McDermott Calls on AG to Stop Spending $150,000 on East Coast lawyers

“Great Photo Op.  Bad Public Policy”

Statement from Rep Bob McDermott R-Ewa, March 9, 2017

“Attorney General Doug Chin today admitted at this morning’s press conference that he is paying $150,000 to a group of mainland lawyers to pursue his suit against the President’s new executive order restricting travel from six countries.  Even more outrageous is his revelation, that he may authorize the expenditure of more public money for outside legal help.

After reviewing his revised suit, I have to ask why are we paying an east coast law firm for a legal cut- and-paste job which will accomplish nothing other than generate publicity for the AG. I’m certain that there are a number of critical issues here in Hawaii that should demand Mr. Chin’s attention and the resources of his office.”

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REP. WARD RESPONDS TO PRESIDENT TRUMP'S TRAVEL EXECUTIVE ORDER

Statement from Rep. Gene Ward (R-Hawaii Kai) March 9, 2017

Representative Gene Ward (R- District 17, Hawaii Kai) today responded with the following comments to Hawaii's initiative to sue the revised Trump Executive Order on immigration.

"This is about a moratorium over the next few months so the Trump Administration can put the long referred to 'extreme vetting process' in place before the US immigration spigot is turned back on, Ward said.

"I truly sympathize with immigrants and the difficulties that they go through; my wife is an immigrant from Malaysia, my daughter is adopted from China and I have years of experience processing papers, and jumping through the hoops to establish their citizenship.

"I believe Hawaii is making a good gesture to Hawaii's favorite son, President Barack Obama, by taking this initiative, but beyond that symbolic nature, we are only inciting the Trump Administration against Hawaii, and further marginalizing our Washington Delegation.

"Let's allow the big states with more resources to fight this issue. Our Attorney General says there will be over 40 lawyers involved and it will cost Hawaii taxpayers over $150,000 at a minimum. My sense is that the people of Hawaii would rather see potholes fixed rather than trying to lead the nation against an executive order.

Representative Ward believes that the Attorney General should focus on a more pressing issue for the islands, "The real threat to Hawaii is North Korea, not the immigrants. We're just 12 minutes away from a North Korean ballistic missile which they are getting closer and closer to developing," Ward concluded.