Hawaii liquor commissioner resigns after allegedly flashing badge to get into club, threatened to close it down in drunken confrontation
Trouble in paradise.
A Hawaii liquor commissioner was forced to resign after she allegedly flaunted her badge to get into a nightclub, and then threatened to shut the business down during a drunken confrontation with employees.
Lisa Martin stepped down from her position as the vice-chairwoman of the Honolulu Liquor Commission on Monday following her alleged attempt at abusing her power, according to Hawaii News Now.
In the earlier hours of Saturday morning, Martin, 54, arrived at the Playbar Nightclub in Waikiki with a friend.
She then allegedly flashed her liquor commissioner badge at the club’s door to gain entry into the establishment, according to a police report obtained by the outlet.
Inside, Martin was confronted by employees after they believed she was already too drunk to be in the bar.
Once she was asked to leave, things quickly escalated.
A Playbar Nightclub employee claimed the now-former liquor commission threatened to shut the bar down, according to a police report obtained by the outlet.
Martin allegedly told the employee she would “close the bar down because she can do anything she wants with the badge. She threatened to close down the bay, and I would lose my job.”
During the heated confrontation, an employee had taken a picture of her Honolulu Liquor Commission ID, prompting Martin to take photos of the establishment’s liquor commission cards.
Martin allegedly refused to leave despite being repeatedly demanded to do so by the club’s employees.
The police were then called to the scene, where the responding officer noted “a strong odor of alcohol coming from [Martin].”
Martin and her friend then left the club after the short interaction with police, according to the report.
Despite not being charged with any crime, Martin’s behavior was found to be unacceptable and submitted her resignation over the allegations.
In a statement from Honolulu Mayor Rick Blangiardi’s office, he said he was “saddened by events which were inconsistent with Ms. Martin’s desire and commitment to serve the residents of Honolulu as a member of the Honolulu Liquor Commission” after he accepted her resignation.
The city told Hawaii News Now that commissioners are not allowed to perform any of their duties while intoxicated and are not supposed to conduct field enforce liquor laws.
The mayor’s officer said Blangiardi appreciated Martin “accepting accountability for her personal conduct.”
Martin had moved to Hawaii from Illinois in 2021.
She took her Oath of Office as vice-chairwoman of the Honolulu Liquor Commission on Dec. 6, 2023, according to the city.
The city said Martin is an “expert in data management” and was working for Sutton Construction, Inc. as a “Financial Coordinator and Human Resources Professional” when she voluntarily took the position four months ago.
“She is also the owner of Cloudscape Corporation, a leading IT and Cloud Solution provider. She brings to the commission an impressive background in liquor law compliance, manufacturing, and workplace safety,” the city shared.
Mayor Blangiardi appointed Martin — along with two other commissioners — after a lawsuit filed in November 2021 alleged that the previous commission was harassing gay bars, according to Hawaii News Now.
James DiPasquale, the attorney for the LGBTQ club Scarlet Honolulu, argued that he reviewed hundreds of hand-written reports by liquor investigators that “clearly demonstrated their personal bias against gay establishments.”
Upon appointing the new commission, Blangiardi shared that it was a “solid new beginning for” the city.
