FULL TEXT: State Supreme Court Ruling Goes Against Maui Wildfire Insurers
Hawaii Supreme Court gives green light to $4 billion Maui fire settlement
Hawaii Anti-Gun Bills Scheduled for Public Hearings on Wednesday
What Lingle v Chevron Missed: Eminent Domain Pretext
Indictment: Developer Behind False-Name Contributions to Amemiya, Pine
Hawaii AG Joins Suit Against Trump administration for ‘indiscriminate’ public health research funding cuts
Hawaiian Electric claims to be 36% 'renewable'
‘Russian Bot’ to be Director of National Intelligence: Senate tees up final vote on Tulsi Gabbard nomination
KHON: … The Senate voted largely along party lines Monday evening to advance Tulsi Gabbard’s nomination to serve as President Trump’s director of national intelligence (DNI), putting her on a glide path to confirmation later this week.
The 52-46 vote brings the Senate’s two-month debate over Gabbard’s qualifications and unorthodox national security views close to an end.
When confirmed on Tuesday or Wednesday, she will be in charge of putting together President Trump’s daily intelligence brief and leading approximately 1,750 employees at the Office of the Director of National Intelligence in McLean, Virginia. She will oversee the nation’s 18 intelligence agencies ….
She also faced questions about past statements that seemed to echo Russia’s rationale for invading Ukraine in 2022, such as arguing on the social media site X that the Biden administration could have avoided the war by acknowledging “Russia’s legitimate security concerns regarding Ukraine’s becoming a member of NATO.”
Warner raised that and other past statements before the procedural vote on Gabbard Monday.
“Gabbard has excused our adversaries worst actions. For example, she blamed NATO for Russia’s 2022 invasion of Ukraine,” he said.
He also cited her claim that Assad didn’t use chemical weapons against his own people despite a “unanimous assessment” by U.S. intelligence officials during Trump’s first term that he did so.
Gabbard faced tough questions at her confirmation hearing over her co-sponsorship of a bill with former Rep. Matt Gaetz (R-Fla.) calling for charges to be dropped against former National Security Agency contractor Edward Snowden who stole 1.5 million classified documents.
Her nomination appeared to be in jeopardy after she refused to call Snowden a traitor despite pointed questioning from Sens. James Lankford (R-Okla.) and Todd Young (R-Ind.) at her confirmation hearing….
REALITY: Tulsi Gabbard Archive
LiveUAMap: Trump envoy Witkoff's plane just entered Russian airspace
SA: Gabbard’s nomination as intel director heads to final Senate vote | Honolulu Star-Advertiser
read … Senate tees up final vote on Tulsi Gabbard nomination to be DNI
State officials could see big pay raises soon
KHON: … The numbers are still a draft, but after multiple meetings over the last few months, the commission is looking at 61% pay increase for governor, a 52% increase for Lt. Governor, and 48 to 51% increase for directors and deputy directors over six years.
Judges would see anywhere from 54% to 61% increases and lawmakers would see a 64% increase over the six year period….
The first year raises, as it’s currently written, are between 18% for deputy directors to 32% for governor and chief justice, then smaller increases each year through 2031. According to the Hawaii state constitution, lawmakers are not allowed to see pay increases for at least two years following pay raise increases because they have to vote on whether to approve or not.
“People are upset and its unfortunately, it’s not necessarily us, I think we can thank city council for it, but everyone has this 64% stuck in their mind and they think its absurd and they [city council] got 64% in a year, where at best case scenario, we’re going to do is have it drawn out, not all at once,” said Salary Commission Chair Colleen Hanabusa (blaming the Council for her own choices) ….
(IQ Test: Are you laughing?)
read … State officials could see big pay raises soon | KHON2
Lahaina Disaster Still A 'Relentless Presence' In Fire Survivors' Lives
CB: … Limbaga doused himself with water before running through the burning vegetation in his backyard. After his sandals melted, he ran barefoot across the rocky ground toward the beach, his skin bubbling and popping as his legs caught fire.
“When I finally reached the beach, I helped a distressed elderly woman unable to reach the surf. I lifted her onto my back and carried her into the ocean. As we entered the surf, I felt searing pain as the saltwater engulfed my burns and wounds.”…
read … Lahaina Disaster Still A 'Relentless Presence' In Fire Survivors' Lives - Honolulu Civil Beat
TRUMP NEWS:
LEGISLATIVE AGENDA:
QUICK HITS: