Ige Will Bring in Duffy to Make Hiroka Pick Look OK

SA Jan 6, 2017: Cindy McMillan, a spokeswoman for Ige, said that Hiraoka resigned as the governor’s campaign manager Wednesday after learning of his selection. She said Ige will conduct extensive interviews with all of the candidates and will enlist James Duffy, a retired associate justice of the Hawaii Supreme Court, to help advise him on a final decision — a move meant to help quell any appearance of impropriety in light of the governor’s close association with Hiraoka.

CB: Ige Campaign Chair Keith Hiraoka one of Six Nominees

read … Not Fooling Anybody

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GOVERNOR TO CONSIDER NOMINEES FOR INTERMEDIATE COURT OF APPEALS

HONOLULU – Gov. David Ige has received a list of nominees from the Judicial Selection Commission for the vacancy created by the retirement of former Associate Judge Daniel R. Foley. Foley retired on Dec. 30, 2016.

The commission submitted the list of nominees to the governor on Jan. 4 after careful evaluation and investigation into the background and qualifications of each applicant.

The nominees are:

• Derrick H.M. Chan — Chief Judge of the First Circuit, State of Hawai‘i
• David M. Forman — Director, Environmental Law Program, William S. Richardson School of Law, University of Hawai‘i at Mānoa
• Keith K. Hiraoka — Attorney, partner, Roeca Luria Hiraoka LLC
• Geoffrey K.S. Komeya — Attorney/shareholder, Cronin, Fried, Sekiya, Kekina & Fairbanks, Attorneys at Law, a Law Corporation
• Karen T. Nakasone — Circuit Judge, First Circuit, State of Hawai‘i
• John M. Tonaki — Public Defender, State of Hawai‘i

“I thank the Judicial Selection Commission for its hard work in screening and selecting qualified nominees for the Intermediate Court of Appeals. I have received the names and will be interviewing each nominee in addition to seeking public comment before making my decision,” said Gov. Ige.

The public is welcome to submit comments on any of the nominees on the governor’s website at www.governor.hawaii.gov – Contact the Governor.

Gov. Ige has until Feb. 3 to make his appointment, which is subject to senate confirmation.

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ASSOCIATE JUDGE OF THE INTERMEDIATE COURT OF APPEALS NOMINEES

News Release from Judicial Selection Commission, January 4, 2016

Under the Constitution of the State of Hawaiʻi, Article VI, Appointment of Justices and Judges, Section 3: “The governor, with the consent of the senate, shall fill a vacancy in the office of the chief justice, supreme court, intermediate appellate court and circuit courts, by appointing a person from a list of not less than four, and not more than six, nominees for the vacancy, presented to the governor by the judicial selection commission.”

The Judicial Selection Commission is pleased to announce a list of nominees for the judicial vacancy of Associate Judge, Intermediate Court of Appeals, State of Hawaiʻi. The judicial office has been vacant since the retirement of Associate Judge Daniel R. Foley in December 2016.

The nominees selected by the Commission for the judicial office in the Intermediate Court of Appeals are listed as follows in alphabetical order:

• Derrick H. M. Chan
• David M. Forman
• Keith K. Hiraoka
• Geoffrey K. S. Komeya
• Karen T. Nakasone
• John M. Tonaki

The Governor has 30 days from his receipt of the list today to make his appointment.

Statistics:

• Total Applicants: 16; 8 Females; 8 Males
• Government Attorneys: 7
• Private Attorneys: 6
• Judges: 3
• Age Range: 1 (31-40); 4 (41-50); 9 (51-60); 2 (61-70)
• Years Licensed Range: 10 years to 35 years.

To be placed on the Judicial Selection Commission’s mailing list, please send your name and email address to JudSelect.Comm@courts.hawaii.gov.

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