Luella Costales, a community leader who is currently serving as a community and resource manager for the nonprofit Oahu Economic Development Board, has been appointed to fill the state House of Representatives vacancy left by former Rep. Ty Cullen.
Gov. David Ige announced the selection in a news release today for the vacant District 39 seat — covering Royal Kunia, Village Park, Waipahu, Makakilo and West Loch — after Cullen resigned on Feb. 8 during an ongoing federal investigation into his alleged participation in a bribery scandal.
“Luella has over 35 years of experience serving her community through the non-profit sector,” said Ige in a statement. “One of her main goals is to restore public trust in the legislative process and I believe she’s the right person to help ensure honesty, clarity, and integrity in her role serving the people of Hawaiʻi. I wish her all the best and look forward to working with her.”
Costales serves on the board of directors for the FBI Honolulu Citizens Academy Alumni Association and is a committee member for the WWII Filipino Veteran Congressional Gold Medal Committee, the Filipino Veterans Recognition and Education Project and the Federal Law Enforcement Foundation.
She used to be director of fund development for the Rehabilitation Hospital of the Pacific and director of development at Kupu. She served on the Honolulu Police Commission before abruptly resigning in 2017.
“I’m honored by Governor Ige’s appointment to represent State House District 39 and am grateful for his efforts to ensure our district has representation for the remainder of this legislative session,” said Costales in a statement. “District 39 is made up of resilient people from diverse backgrounds and experiences and I’m honored to represent them during this time.”
In February Cullen, along with former Senate Majority Leader J. Kalani English, each entered a plea of guilty to a single count of honest services wire fraud in federal court for accepting cash, hotel rooms in Las Vegas, dinners for friends, casino chips and access to high-stakes gambling in New Orleans to help a Honolulu business owner make money off of cesspool conversions and wastewater policy.
Costales was selected by Ige from one of three names sent to him by the Democratic Party of Hawaii. She will take office once the House of Representatives qualifies her and administers the oath of office. She will serve the rest of Cullen’s term, which ends this November.
