There’s a tidbit of information that’s circulating through social media describing ties between Gov. David Ige and a security contractor for the TMT.
It’s interesting. The basic information from business registration records appears to be accurate. But the links between Gov. Ige and the TMT, via the TMT’s security contractor, are indirect and distant at best and, based on the information currently being reviewed, would not give the governor a substantial financial interest in the TMT itself. And having a “substantial financial interest” is what would be needed to trigger a possible conflict of interest in this case.
Here’s what’s being circulated:
DAVID IGE’S FINANCIAL TIES TO TMT
In 2015, accordingly to their filed 990 tax form (which is a publicly available document), TMT (TMT International Observatory, LLC) paid $3,030,323 (over $3 million dollars) to local firm “Private Security Group” (1037 Hanohano Way, Honolulu, HI 96825) for security services.
Upon doing a basic search of the Department of Commerce and Consumer Affairs (DCCA) website, it shows that “Private Security Group, Inc.” (File Number 203631 D1) is a domestic profit corporation registered in 2003 to a Charles L. Long, 7192 Kalaniakaole Hwy. Suite G100 Honolulu, HI 96825. The officers and owners of this private for-profit company are Charles Long (CEO, President and Director), Melanie Long, and Bradford Long.
Upon doing an “agent search” at the same DCCA website for Charles Long and Melanie Long, owners of Private Security Group. Melanie Long appears as the agent for Pacific International Realty, Inc. (File Number 214667 D1), address 7192 Kalanianaole Hwy Suite G-102. Honolulu, HI 96825.
Upon searching for Pacific International Realty, Inc. as an agent, only one business appears: David and Dawn Ige Enterprises.
David and Dawn Ige Enterprises is a general domestic partnership (File Number 4481 G5) first registered in 2015. The mailing address is 320 S. Beretania St. Honolulu, HI 96813(Washington Place). The registered agent of David and Dawn Ige Enterprises is Pacific International Realty, Inc, 7192 Kalanianaole Hwy Suite G-102. Honolulu, HI 96825, whose owners are Charles and Melanie Long, the same owners of Private Security Group that received over $3 million for the TMT Security Contract.
The connections between the business entities cited here appear to be accurate, according to available records.
But what do they mean?
Here’s my take and what I have found so far.
Looking back through several years of financial disclosure forms, it appears that David and Dawn Ige Enterprises was set up in late 2015 as the vehicle for renting out their Aiea home located in the Royal Summit subdivision. State business registration records show the Ige’s partnership had an agent, Pacific International Realty.
Business records confirm Melanie Long is president of Pacific International Realty. Her husband, Charles Long, is now listed as executive vice president.
David and Dawn Ige Enterprises is currently listed on the state’s business registration website as “not in good standing.” The company filed its annual registration update in 2016, but has failed to file its further updates in 2017, 2018, and 2019. As a result, it isn’t clear whether Pacific International Realty continues to serve as its agent. And it does pose a compliance issue for the governor.
Real property records show the Ige’s property was purchased in July 1999 for $510,000. It was their primary residence until David Ige’s election as governor in 2014. It did not appear on Ige’s previous financial disclosures as a legislator because lawmaker’s residences are exempt from disclosure requirements. However, they have always been listed as owners on real property records.
The property is appraised for tax purposes in 2019 at $1,123,300. The five bedroom, three bath home is reported to be 3,080 square feet and occupies an 8,946 square foot lot.
In 2014, when David Ige was a candidate for governor, he reported they were receiving between $25,000 and $50,000 annually from rental income. That has increased, and is now reported at between $50,000 and $100,000.
I have found a single connection between Gov. Ige’s campaign and Private Security Group. The campaign reported paying $360.21 to Private Security Group on November 5, 2014, likely for election night security.
Apart from that one expense, I haven’t found other ties to Private Security Group or its principal, former deputy sheriff Charles Lee Long, other than that Pacific International Realty is the rental agent for the Ige property.
Private Security Group, Inc. was registered to do business in 2003. However, the LinkedIn page of its principal, Charles Lee Long, says the company was formed in April 1983.
According to the LinkedIn listing:
Provide Security for Movie and TV Productions, Concerts, Special Events, Private Parties, Construction Sites, Condos, Residential & Commercial, Car Lots, Termite Tenting, Patrol Services, Investigations, Alarm & Remote Monitoring, Personal & Executive Protection, PSG is the Official Security for the Miss Hawaii Pageant & The Great Aloha Run.
The company is on a short list of security firms approved by the Hawaii Convention Center.
In 2015, the company was fined $3,000 for “employing unlicensed guards who were providing guard services at a musical event in Honolulu, Hawaii, on Sept. 19, 2014.” But no other complaints or disciplinary actions are listed in the state’s database of consumer complaints.
Charles Long was also a principal in Hawaii Pacific Care LLC, which was an unsuccessful applicant for one of Hawaii’s medical cannabis dispensary licenses.
Here’s how he was described in the HPC dispensary application:
Mr. Charles Long, the first of two principals in Hawaii Pacific Care, LLC (“HPC”), is a retired State of Hawaii Deputy Sheriff. He currently owns and operates Private Security Group, Inc. (“PSG”), which as been in operation for over thirty consecutive years, providing a wide range of security services including regulated certification classes for: Occupational Safety & Health Administration (OSHA), Hazardous Waste, Emergency Response CPWR, and Adult CPR First Aid and AED (NSC). PSG employ 120+ employees, locally.
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Thank you, Ian. People are claiming there is a conflict of interest between Gov. Ige and TMT based on the connection of a registered agent. Without additional evidence, the assumption that there is a conflict is unfair. Given that David and Dawn Ige Enterprises rents property, it makes sense that the registered agent would be in the real estate business.
Ige should update the registration for 2017 and 2018 with the DCCA. Other than that, I see no ties to wrong-doing here.
And some of the loudest anti-TMT protesters are employed by UH, which leases Mauna Kea summit land to TMT and other telescope ventures, or by OHA, which seeks to extort higher lease fees.
What does all that mean?
Not much, really.
If anything, this is Worthy of an investigation by our legislators, and should not be swept aside!
Investigate Now!
If it’s not true then Ige & the Longs should have no problem cooperating with an investigation.
Why did the TMT pay over $3 million for security back in 2015 but not willing to pay anything now for security? Meanwhile over $3 million has been spent by the state and county for security but unclear if that debt will be paid.
And it just so happens that the Governor uses this same firm as the TMT? That is very unusual I think and needs to be looked into further. Transparency is paramount ! Will other corporations get police officers round the clock to preserve their projects?
We could speculate on security and costs paid in 2019, but I think that’s all it would be.
As far as the registered agents go, they are not the same for TMT and Ige’s company.
I think more digging is appropriate. Does no one think rental income of $100,000 for a residence (no matter how many bedrooms) might be excessive? That, combined with failure to file necessary reports for multiple years should prompt more investigation & reporting to the public.
Ramona,
The disclosure says the rental income was between $50,000 and $100,000, which is a pretty wide gap. It could have been $50,001 for all we know. That still sounds like a lot, but is just a little over $4000 per month. With 1 bedroom apartments renting for $1500-2000, $4000 for a very large 5 bedroom single family home doesn’t seem out of line with the market. Of course it would vary depending on the level of luxury of the home. My 3 bed house is 1200 square feet, so a 3000 sq ft 5 bed house sounds like a palace to me!
I wonder what your thoughts would be on these questions?
1) why did TMT choose this security firm out of all the other possibilities (the wife (who is an officer) has a Promoting a Dangerous Drug conviction on her record).
2) What did they do for TMT to be paid $3 mil? That is so much money!
3) Why did the Ige’s choose that company to be an agent for their enterprise and as a property manager – they only manage one home (the Ige’s) and agent for one company (Ige?s)?
At the very least there are sincere conflict of interest and possibly bribery concerns. If the governor’s decisions are tied directly to the security group’s income… he needed to disclose their financial ties. He pays them personally and receives money from them (property rental income)
Where are people getting this takeaway that Pacific International only manages the Iges’ home? A simple Google search will take you to the business’ website, which shows dozens of home listings.
To give this a little more perspective, let’s take a tax preparer as an example. That person likely handles tax returns for many people and businesses. Does that mean that two clients who use that tax preparer have a conflict of interest just because of that relationship? I don’t think so.
Good example. Thank you.
If the accountant has a $3,000,000.00 contract for a client that the Governor has tremendous influence over whether it proceeds, have people arrested, unilaterally extend permits, appoint Department Heads for Agencies that will oversee the project, I would at least require that Bank records of both entities be reviewed for the specific time periods being questioned.
The $3 million contract occurred in 2015 between two private entities, neither of which the governor has any financial interest. I still have not seen any evidence of wrong doing in this matter. There’s no evidence here to even warrant an investigation by the ethics commission and certainly not examination of bank records.
Sniff Test Checklist-Fail on All Counts!
Security contract over $3 million dollars of undelivered services.
Phony Miami Vice name
No website
Co-mingling of businesses
No media presence
Expired website
Address in the middle of a real estate office
No evidence of experience
The whole things is fishy! Why would California $ pay over 3million to a husband wife company with no reputation or capacity over 3 mil?
Where did all that money go?
Security contract over $3 million dollars of undelivered services.
No evidence of “undelivered services”. Prior news stories referred to the company regarding early enforcement.
Phony Miami Vice name
The company was registered to do business years before TMT was ever conceived.
No website
Appears to be a private corporate website.
Co-mingling of businesses
Not sure what is meant here. Many related businesses share office address, etc.
No media presence
So?
Expired website
Domain Name: PRIVATESECURITYGROUP.COM
Registry Domain ID: 2426614383_DOMAIN_COM-VRSN
Registrar WHOIS Server: whois.godaddy.com
Registrar URL: http://www.godaddy.com
Updated Date: 2019-08-24T23:28:47Z
Creation Date: 2019-08-24T19:17:27Z
Registry Expiry Date: 2020-08-24T19:17:27Z
Address in the middle of a real estate office
Address shared with related business.
No evidence of experience
Company holds security license and has held it for at least 16 years, likely longer. It is a regulated industry.
I read a 2015 article in Hawaii Free Press that Private Security Group issued a no trespassing notice to Chase Kanuha who went to the TMT construction site on a weekly basis. Private Security Group was contracted by TMT and had guards on Maunakea. I don’t know the length of their contract.
Applaud the detail you’ve extracted from public records.
I ask: If the Ige’s are Long real estate side’s only account, and Long’s security side got a $3M contract in 2015…get the date timing….doesn’t it link as a kinda’ payola?
What are the PRESSING needs for this telescope when NASA’s July 2019 satellite images of deep space are more revealing than any from land? As others have said, who is benefiting from this Rail-SuperFerry -like construction project? Investigate before those who don’t know all the details push the protectors off the road.
I am an agent for several nonprofits and I am connected to them not just through that title. I am a director, volunteer, contributor, marketing/social media person, whatever they need. I would be very surprised to find out the Longs don’t have any interest, financial or otherwise, in the Governor’s business. And yes the rent for IGe’s home is excessive and looks like a bribe, just as the $3 million for security for something that hasn’t even been constructed yet is.
Just thought I’d take this chance to remind everyone that Ian Lind is a professional investigative journalist with a solid record of accuracy for many, many years. He works without agenda, other than finding and sharing the truth. He is a Native Hawaiian and one of the original Kaho`olawe protestors. If he says it, you can take it to the bank. He has knowhow, guts and honesty in spades. And he’s willing to do the hard work of reading every jot and tittle, analyzing every angle, and summing up his findings in a cogent, simple manner. Too bad more people are not willing to do the work, or able to do the analysis. Mahalo piha, Ian, for doing it for us.
Mahalo Marnie but you don’t need to remind us. I’ve been following Ian for many years. His integrity is beyond reproach.
Conspiracy Theory appears to originate with Leonard Horowitz and Sherri Kane who just happen to have posted the complete rundown on Sept 7 at the same time as it was posted on the Onipaa FB Page:
http://judicialcorruptionnews.com/ige-tmt-bribery/
Perhaps the TMT project is so important to military planners that both Pohakuloa and Mauna Kea May will now be subject to Federal condemnation as part of the new U. S. Space Force Program.
President Trump certainly has no fear of winning Hawaii, thus like the pipeline on the Continent developed. TMT May become the equivalent value as U. S. Fort Knox for “Star Wars, Star Trek And Ancient Aliens” followers. Area 50th State?! No joke?!
Also think the Chinese participation will be ended.
No conspiracy theorists here, eh?
Wasn’t Melanie Long convicted of drugs (meth)?
Yes, for an offense nearly 30 years ago. And since then, nothing else. A few civil lawsuits are the kinds you would expect for someone in property management, like a handful of disputes over the return of rental deposits. No other consumer complaints for either Mr or Mrs Long that I have found.
Melanie Long was convincted; however, according to the DCCA rules, her conviction doesn’t relate to her property management business so there’s no conflict. If she were a nurse or a doctor, being convicted of selling crystal meth, it would. One would think that a felony conviction like that would relate to a security business though, but the DCCA commissioners must have approved her because her company is licenced.
Ethics Commission investigations are not grand jury investigations. But, they can pursue possible conflicts of interest that maybe Ian Lind and others can not get at unless someone is willing to give information they might otherwise hide. So, we can see that
1) Pacific Security Group, Melanie Long one of the owners, received 3 million dollars in 2015 (when in 2015 we don?t know yet), and at the end of 2015 Melanie Long and her Pacific International Realty set up a general domestic partnership for then Governor David and Dawn Ige at her Pacific International Realty Address.
2) Dawn and David Ige have been receiving rent from that property that Melanie Long set up for them in an actual amount that we don?t know yet.
3) Melanie?s Dad, Ollie Crowell went on TV posing as a caring Hawaiian who was pro-TMT never disclosing that his daughter had a direct interest in TMT to the tune of 3 million.
Questions worth asking that can be easily addressed by an ethics committee investigation because we won?t get the answers otherwise,
1) Did/does someone actually rent out the Ige?s home?
2) How much have they and do they pay per month?
3) What kind of security work has Private Security been doing that makes it cost more than scientific and engineering consultation on a project that looks like the State has actually been picking up the security tab.
Are these not fair questions to ask?