this post was submitted on 18 Jul 2026
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Tulsi Gabbard's brother was arrested and charged after he allegedly tried to lure several children to his Waikiki hotel room on Sunday.

The older brother of former Hawaii Congresswoman Tulsi Gabbard was arrested and charged after he allegedly tried to lure several children to his Waikiki hotel room on Sunday.

The suspect, 55-year-old Batarti Gabbard, was charged on Friday, July 17, 2026, in connection to the "stranger danger" incident that occurred at a hotel in Waikiki on Sunday afternoon, July 12.

The Honolulu Police Department (HPD) said that at 2 p.m. on Sunday, the suspect approached several children, including a 9-year-old boy, at a pool area of a Waikiki hotel. He allegedly offered them gum and money to get them to join him in his hotel room.

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[–] givesomefucks@lemmy.world 88 points 2 days ago* (last edited 2 days ago) (2 children)

"Our oldest son Bhakti has had mental issues in the past but has been doing well for the last 10 years. Several days ago, he started acting erratically, as a result of smoking pot. His wife kicked him out of the house, so he’s been sleeping on the streets. He gave away his car to a homeless person; lost his ID and phone and has no money. He’s renamed himself, Batarti, and also Jim Morrison Jr., as he’s having delusions of being a rock star.

"This afternoon, a family member took him to Queen’s Hospital ER to have a psychological evaluation. Bhakti told the doctor they would find cocaine, ice and pot in his blood tests. And this evening, he was admitted for a 72-hour hold at Queen's, while they continue to monitor him and decide next steps."

I dunno...

I feel like all the cocaine and meth are more likely explanations than smoking a little weed...

[–] TheTechnician27@lemmy.world 55 points 2 days ago* (last edited 2 days ago) (1 children)

The far more likely explanation for all of this is a manic episode – worsened, of course, by abusing strong stimulants, but probably not brought on by them.

[–] frunch@lemmy.world 16 points 2 days ago* (last edited 2 days ago)

This is exactly my thoughts. I've had experience with a close friend who is bipolar and when they were manic this completely tracks. Yes, you can blame the drugs on some level but it's their brain chemistry that's really behind the crazy shit they do. It's awful. Luckily they're better now but it's something that always looms, you never know if/when things might go south again.

[–] toofpic@lemmy.world 15 points 2 days ago (1 children)

Smoking pot and starting acting is not a popular choice in general

[–] DanceMomsSavedMe@lemmy.zip 5 points 2 days ago

I hate how funny this is lol

[–] ruuster13@lemmy.zip 53 points 2 days ago (3 children)

Look at those parents put their son's mental health on blast and blame "pot" to avoid their own shame. Sounds like the kind of family that would also produce Tulsi.

[–] LordMayor@piefed.social 35 points 2 days ago (1 children)

They were/are literally involved in a cult.

[–] in4apenny@lemmy.dbzer0.com 17 points 2 days ago (1 children)

They used to be involved in a cult. They still are, but they used to, too.

[–] EvergreenGuru@lemmy.world 11 points 2 days ago

Thanks Mitch.

[–] Zaktor@sopuli.xyz 26 points 2 days ago

And their son was kicked out of his house and these rich psychopaths left him to be homeless. He's on the same island, they could have just gone and picked him up.

[–] lemmyng@lemmy.world 47 points 2 days ago (1 children)

Nuke the entire family from orbit. It's the only way to be sure.

[–] orbituary@lemmy.dbzer0.com 4 points 2 days ago* (last edited 2 days ago)
[–] pelespirit@sh.itjust.works 37 points 2 days ago* (last edited 2 days ago) (1 children)

Senator Mike Gabbard and Carol Gabbard released this statemen

Wait, Tulsi is a nepo baby?

Gerald Michael "Mike" Gabbard (born January 15, 1948) is an American politician who is the Hawaii state senator for District 21 from the Democratic Party, since 2006. Gabbard rose to prominence for efforts to prevent same-sex marriage in Hawaii by passing a 1998 amendment to the Constitution of Hawaii to give the state legislature "the power to reserve marriage to opposite-sex couples" under the 1996 Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA). Gabbard, who was born in American Samoa, is the first person of Samoan descent to serve in the Hawaii Senate.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mike_Gabbard

[–] very_well_lost@lemmy.world 15 points 2 days ago

Least surprising thing I've heard all day

[–] BarneyPiccolo@lemmy.today 8 points 2 days ago

Wow! Another MAGA Pedophile. Must be a day ending in Y.

[–] neon_nova@lemmy.dbzer0.com 18 points 2 days ago (2 children)

I’m not a fan of persecuting someone because of what another member in their family did.

If they aided them, or tried to cover it up, then sure; they are an accomplice.

I’m not defending this person in particular as I know nothing about them.

But I know great people who have families member who got caught up in drugs. Doesn’t mean the family is bad.

[–] halcyoncmdr@piefed.social 33 points 2 days ago* (last edited 2 days ago)

True... But we can look at the rest of the family. Tulsi is also a piece of shit, actively promoting and assisting the Trump administration...and probably a Russian intelligence asset while being the US Director of National Intelligence.

And apparently a nepo baby, their father is also a Senator from Hawaii. He failed to win a House seat in 2004, and won a Snwate seat in 2006. In 2007 he switches parties literally because he "believed that he could be more effective to his constituents as part of the majority party in the State Senate, where Democrats have long had a supermajority." So he switched parties to be a spoiler, he's still a Republican regardless of the letter by his name.

He has actively opposed same sex marriage, and the family seems to be part of a cult that actively teaches islamophobia and homophobia.

That's a decent amount of context to make some judgements for the entire family I'd say.

[–] deft@lemmy.wtf 3 points 2 days ago

Unless the rest of the family is shit. Then it's just more fuel

[–] mr_account@lemmy.world 15 points 2 days ago (1 children)

So what federal position is he going to be awarded with? Taking all bets!

[–] adarza@lemmy.ca 8 points 2 days ago

tour guide for school/scout groups at white house.

[–] Witchfire@lemmy.world 9 points 2 days ago (1 children)

It's always exactly who you most suspect

[–] ltxrtquq@lemmy.ml 6 points 2 days ago

I didn't know Tulsi Gabbard even had a brother, so I wasn't about to start suspecting him of anything

[–] HootinNHollerin@lemmy.dbzer0.com 7 points 2 days ago* (last edited 2 days ago)

I wonder if he is also in that same cult she is?

Today I will introduce Batarti into my D&D campaign; a homeless madman wandering the streets giving away grandiose gifts and stealing children.

[–] gedaliyah@lemmy.world 6 points 2 days ago

They really are all just cut from the same cloth, huh?

[–] Hairyfishnuts@feddit.online 6 points 2 days ago

Another blight that needs to be removed.

[–] saltesc@lemmy.world -3 points 2 days ago

So many men model their image on dicks. I don't know they look in the mirror and don't immediately see a peckerhead poking out of a t-shirt.