February 16, 2009 News Read > Hawaii Free Press

Hawaii Daily News Read

Monday, February 16, 2009

February 16, 2009 News Read
By Andrew Walden @ 8:24 PM :: 7844 Views

Did Cayetano Book Chase Levinson from Bench???

SB: Some have speculated Levinson, a Democrat, would not retire early and give Republican Gov. Linda Lingle a chance to replace him unless he wanted to avoid criticism generated by Cayetano's memoir. But Levinson said that when he and his wife chose Dec. 31 for his retirement date, he did not know the former governor was writing a book. (That would make them the only people in Hawaii who didn't know.)

In his new book, "Ben: A Memoir, from Street Kid to Governor," former Gov. Ben Cayetano cited phone messages left by Levinson with the secretary for then-Bishop Estate Trustee Gerard Jervis. The messages, which were also cited in the "Broken Trust" book, included, "Steven Levinson desperately needs to talk to you."

Cayetano wrote that the dates of the messages left "little doubt that Levinson was providing Jervis with information about the court's deliberations about Bishop Estate." He wrote they were "an obvious and egregious violation of the Judicial Code of Professional Ethics."

Cayetano wrote that he thought Levinson was "not fit to sit on the court," and wanted to block Levinson from getting a second 10-year term on the bench. But he backed off because he knew the "Broken Trust" authors had filed an opposition with the Judicial Selection Commission. The commission approved Levinson's second term.

Levinson said Cayetano's inference from the messages is false. "I've never discussed the court's deliberations in any matter with Gerry," he said. Levinson said Jervis was his friend and that they had mutual interests, including Kamehameha Schools....

ACTIVIST JUDGE: Levinson grabbed chance to 'change world' with gay Marriage

Cayetano Book: Dirty side of state politics

(Is there another side?) HA: Several weeks before the primary election, copies of a five-page confidential summary of an investigation by the U.S. attorney general of allegations of sexual misconduct by, among other people, U.S. Congressman Cecil Heftel were circulated to about 20 people, including some news reporters.

The summary included a confidential report of an informant's 1983 hearsay statement to a drug-enforcement agent accusing Heftel of involvement in drugs and sexual relations with "young males and females," suggesting that Heftel was a bisexual pedophile.

Many suspected that Rick Reed, Marsland's deputy and confidant, was behind the leak. Reed was a born-again Christian and had been associated with a local religious sect headed by a guy named Chris Butler. Reed had made attacking Democrats a personal crusade, leveling all kinds of wild charges. His choirboy looks belied a dark side. As far as I was concerned, he was the reincarnation of Sen. Joseph McCarthy.

(Cayetano's statement in review: An accused bisexual pedophile was running for governor but born-again Christians are definitely bad. Reed was later sued by Larry Mehau over the "Godfather" allegation--of course that has nothing to do with Cayetano's views. Really.)

Debate continues over GMOs

“In September 2008, a European study by the European Union’s Joint Research Center concluded that the rigorous testing and greater scrutiny of genetically engineered crops makes these foods even safer than conventionally grown plants and food,” she said. “This is a testament of the safety of these foods which we have seen time and time again in scientific studies.”

But don't worry, annoying things like facts aren't going to stop the anti-GMO luddites. BTW did you know that most marijuana sold today is genentically modified? Good thing anti-GMO protesters aren't a bunch of potheads, eh? But the news is not all bad. Without these protesters to protect against, politicians wouldn't have much of a case for demanding campaign contributions from the GMO industry.

Maui: Couch donors under review

But Couch said some of his donors were people who are registered to vote in Hawaii, but who live on the Mainland part time. Those people may have listed a Mainland address on the report, but they are Hawaii residents and voters, he said.

To decide whether a donor is a nonresident, the commission uses the state's rules for determining residency for voting purposes, Wong said. Criteria include establishing that Hawaii is the person's primary residence, and that the person does not vote in another state.

(This case could affect the methodology used to determine how the 20% rule is enforced.)

'Shelter in place' bill moves ahead

The "shelter-in-place" program is designed to help hundreds of families avert homelessness by giving them money to fill the financial gaps created by job losses or work-hour cuts. Senate Bill 757, which would create the program, does not yet have a dollar amount attached to it and legislators were unsure just how many would be helped.

But state Sen. Norman Sakamoto, who introduced the measure, said he would like to enroll at least 300 families in the program.

(Great, after the Leg taxes and regulates the economy to death, they vote themselves some baksheesh for Democrat precinct captains to distribute to buy the loyalty of their own victims.)

Maui Judge overturns jury sentence for Meth Dealer with assault rifle

Foster was driving a 1985 Toyota 4Runner carrying three passengers when state Department of Land and Natural Resources enforcement officers stopped the vehicle at about 2 a.m. Aug. 27, 2006, on an isolated stretch near Mile Marker 22 on Piilani Highway in Kanaio.

The officers reported finding a banana clip containing three bullets on the front seat and an assault rifle on the floor behind the passenger seat. A Marlboro cigarette pack on the driver's side floor contained methamphetamine. In a bank bag, another cigarette pack held packets containing methamphetamine, marijuana and muscle-relaxant pills, officials reported.

On Jan. 22, after a two-week trial, a jury found Foster guilty of being a felon in possession of a firearm and being a felon in possession of ammunition, as well as third-degree promotion of a dangerous drug and third-degree promotion of a detrimental drug.