Tulsi Gabbard's brother charged misdemeanor after child lure

The brother of former Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard has been charged with a misdemeanor after allegedly attempting to lure children at a Waikiki hotel pool to his room. Batarti Gabbard, 55, was charged with second-degree custodial interference following a police investigation into an incident reported on July 12.

According to the Honolulu Police Department, the investigation began after a report of a stranger danger incident at a Waikiki hotel pool around 2 p.m. on July 12. Authorities allege Gabbard approached several children, including a 9-year-old boy, asked for their names and wrote them in a notebook. He then offered the children money and gum to accompany him to his hotel room. The children refused and Gabbard walked away from the area. A 42-year-old woman who witnessed the encounter reported it to police.

Gabbard was arrested on July 17 in connection with the pool incident. This was not his only recent arrest. According to local reports, he was also arrested on July 16 on a separate theft charge. He pleaded not guilty to that charge on the morning of July 18 and was released, with a court date scheduled for August 14. As of July 19, police confirmed...