HONOLULU — Gov. Josh Green has appointed former state representative Cynthia Thielen to replace outgoing Reynard Graulty on the Hawaii State Ethics Commission.

The new four-year appointment was effective on July 28.

What You Need To Know

  • The new four-year appointment was effective on July 28

  • Thielen served in the state House of Representatives from 1990 to 2020, serving as minority floor leader from 1992 to 1997

  • The commission administers and enforces the state ethics code and the state lobbyist law

“It is a testament to the importance of ethics in the State of Hawaii that such a qualified and experienced candidate is willing to serve and help ensure the highest standard of ethics for our state’s lawmakers, employees, and lobbyists,” said Robert Harris, the commission’s executive director and general counsel.

Thielen served in the state House of Representatives from 1990 to 2020, serving as minority floor leader from 1992 to 1997. She garnered several awards during her time at the Legislature, including Small Business Hawaii’s Outstanding Lawmaker of the Year (1999) and a lifetime achievement award from the Sierra Club of Hawaii.

Thielen holds a juris doctorate from the University of Hawaii William Richardson School of Law and was a founding member of the law review program.

“I am deeply honored by this appointment and believe we must uphold high ethical standards to bring back trust in our local government,” Thielen said.

The commission administers and enforces the state ethics code and the state lobbyist law. Commissioners are appointed by the governor from nominations submitted by the Judicial Council and serve four-year terms without compensation. Commissioners may not hold any other public office.

Commissioners must be U.S. citizens and Hawaii residents.

Michael Tsai covers local and state politics for Spectrum News Hawaii. He can be reached at michael.tsai@charter.com.