Entries for 'News Release'

MYTH: Our opponent said that the failure of Congress to pass the Akaka Bill was the fault of Republican Senators.

FACT: Our opponent didn't explain the fact that the 2009-10 Democrat Senate - part of the time with a super majority - has not only failed to pass the Akaka Bill, but has also failed to even bring it to the floor for a vote.

“I am pleased that MHLA’s Board of Directors has taken this action to publicly endorse Duke Aiona and Lynn Finnegan,” said MHLA Executive Director Carol Reimann. “The visitor industry is the largest employer of Maui County residents and we must have government cognizant of the industry’s needs.”

Never has there been a more gross example of the nation's heritage being mismanaged than at the Ewa Field battlefield, where US Marines died in defense of their country on a December 7 Sunday morning, where Navy Region Hawaii allowed this hallowed ground to became a totally forgotten GARBAGE DUMP - until Save Ewa Field brought this gross mismanagement to local and national attention.

HONOLULU - Duke Aiona and Lynn Finnegan today unveiled their policy agenda for Native Hawaiian issues. First as a judge, and later as Lieutenant Governor, Duke Aiona has been instrumental in advancing Hawaiian causes and tackling issues that disproportionately affect the Hawaiian community.

Abercrombie’s record as Congressman for more than twenty years unveils a troublesome pattern.  Abercrombie has voted consistently in favor of raising taxes, which hurt local businesses and contribute to the rise of unemployment.  Here are just a few....

Djou, a Captain in the U.S. Army Reserve, represents the First Congressional District, which is home to the U.S. Pacific Command, the U.S. Army Pacific, the U.S. Pacific Fleet, the U.S. Pacific Air Force, Pearl Harbor, Camp H.M. Smith, Fort Shafter and Tripler Army Medical Center. Ensuring that these bases and military installations have adequate funding is in the best interest of Hawaii and the United States.

...business leaders we all recognize there are some major challenges within in Hawaii’s public education system and it begins with who is accountable. Currently, there is a grass roots effort started by a wide cross section of people in Hawaii who are trying to make a fundamental change to public education in Hawaii.  The group is called “Hawaii’s Children First,” and they support a ballot initiative in the November election to allow for an appointed school board....

HONOLULU - Dutch Hanohano, campaign manager of the Friends of Duke Aiona, today announced that the grassroots campaign raised more than $65,000 over the last 14 days of the primary election, from Sept. 4 to Sept. 18, and began the general election campaign with more than $400,000 cash-on-hand.

"It took brave political leaders to dismantle laws outlawing slavery…. Neil Abercrombie is the only candidate who shows that kind of brave leadership.”

HONOLULU – More than 2,000 grassroots supporters today joined Duke Aiona and Lynn Finnegan and their families for a pa‘ina in the park at Bishop Museum. Prior to the event, more than 400 supporters lined School Street and Likelike Highway to sign wave for the event.

• For 40+ years, we've had an elected Board of Education.
• The average term of office of the current elected Board is approximately 8 years.
• One member has been in office for 2 decades.  Three members have been in office for more than 1 decade.

Honolulu, HI — Congressman Charles K. Djou (HI-01) was joined by local Cub Scouts and volunteers at Mililani Waena Elementary School today to participate in the Hawaii Jaycees’ Third Annual “Adopt-A-School” Day, an annual day of statewide service to our local schools.

Despite all the negative ads saying Charles Djou voted against funding for schools, we know that actually no Hawaii schools were ever in danger of closing, nor were any teacher jobs at risk. Consider the following from the Washington Post's editorial board. They call this bailout for states a "boondoggle" and that "With schools in session, it's even clearer now than it was then that the numbers were exaggerated and that the measure was in no small part intended to motivate the powerful teachers unions for this fall's midterm elections."

An Aiona-Finnegan Administration will champion an accessible and impartial judicial system for all of Hawai‘i's citizens; focus the role of prisons and state law enforcement agencies; be a strong advocate for fair, consistent and swift, sure punishment for crime; and work to develop programs for restorative justice in our law school, courts and law enforcement community.

• WHO: Congressman Charles Djou and Honolulu Chinese Jaycees
• WHAT: Adopt-A-School Day at Mililani Waena Elementary School
• WHEN: Sunday, October 10, 2010, beginning at 9:00 AM
• WHERE: Mililani Waena Elementary School 

... it was said that it was the first time anyone had been denied a chance to fill a vacancy on the Manoa Neighborhood Board. Zach Thomson a businessman, active civic leader, founder of the non-profit Lucent Film Academy, Eagle Scout and Active Boy Scout Den Leader, who is a husband and father that lives with his wife and child in the Manoa community was denied ....

HONOLULU – Governor Linda Lingle today named George Burnett, a Civil Defense telecommunications officer with the state Department of Defense, as State Manager of the Year, and Lynne Kazama, a social worker with the Department of Human Services, as State Employee of the Year.  The Governor also named the “Quarantine First Responders” with the University of Hawai‘i as the State Team of the Year.

Washington- After months of rubber-stamping reckless spending and job-killing legislation, reality finally caught up with Hawaii Democrat Colleen Hanabusa and her Washington friends. The final jobs report before Election Day showed another month of high unemployment at 9.6 percent, marking it almost a year and a half since unemployment has been under nine percent, signaling major problems for any Democrat on the ballot in November.

HONOLULU - Duke Aiona today issued the following statement in response to his opponent's proposal for the next Lieutenant Governor to control the process for obtaining federal funds. 

...police reported the car was registered to my opponent, Rep. Jessica Wooley, and her husband. When police called her, she did not deny her car was there and said it must have been a volunteer, but that she didn't know who it was.  She also claimed to have only taken the signs down and left them in front of the house, but as we reported, the signs were stolen and thrown into her van.  Someone mysteriously returned signs at the place they were stolen with a note saying the property caretakers didn't want the signs up.  But these were not the same signs stolen from the property and we confirmed with the property caretakers that they indeed supported our campaign and wanted a sign in their home.

“Congressman Djou understands the importance of small business in restoring the nation’s economy,” she said, noting his willingness to fight growing federal regulations and stand firm against anti-business measures such as big labor’s “card check” legislation that would unfairly deny small businesses and their workers the right to secret ballot elections when faced with union-organizing campaigns."

"Jobs and the economy are unquestionably the two most important issues in the elections this November," said Ed Pinto, Chairman and CEO of Trust in Small Business PAC. 

"Small business is the key to jump starting the economy and creating new jobs America so desperately needs," Pinto continued. "Congressman Djou understands this. Djou stands up for small business."

Subsets of the 14-member Political Action Committee met with candidates to identify those who were friendly to businesses. To receive the Chamber's endorsement as a "business friendly" candidate, each candidate had to meet a minimum score equating to 60 percent of the total points possible.

Duke Aiona and Lynn Finnegan's opponents did not meet the minimum score to qualify for an endorsement.

"Our opponent continues to speak in platitudes, including an over-reliance on federal funding as the solution to Hawai‘i's economic issues.

"Duke Aiona addressed balance, integrity and fiscal responsibility in state government, while creating job opportunities, reducing the financial burden on our working families and small businesses and improving the quality of public education."

Honolulu, HI — Congressman Charles K. Djou (HI-01) has selected local attorney Irene Anzai as a 2010 Angel in Adoption^TM  for her support of adopted children and their families. The Congressional Coalition on Adoption Institute (CCAI), which organizes the Angels in Adoption^™ program, will honor Anzai and other Angels at an awards ceremony and gala event on October 6, 2010 in Washington, DC. Congressman Djou will present the actual award to Anzai at a local ceremony on October 15....

"Nothing in our opponents' latest plan would help bring about immediate economic recovery or create private sector jobs in 2011," said Duke Aiona. "Our opponents are finally admitting that there needs to be a down payment for their program, except that it now comes from "external" funds - which essentially means federal funds. If they fail to obtain these external funds, there will be no down payment and therefore no delivery on their promises."

"The Hawai‘i Restaurant Association is excited to be supporting Duke Aiona for Governor," said Chris Colgate, chairman of the Hawai‘i Restaurant Association Board of Directors. "Our industry believes he has always supported many of our positions and is committed to keeping down the high cost of doing business in Hawai‘i."

  Congressman Djou, his wife Stacey, Stephan Edwards and his brother Ryan of Systemcenter

Hawaii Right to Life, in partnership with Pearson Foundation of Hawaii, invites you to a special pro-life presentation and charity benefit featuring the Reverend Monsignor Ignacio Barreiro Carámbula, Chaplain of His Holiness Pope Benedict XVI.

While in D.C. as Congressman, Neil Abercrombie voted not once, not twice but three times in favor of taxpayer-funded bailouts for Wall Street financial institutions, auto companies and fiscally irresponsible state governments....

“This election is going to be won at the grassroots level, and our coalition leaders are on the ground in communities throughout the state,” said Lynn Finnegan. “We're going after every vote on every island and these coalitions help us connect with our citizens on the issues they care about most.”

“Hawai‘i's working families and small businesses already suffer from one of the highest overall tax rates in the nation,” said Lynn Finnegan. “Duke and I oppose tax increases, and we'll encourage a business-friendly environment.”

"We want to focus this campaign on the critical issues facing our working families and small businesses, and nothing is more critical right now than creating job opportunities," said Duke Aiona. "There's nothing in our opponents' plan that will create private sector jobs immediately, which will be a top priority for an Aiona-Finnegan Administration."

... Caldwell today signed into law Bill 34, which amends the City Fire Code to prohibit the possession, sale and use of consumer fireworks ....

Hawaii Christian Coalition candidate comparisons for Hawaii Legislative races.

"National Democrats have already blown over $530,000 in this race in a desperate attempt to mislead Hawaii voters and distract them from examining Colleen Hanabusa's record. Every dollar spent has been to distort Congressman Djou's record while no dollar was spent promoting anything positive about their "second favorite" candidate."

Washington- Democrat Congressman Chet Edwards (D-TX) recently admitted that his vote for his party’s failed trillion-dollar stimulus may cost him an election. His startling admission should have Democrat candidates like Colleen Hanabusa – who also supported the legislation – worried that they too will share the same fate.

He will pursue public-private partnerships to reconstruct, upgrade and manage public housing. An Aiona-Finnegan Administration will also extend to public housing residents the successful Homeownership Assistance Program launched by the Department of Hawaiian Home Lands, which helps renters become successful homeowners.

As thousands of voters in Hawaii's First Congressional District are readying themselves to cast votes in the General Election, one of the main candidates will be unable to cast a vote for herself. Voters should ask, why is Colleen Hanabusa running for a Congressional seat that represents an area she doesn't live in?

Abercrombie attempted to drive up the cost of an important work project on Guam that is expected to create 15,000 jobs by forcing them to pay exorbitant wages, making the project unaffordable.  Even Senator Inouye came out against Abercrombie’s proposal saying it would “shut local businesses” out of work.

There was one disappointing occurrence last night, however.  One of my supporters, while setting up for the event, saw a white van with the license plate NDU-549 stop across the street from Hau'ula Elementary while a passenger jumped out and stole a few of my signs.  A police report has been filed so any information you may have will be helpful to the HPD.

I have had nearly $1,000 worth of signs stolen so far.

“The fact that travelers are choosing Hawai‘i for their vacation is a reflection of the hard work and cooperative efforts between this Administration, private sector businesses and the Hawai‘i Tourism Authority.  The tourism outreach that has been undertaken by this Administration includes working with the airlines to increase airlift into our state and continued infrastructure improvements at our airports through the airports modernization plan."

"Union bosses are showing their true colors in these tough economic times,” said Chairman Jonah Ka’auwai.  “They have refused requests by union members to reduce union fees during the recession and are even making examples of Speaker Say and Senator Mercado Kim because of their resistance to raising the GET tax on the people of Hawaii."

However, we have just received from a highly reliable source a description of Kiewit's soil testing, which apparently reveals how Kiewit was able to offer the lowest bid on the project and why the cost may be increasing...

The resolution came after a series of reports in the media indicated there was a vast network of corrupt Democratic lawmakers engaging in pay-to-play schemes on behalf of the PMA Group. As indicated in the resolution, the Washington Post reported on February 14, 2009 that they “examined contributions that were reported as being made by [the firm’s] employees and consultants, and found several people who were not registered lobbyists and did not work at the lobbying firm.”