Surveillance camera shows Hawaii State Senate hopeful, a Democrat, stealing opponent's flyer

Hawaii State Rep. Matt LoPresti, a Democrat, was captured by a home surveillance camera video as he stole an opponent’s campaign materials near the entrance of a home in Ewa Beach.

In the video, LoPresti is seen sliding a brochure from the front door’s crack and then hiding it inside his own materials. Then he smiles just before the resident opens the door.

The video went viral Friday, and was even posted by someone on the popular Stolen Stuff Hawaii Facebook page before it was taken down by a page administrator, the Star-Advertiser reported. The materials reportedly belonged to Alicia Maluafiti, his Democratic primary opponent for the state Senate 19th District race.

What happened next?

LoPresti, who is seeking a seat in on the Hawaii State Senate, later issued an apology on his Facebook page and returned the brochure to the home. He also posted a video of himself apologizing to a couple for taking their flyer.

In the Facebook post, LoPresti admonished himself for “stooping” to the level of others who had used similar tactics against him.

Political campaigns can be intense and emotions can cloud otherwise good judgement of even the best people,” LoPresti wrote. “I sincerely apologize and have deep regret over my having taken some of those flyers. What that video does not show, however, is that the very same day I returned flyers that were taken – and that person’s neighbors can attest to me coming back and hand delivering my opponents flyers that same day. I was ashamed of stooping down to the level of those who had been making false statements, stealing my banners, and removing my own flyers for weeks up to that day, but it is still no excuse for me stooping to their level. I strive to hold myself to a higher standard every day in my public and private life. I failed that standard that day, but I immediately tried to make it right and do the honorable thing. We all fail sometimes, my failure was caught on camera, but I’ve been ashamed of what I had done since the day it happened. I am grateful for this opportunity to come clean and admit my own failures and promise to my family, my friends, my opponent, and to my community to keep on the high road in the future no matter how negative a campaign gets or how clouded my emotions become.

What did they say when he returned the brochure?

Below is the video of LoPresti returning the flyers. The couple thanked LoPresti and wished him good luck in his campaign.