite web|url=http://www.capitol.hawaii.gov/memberpage.aspx?member=cullen&year=2013|title=Representative Ty J.K. Cullen|publisher=Hawaii State Legislature|location=Honolulu, Hawaii|accessdate=November 26, 2013}}
Elections
In 2008, Cullen initially challenged incumbent Democratic Representative Jon Karamatsu for the District 41 seat in the 2008 Democratic primary, but lost.{{cite web|url=http://hawaii.gov/elections/results/2008/primary/files/histatewide.pdf|title=Primary Election 2008 - State of Hawaii - Statewide|date=September 20, 2008|publisher=Hawaii Office of Elections|location=Honolulu, Hawaii|page=3|accessdate=November 26, 2013}} When Karamatsu ran for Lieutenant Governor of Hawaii and left the District 41 seat open in 2010, Cullen won the four-way 2010 Democratic primary with 1,658 votes (43.1%),{{cite web|url=http://hawaii.gov/elections/results/2010/primary/files/histatewide.pdf |title= Primary Election 2010 - State of Hawaii - Statewide|date=September 18, 2010|publisher=Hawaii Office of Elections|location=Honolulu, Hawaii|page=3|accessdate=November 26, 2013}} and won the 2010 general election with 4,510 votes (69.6%) against Republican nominee Carl Wong.{{cite web|url=http://hawaii.gov/elections/results/2010/general/files/histatewide.pdf|title=General Election - State of Hawaii - Statewide|date=November 2, 2010|publisher=Hawaii Office of Elections|location= Honolulu, Hawaii|page=2|accessdate=November 26, 2013}}
Redistricting in 2012 meant that Cullen was redistricted to District 39, where Representative Marcus Oshiro was redistricted to District 46. Cullen and Carl Wong, his Republican challenger from 2010, were both unopposed for their 2012 primaries for Oshiro's former seat.{{cite web|url=http://hawaii.gov/elections/results/2012/primary/elections/results/2012/primary/files/histatewide.pdf|title=Primary Election 2012 - State of Hawaii - Statewide|date=August 11, 2012|publisher=Hawaii Office of Elections|location=Honolulu, Hawaii|page=4|accessdate=November 26, 2013}} Cullen won the 2012 general election with 5,272 votes (70.3%) against Wong.{{cite web|url=http://hawaii.gov/elections/results/2012/general/elections/results/2012/general/files/histatewide.pdf|title=Hawaii General 2012 - State of Hawaii - Statewide|date=November 6, 2012|publisher=Hawaii Office of Elections|location=Honolulu, Hawaii|page=2|accessdate=November 26, 2013}}
Resignation
On February 8, 2022, the United States Attorney's District of Hawaii office, on behalf of the U.S. Department of Justice, filed an information charging Cullen and former Hawaii State Senate Majority Leader J. Kalani English with honest services fraud.{{cite press release |title=Two Hawaii Legislators Charged with Honest Services Fraud |url=https://www.justice.gov/usao-hi/pr/two-hawaii-legislators-charged-honest-services-fraud |website=United States Department of Justice |date=February 8, 2022 |access-date=9 February 2022}} Cullen allegedly received more than $23,000 worth of bribes to quash cesspool-related legislation. He resigned on the same day that charges were announced.{{cite web|url=https://www.civilbeat.org/2022/02/two-hawaii-lawmakers-charged-in-bribery-scheme-over-cesspool-legislation/|title=Two Hawaii Lawmakers Charged In Bribery Scheme Over Cesspool Legislation|date=February 8, 2022|work=Honolulu Civil Beat|accessdate=February 8, 2022}} Cullen pled guilty to the charge, and was sentenced to 2 years in prison and fined $25,000.{{cite news|last=Daysog|first=Rick|title='People should be enraged': Two ex-lawmakers plead guilty in corruption case, admit to taking bribes|date=February 15, 2022|work=Hawaii News Now|url=https://www.hawaiinewsnow.com/2022/02/15/2-former-state-lawmakers-accused-taking-bribes-expected-plead-guilty-court/|accessdate=February 16, 2022}}{{cite news|last=Lovell|first=Blaze|title=Ex-Hawaii Lawmaker Gets 2 Years In Prison For Taking Bribes|date=April 6, 2023|work=Honolulu Civil Beat|url=https://www.civilbeat.org/2023/04/ex-hawaii-lawmaker-gets-2-years-in-prison-for-taking-bribes/|accessdate=April 21, 2023}}
References
{{reflist}}
External links
- [http://www.capitol.hawaii.gov/memberpage.aspx?member=cullen&year=2013 Official page] at the Hawaii State Legislature
{{DEFAULTSORT:Cullen, Ty}}
Category:Place of birth missing (living people)
Category:Year of birth missing (living people)
Category:Democratic Party members of the Hawaii House of Representatives
Category:21st-century members of the Hawaii State Legislature