May 29, 2010 News Read > Hawaii Free Press

Hawaii Daily News Read

Saturday, May 29, 2010

May 29, 2010 News Read
By Andrew Walden @ 1:51 PM :: 11117 Views

Kaauwai: Hannemann supports HB444 gay civil unions

Lingle: Hannemann was AWOL on Superferry

Rep. Djou joins House Budget, Armed Services Committees

SB: How far can Hawaii Democrat Convention go without blowing up? Dem Chair worries party is about to shoot self in head

Hawaii's Democratic Party starts this Memorial Day weekend testing how far it can go without blowing up.

The party's biennial convention opened last night at the Hilton Hawaiian Village with an estimated 750 delegates and a warning from interim Chairman Dante Carpenter.

"We have already shot ourselves in the foot; I hope we aren't about to put that weapon to another part of our anatomy and do something even worse," Carpenter said….

Yesterday, Carpenter opened the convention by telling delegates that the party lobbied for the civil unions bill and supported the 31 state House Democrats who voted for it.

Abercrombie has been an early and strong supporter of both civil unions and same-sex marriage, while Hannemann has said he does not support same-sex marriage although he would not discriminate against people because of their sexual preference.

Delegates at the convention are watching to see how the pair handles the issue during the campaign.

"It is definitely an issue to bring the party together behind the strong tradition of civil rights," says civil unions proponent and Democratic delegate Tambry Young.

She is an Abercrombie supporter and says she will watch to see what Hannemann does if he wins the Democratic primary.

DePledge: Abercrombie campaign compares Hannemann to Sarah Palin

Mayoral Election Sept 18, Prosecutor Nov 2

The special election to replace Mayor Mufi Hannemann likely will take place as part of the September primary election, but the contest to find a successor to city prosecutor Peter Carlisle may not happen until the November general for logistical reasons.

That's according to Council Chairman Todd Apo, who oversees the city clerk's office responsible for both elections.

CB: Mufi v. Neil in 1986: The Bloody First Round

On Sept. 16 Hannemann began running 30-second TV ads, followed later by newspaper ads, saying Abercrombie admitted to using drugs and twice tried to decriminalize marijuana. The ad ended with a "bearded" Abercrombie, according to the Advertiser, looking "tired and distracted" while a voiceover warned, "Is that the kind of man you want representing Hawaii in Congress?"

The same article noted that Hannemann, described as "active" in the Mormon church, had never used marijuana, cocaine or other illegal drugs.

Then, on Sept. 17, Mufi Hannemann's salvo on Abercrombie's alleged drug use made the front page of the Advertiser: "Hannemann's potshots set off candidate squabbling." Abercrombie called the ads "sleaze" and said it reflected Hannemann's character.

The next day, the Advertiser interviewed the widow of the journalist who wrote the 1970 piece about Abercrombie "enjoying pot." She defended her late husband's veracity and observed that he was a Pulitzer Prize runner-up that same year for reporting on Hawaii organized crime.

The day before the election, at a Honolulu Press Club forum featuring the top four candidates for the 1st district, Hannemann challenged Abercrombie to "say you're sorry" or take a lie-detector test. Abercrombie responded that the only test he would submit to was the voters' judgment. Saiki chimed in that Hannemann's ads were "defamatory," because Abercrombie had taken a drug test.

Hannemann responded that he was just presenting "the facts." The Advertiser described Hannemann's demeanor at the forum as "strident" and "increasingly bellicose," adding, "Abercrombie, who was unusually subdued, said this has been an emotionally draining campaign."

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Councilman Rod Tam Under Campaign Probe

Tam last was re-elected to the council in 2006. In March, a KITV4 investigation found his campaign spent an average of $24 a day on food and drinks for the next three non-election years, between 2007 and 2009, when he was not actively campaigning.

A review Tam's campaign spending reports found 455 charges for food and drinks worth $26,546 in those non-election years.

He said he's following local custom -- offering people something to eat and drink as they talk about his campaign…

His most popular destination is Zippy's restaurant on Vineyard Boulevard, where campaign records show he ate 101 times in the last three years for meetings with volunteers.

Council to fill seat Thursday

Candidates hoping to fill the vacancy on the City Council will get a job interview of sorts at a special committee hearing Thursday, when a potential successor is likely to be picked.

"We want to invite all the candidates to come and make a presentation and be available for questions from members that day," Council Chairman Todd Apo said yesterday. "The goal is going to be to come out with a resolution that has a specific name in it."

The candidate would then be voted on by the full Council at its next meeting June 9.

HNN: Political musical chairs begin for Hawaii politicians

ADV: Finding this short-timer is a tall order

ADV: Quick selection sought for Djou fill-in

Dems seek to change election law after Djou wins

Democrats, smarting from the victory by U.S. Rep. Charles Djou, R-Hawaii, in the special election for Congress, will consider a resolution at their state convention on Saturday to change the state law on special elections.

The resolution calls for primary or run-off elections instead of winner-take-all elections to fill House vacancies. Djou won with a plurality after state Senate President Colleen Hanabusa and former congressman Ed Case split the Democratic vote.

Hawaii Dems 2008 Resolution: US Reps should live in their own district

There were a few snickers at the time, but it is doubtful many Democrats are laughing now about a resolution passed at their state convention in 2008 urging members of Congress to live in the districts they represent.

The resolution, passed by the party’s government operations committee, was a message to U.S. Rep. Mazie Hirono, D-Hawaii, who lives in urban Honolulu but represents the 2nd Congressional District, which covers rural O'ahu and the Neighbor Islands.

The Democratic Party of Hawaii supports the principle that elected representatives to the United States House of Representatives shall reside and be eligible to vote in the district which they represent.

Senate confirms Miyamoto as U.S. Marshal for Hawaii

Miyamoto, an Aiea resident, succeeds Mark "Dutch" Hanohano.

Miyamoto was a Honolulu police officer for 25 years and served as a special assistant to the late Chief Michael Nakamura. After retiring from HPD, he worked as the state's counterdrug coordinator before taking a job as law enforcement coordinator under then U.S. Attorney Ed Kubo.

Prosecutors say new Hawaii sex trafficking law unnecessary

HONOLULU (HawaiiNewsNow) - A legal debate on prostitution is under way as a plan to crack down on sex traffickers is one signature away from becoming law. But the bill, awaiting the governor's approval isn't popular with prosecutors.

We've hidden her face and altered her voice in order to protect her identity. For a span of three months, 19-year old "Robyn" was lured into turning tricks on the street….

KITV: Sex Traffic Victim: 'I Was A Slave'

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SB: U.S. must help improve Pacific islanders' health

The epidemic of diabetes, heart disease, cancer and other diseases afflicting Pacific islanders is a tragedy for the individuals and families involved and a growing threat to the vitality of Hawaii's taxpayer-funded health care system for the poor.

Hawaii ranks 44th in driver knowledge

Fewer than three-quarters of Hawaii’s licensed drivers would pass if they had to retake a written drivers test today, according to a new report.

The state ranked 44th among the 50 states and the District of Columbia in the 2010 GMAC Insurance National Drivers Test, with 27 percent of isle respondents failing the test.

It’s a slight improvement over last year, when Hawaii ranked 49th, according to GMAC.

Snobs: Honolulu Council To Consider Total Fireworks Ban

“We hear so much from the public that they want to stop this,” Okino said. That is why he is introducing a bill that bans all fireworks in Oahu neighborhoods.

However, the bill does allow public fireworks displays on New Years Eve, July Fourth and the Chinese New Year, by permit only. A permit would also allow fireworks at cultural events. That could win over some opponents of a total ban who have been concerned about preserving religious and cultural traditions.

Last day for St. Joseph School

In September, officials of the 65-year-old Makawao school announced they would close the kindergarten through 5th-grade campus because the school was not enrolling enough students to keep it open.

Kauai Farm-worker housing abuse discussed

Kaua‘i farmers, legislators and community members have collaborated for almost three years crafting a bill…It wasn’t time, however. In the 11th hour, literally, since the meeting started at 9 a.m. and it was almost 9 p.m., the bill was once again deferred, after a vote had already been called for by Council Chair Kaipo Asing.

(yep 3 years and 12 hours….)

WHT: Feds intervene after Hawaii Co.Police arrest Census taker

"I said, 'Can I please just give you the Census (form)?' And he didn't want it," Haas said. "He said he was going to call the cops, so I said, 'OK, fine.' We'd been trained to wait by the gate for the cops to get there and hand them the forms that we would have handed to the guy. The police then hand it to them and tell them, 'It's the law, do it.' Then everybody would walk away and it would be fine. That was what I expected.

"But when I was standing next to the gate talking to the guy, he pulls something out ...and out pops this little tin shield, and it falls and clatters on his driveway. And I realized he was telling me he was a cop."

"Then I went, 'Dude, if you're a cop, you know that you have to be in the Census. You have to be because you've sworn an oath to uphold and obey (the law).'"

Haas, who is a former New Jersey police officer, said while he and the man were talking across the gate, police "pulled up behind me, suddenly."

"I handed them the Census and expected them to hand them to this guy and say, 'That's it,'" Haas said. "They walked over and talked to him for a minute or two, then walked back to me ... and then stuffed it into my chest, and said, 'He doesn't have to enter your Census. He doesn't have to enter any Census. He doesn't have to fill out any of your forms or answer any of your questions. And if I were you, I'd get into my car and get the hell outta here, right now.'

"I turned to him and said, 'Or what?' And he said, 'I'll lock you up.'" And I turned back and said, 'So make your case.' They threw the cuffs on me, took me down to Keaau Police Station and I waited there until my daughter bailed me out." Haas' bail was $25.

SB: Transfer of census worker's trespassing case is sought