DUKE AIONA ISSUES STATEMENT ON SENATE MAJORITY’S VOTE TO DENY CONFIRMATION OF JUDGE KATHERINE LEONARD

HONOLULU – Lt. Governor Duke Aiona today issued the following statement regarding the Senate Majority’s vote to deny Judge Katherine Leonard as Chief Justice of the Hawai‘i Supreme Court:

“I strongly disagree with the State Senate’s decision to deny the nomination of Appeals Judge Katherine Leonard as the next Chief Justice of the Hawai‘i Supreme Court.

“Most appalling in their decision was the hypocritical nature of the vote, considering 23 Senate Democrats voted in favor of a Resolution on April 7, 2010 to advocate for the appointment of more women on the bench.

“Judge Leonard was more than qualified, as evidenced by her unanimous approval as appellate judge and the outpouring of testimony from the legal community in support of her appointment to Chief Justice.

“I call on my potential opponents and Hawai‘i’s other candidates to join me in strongly objecting to this misguided decision.

“The people of Hawai‘i deserve principled decision-makers, not political partisans.”

###