by Andrew Walden

Tulsi Gabbard has quietly hired an identified associate of the Chris Butler Cult as her new Chief of Staff. 

After reporters inquired, Gabbard's office hastily sent out a news release Tuesday announcing the appointment of Kainoa Ramananda Penaroza.  Penaroza replaces professional Congressional staffer Jessica Vanden Berg, but it is unclear when the switch was made.

Penaroza's name pops up multiple times in a detailed 2012 CultEducation.com posting on the Chris Butler Cult.

Penaroza's name also pops up in a 2012 Daily Kos column on Chris Butler Cult electoral activities. 

Penaroza's LinkedIn page lists him as "Sales Manger Puna Noni Inc, 2009-December, 2014" and "Owner, Tag Aloha, Co."

The website for Puna Noni was registered by Noni Connection, Inc, which has long been identified as a Chris Butler-connected company.

Tag Aloha registered with DCCA using a Kailua, Oahu street address used by numerous cult-connected individuals and organizations.   

Penaroza joins identified cult associate Anya F. Anthony, appointed last year as Gabbard's Office Manager.

Chris Butler was born in 1948, the third son of Willis Butler, the ILWU’s Red Doctor of Molokai.  But the red diaper baby became a Hare Krishna and, after taking LSD, led one of the many 1977 Hare Krishna splinter groups making himself ‘Jagadguru’ of the so-called Science of Identity foundation.  The cult runs the Down to Earth ‘natural food’ markets which profit from the anti-GMO hype spread by Rep Tulsi Gabbard.  They also have a long history of sponsoring cult members as Hawaii political candidates starting with the 1970s third party effort, “Independents for Godly Government.”  Until Tulsi flip-flopped in order to win against Mufi Hannemann in the 2012 campaign, they were known mostly for their opposition to gay marriage.

According to media accounts and cult emails forwarded to Hawai’i Free Press by a former cult member, Tulsi Gabbard’s father, State Senator Mike Gabbard, is “Krishna Katha das“ in the cult and her mother Carol Gabbard is “Devahuti dasi.” 

Gabbard's news release straight-facedly intones:  “...Kainoa brings to the office a unique, down-to-earth, and results-driven style of leadership that matches up with my desire to be of service to the people of Hawaii and the United States.”

Yes, she did just say, "Down-to-Earth." 

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2014: Tulsi Gabbard Office Manager tied to Chris Butler Cult

2012: To Stop Mufi, Mrs Abercrombie Joins the Chris Butler Cult

Aug 10, 1977: William Penaroza Speaks to Honolulu Advertiser on behalf of "Independents for Godly Government"