(CLUE: Green's pick for #2 at DBEDT is Dane Wicker, a current business partner and former chief of staff to Sen. Donovan Dela Cruz.  If Sadayasu is rejected, Wicker could advance to #1.  This is all about Aloha Stadium.  Also Donna Mercado Kim's son is 'Corporation Counsel' for Nan which is part of one of the two consortiums bidding for the Aloha Stadium boondoggle.)

SENATE TAKES VOTE ON KEY GUBERNATORIAL NOMINEES

News Release from Hawai'i State Senate, March 24, 2023

Honolulu, Hawaiʻi – Today, the Hawaiʻi State Senate deliberated on the committee recommendations for Governor Josh Green’s key cabinet nominees, namely Kali Watson (who was nominated as Chairperson for the Department of Hawaiian Home Lands), Keith Regan (who was nominated as Comptroller for the Department of Accounting and General Services), Chris Sadayasu (who was nominated as Director for the Department of Business, Economic Development & Tourism), and Scott Glenn (who was nominated as Director of the Office of Planning and Sustainable Development).

The Senate Committee on Hawaiian Affairs, the Senate Committee on Government Operations, and the Senate Water & Land Committee previously voted to recommend advise and consent for Kali Watson, Keith Regan and Scott Glenn, respectively.

Regan received a unanimous vote for his confirmation from the Senate, and Watson was confirmed by a vote of 21-2. Glenn, however, was not confirmed by a vote of 12-12.

The Senate Committee on Energy, Economic Development, and Tourism recommended to not advise and consent to the nomination of Chris Sadayasu. He subsequently was not confirmed by the assembled Senate by the vote of 8-15.

The Senate will reconvene on Tuesday, March 28 at 11:30 a.m.

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Green loses 2 more cabinet members as rocky trail of confirmation votes continue

HNN: … Glenn was recommended for confirmation by the Energy and Environment Committee and by state Sen. Karl Rhoads, a neighbor of the Glenn family.

“He’ll make great contributions in helping the state deal with the many things that we are going to have to deal with as global warming gets worse,” Rhoads told his colleagues.

But other senators said he mishandled the closing of the state’s last coal-fueled electric plant when he was Chief Energy Officer under Gov. David Ige.

They said his decision to shut down the plant when adequate inexpensive alternatives were not yet available led to higher energy costs on Oahu.

They also said that when he was challenged about that process during confirmation, he lied to senators about it.

“Members we all make mistakes that is forgivable,” said state Sen. Glenn Wakai. “Trying to cover it up is not.”

The vote on Glenn was 12-12 ― one vote short of confirmation.

State Sen. Joy San Buenaventura, of the Big Island, was absent for the vote….

The governor’s nominee for Business, Economic Development and Tourism ― Chris Sadayasu ― only got eight votes. The senate Economic Development Committee had recommended the rejection after multiple missteps managing tourism during his first months in the position and over questions about his management experience.

“He is not ready to lead one of the most important departments in the state during this time of economic uncertainty,” said state Sen. Donna Kim.

Meanwhile nominations of Keith Regan as state Comptroller and Kali Watson for the Department of Hawaiian Homelands won nearly unanimous support.

Watson was nominated after Ikaika Anderson withdrew his name for the job following a Senate Committee on Hawaiian Affairs vote against his nomination.

After the vote, Watson said, “First thing I’m gonna do is get houses up. We are going to accelerate the development process.”…

CB: Meanwhile, Kali Watson was approved to lead Hawaiian Home Lands while Keith Regan was confirmed as state comptroller.

read … Green loses 2 more cabinet members as rocky trail of confirmation votes continue

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SENATE COMMITTEE ON ENERGY, ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT, AND TOURISM REJECTS CHRIS SADAYASU’S NOMINATION TO THE DEPARTMENT OF BUSINESS, ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT, AND TOURISM

News Release from Senate Democrats, March 16, 2023

Honolulu, Hawaiʻi – The Senate Committee on Energy, Economic Development, and Tourism (EET) today voted to recommend that the Senate not advise and consent to the nomination of Chris Sadayasu for the position of Director for the Department of Business, Economic Development, and Tourism.

The hearing included testimony from Governor Josh Green, Chief Housing Officer Nani Medeiros, and numerous state agencies.

The vote was 4-1, with Senators Lynn DeCoite, Glenn Wakai, Donna Mercado Kim, and Kurt Fevella voting in favor of the recommendation to not advise and consent. Senator Carol Fukunaga was the lone vote in opposition of the recommendation.

“Although I believe Chris is a decent person, his performances during several Senate committee hearings have left me with doubts about his ability to effectively lead this department,” said Senator Lynn DeCoite, chair of the EET committee. “Due to the lack of confidence I felt in his potential to effectively manage and collaborate with the agencies that would fall under his direction, I could not support or recommend that we move forward with this nomination.”

Despite the committee’s recommendation, Sadayasu’s nomination will move forward for a vote and final consideration by the full 25-member Senate.

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