By Richard Borreca

U.S. Rep. Neil Abercrombie’s campaign for governor has picked up its first union endorsements as the Plumbers and Pipefitters and the Boilermakers unions gave the Manoa Democrat their stamp of approval.

Plumbers and Pipefitters have about 4,000 local members and the Boilermakers have several hundreds members, mostly at Pearl Harbor shipyard, according to Abercrombie.”This coming so early in the race it is no doubt a boost to our campaign,” Abercrombie said in a release.

Noting that these two trade unions were the first to endorse Barack Obama for president, Abercrombie said he feels honored to be endorsed for governor more than a year and half years before the November 2010 election.

Abercrombie is a longtime friend of the unions, having been the keynote speaker for the plumbers and pipe-fitters last two national conventions, according to the union press release.

According to the campaign tracking database, OpenSecrets.org, Abercrombie received $10,000 in his last congressional election cycle from the Boilermakers union political action committee.

By Richard Borreca

Gov. Lingle released this statement at 7:25 tonight:

HONOLULU – Governor Linda Lingle issued the following statement relating to Hawaiian Telcom’s motion filed in Bankruptcy Court to pay employee bonuses.

“The decision today by Hawaiian Telcom to ask the bankruptcy court to approve $6 million in bonuses for its employees is unconscionable, and we will oppose it in court.

“Hawaiian Telcom is the critical communications backbone for our state, and its action to pay millions in bonuses puts the company in a precarious position that jeopardizes its long-term viability, as well as threatens Hawai‘i’s economic recovery.  

“The fact that company president and CEO Eric Yeaman himself turned down a bonus shows that he clearly recognized bonuses were wrong and counterproductive to Hawaiian Telcom’s efforts to restructure its finances and operations.  He could have and should have put an immediate stop to this outrageous action.”

By Richard Borreca

Late today, Gov. Lingle’s office released details for Hawaii’s celebration of 50 years of statehood, cue the fireworks:

The 50^th Anniversary of Statehood Commission today announced the convening of a special joint session of the Hawai‘i State Legislature to commemorate the date 50 years ago on March 18, 1959, when President Dwight Eisenhower signed into law the bill that allowed Hawai‘i to be admitted as the 50^th state of the United States of America.

The Presidential signing of the Hawai‘i Admission Act paved the way for Hawai‘i residents to vote on the Statehood bill, which they approved on June 27, 1959.  Two months later, on August 21, 1959, President Eisenhower made Hawai‘i’s statehood official by signing a proclamation welcoming Hawai‘i as the 50th state of the Union.

In observance of the 50^th anniversary of the signing of the Hawai‘i Admission Act, both houses of the Hawai‘i State Legislature will convene a joint session in the State Capitol House Chambers on Wednesday, March 18, 2009, from noon to 1:30 p.m.  The event will be webcast live at:  www.hawaii.gov/statehood. The public is invited to attend.

“As we officially kick off our Statehood Commission events, we should all take a step back and look at this milestone as an incredible achievement,” said Kippen de Alba Chu, chair of the 50th Anniversary of Statehood Commission. “The signing of the Hawai‘i statehood bill is a testament to an extremely diverse community working in harmony for the greater good.  It is the peaceful expression of once radical ideas in the push for equality and basic human rights for all of Hawai‘i’s people, regardless of ethnicity, national origin, or religion.  When we talk about a melting pot and an example for others to emulate, Hawai’i is not an experiment but living proof that it works, and it works well.”

“The historic signing of the Hawai‘i Admission Act 50 years ago culminated decades of hard work and collaboration, as well as the hopes and aspirations of the people of Hawai‘i that their children and grandchildren, as American citizens, would enjoy in perpetuity the rights enshrined in the U.S. Constitution,” said Governor Linda Lingle.  “The Admission Act also recognized the lasting contributions Hawai‘i’s people, cultivated through our diversity and rich heritage, would bring to the union.”

The joint legislative session will feature remarks from Governor Lingle, Senate President Colleen Hanabusa, and House Speaker Calvin Say, as well as musical performances by Danny Kaleikini, Danny Couch and Arshiel Calatrava, an 8th grade student at Kalākaua Middle School.

Hawai‘i’s living former governors and first ladies are expected to attend, including former First Lady Nancy Quinn; former Judge Jim Burns, the son of former Governor John Burns; former Governor George Ariyoshi and former First Lady Jean Ariyoshi; former Governor John Waihe‘e and former First Lady Lynn Waihe‘e; and former Governor Ben Cayetano and former First Lady Vicky Cayetano.  The current and former members of Hawai‘i’s Congressional delegation have also been invited, as well as former legislators who served in the Legislature in 1959 when Hawai‘i first became a state.  

“For all of us who continue to work for Hawai‘i’s future, it is fitting that we stop and reflect on the important events that have brought us to where we are today,” said Senate President Colleen Hanabusa.  “In addition to providing Hawai‘i’s people the full rights and benefits of citizens of our nation, statehood also permitted us to operate under a constitution of our own drafting and to fully determine the direction our state would move in. We can all be proud that as a result of the action of President Eisenhower 50 years ago, the Hawai‘i we enjoy today is a Hawai‘i of our own making, reflecting a commitment to our people, our environment and our precious host culture.”

“I stand with great pride and aloha for our state and its people as we celebrate the 50^th Anniversary of Hawai‘i’s Statehood,” said Speaker of the House Calvin K.Y. Say.  “I am most proud of the fact that over the past 50 years, we have maintained our unique culture and distinctive character, preserved the natural beauty of our land, served as a role model as the most ethnically diverse state in the nation, and shared a historic moment with our newly elected President of the United States who was born and raised in these islands.  The most exciting thing for me, however, is the knowledge that our people share a love for Hawai‘i that transcends all differences, and we shall work together in unity to ensure that the best years for the state are before us.”

Prior to the start of the joint session, the 111^th Army Band will perform in the Capitol Rotunda from 11:30 a.m. to noon.  At 11:55 a.m., two Hawai‘i Air National Guard F-15s will conduct a flyover of the Capitol.  

An archival display of historic items and photos from 1959 will also be on display in the Chamber level of the State Capitol.

Following the joint legislative session, the public is invited to participate in self-guided or docent-assisted walking tours of the downtown Honolulu’s Capital Cultural District, which is included in the proposed Honolulu Capital National Heritage Area currently being considered by Congress.  Free maps featuring downtown Honolulu’s historic landmarks will be distributed.  Among the highlights are the Hawai‘i State Capitol, Washington Place, St. Andrew’s Cathedral, Hawai‘i State Art Museum, ‘Iolani Palace, Ali‘iolani Hale, Mission Houses Memorial Museum, Honolulu Hale, Hawai‘i State Library, Kawaiaha‘o Church, Hawai‘i Theatre and Chinatown.

The 50^th Anniversary of Statehood Commission has planned a comprehensive year-long series of events and programs, with a special focus on education, to honor the 50^th anniversary of Hawai‘i’s admission to the United States.  

By Richard Borreca

The political team of Kobayashi and Bainum is back.

From 1988 through 1990, Dr. Duke Bainum served as a volunteer or assistant to then Sen. Bert Kobayashi, learning all he could about Hawaii politics.

After a three-year tutelage from Kobayashi, 64, one of the Legislature’s more studious members, Bainum, 56, went on to serve eight years in the state House before going to the city council in 1994, where he served another eight years before unsuccessfully running for Mayor.

Now Bainum is back on the council and has hired Kobayashi as his special assistant.

By Richard Borreca

The Senate Judiciary Committee is plowing through an estimated 1,300 who have signed up to speak on HB 444, which would establish civil unions for same-sex couples. The crowds appear evenly split between those favoring and opposing the bill.

Here’s what it looked like out in front of the state Capitol this morning.

By Richard Borreca

Hawaii’s governor is a woman, but not the one you think. It is Georgina Kawamura, state budget director.

Gov. Linda Lingle is attending the National Governors Association meeting in Washington. Lt. Gov. James “Duke” Aiona is also in Washington and Attorney General Mark Bennett is already in Washington preparing for his argument before the U.S. Supreme Court next Wednesday in the Hawaii ceded lands case.

According to the state’s order of succession, next up is Kawamura. Staffers report Acting Gov. Kawamura is getting a “lot more phone calls.” The state security detail has also been transferred to Kawamura. Kawamura’s governorship is expected to end Feb. 24.

For the detail-obsessed, here’s the law pertaining to succession:

§26-2  Order of succession to offices of governor and lieutenant governor.  (a)  When the office of lieutenant governor is vacant by reason of the lieutenant governor’s becoming governor, or the lieutenant governor’s failure to qualify, or the lieutenant governor’s removal from office, death, resignation, or otherwise, the powers and duties of the office of lieutenant governor shall devolve upon the president of the senate; or, if there is none or upon the president’s failure to resign promptly from all legislative offices held by the president, then upon the speaker of the house of representatives; or if there is none or upon the speaker’s failure to resign promptly from all legislative offices held by the speaker, then upon the attorney general, the director of finance, the comptroller, the director of taxation, and the director of human resources development in the order named; provided that any officer upon whom the powers and duties of the office of lieutenant governor devolve may decline the powers and duties without the officer’s resignation from the office by virtue of the holding of which the officer qualifies to act as lieutenant governor, in which event the powers and duties will devolve upon the next officer listed in the order of succession.

(b)  When the lieutenant governor is temporarily absent from the State or is temporarily disabled, the powers and duties of the office of the lieutenant governor shall devolve upon the foregoing officers, other than the president of the senate and the speaker of the house, in the order named.

(c)  The powers and duties of any officer acting as lieutenant governor under this section shall include the powers and duties of the office of governor when that office is vacant, or when the governor is absent from the State or is unable to exercise and discharge the powers and duties of the governor’s office, in addition to the other powers and duties of the lieutenant governor.

No person other than the elected governor or lieutenant governor shall become governor, provision being made by this section only for an acting governor.

(d)  An officer succeeding to the powers and duties of the lieutenant governor, under subsection (b) of this section, may designate an officer in the office of the lieutenant governor to perform any or all functions other than those pertaining to the office of governor.

(e)  During the period that any officer, under this section is exercising the powers and performing the duties of the office of governor or lieutenant governor by reason of a permanent vacancy therein, and not otherwise, the officer shall receive the compensation and perquisites of the governor or lieutenant governor, as the case may be.

By Richard Borreca

According to the Campaign Spending Commission, more than 50 candidates for office have failed to file their required campaign spending reports.  Those who failed to file, according to the listing on the spending commission web page include Maui Mayor Charmaine Tavares and state Reps. Mele Carroll and Karen Awana.

The commission notes that the “penalty for not filing a report by the due date is $50 per day for the first seven days, beginning with the day after the due date of the report, and $200 per day thereafter, not to exceed twenty-five per cent of the total amount of contributions or expenditures, whichever is greater, for the period covered by the report; provided that the minimum penalty for a report filed more than four days after the due date shall be $200.”

Here is the list:

Michelle Anderson
James “Kimo” Apana
Karen Awana
Bryan Baptiste
Joseph Barrozo
Robert Bartolo
Paul Bryant
Mele Carroll
Cameron Datanagan
Gail Dukes-Requilman
Roger Evans
Frederick Fogel
Galen Fox Fox
William Georgi
Blitz Harry
John Hoff
Helene Honda
Henry Kahula, Jr.
Samuel Kalalau, III
Mark Kalilikane
Harry Kaneakua
Frankie Kawelo
Jo Kim
Janice Lehner
Gene Leslie
Rhoda Libre
Melissa Lyman
Chayne Marten
Paul Mattes
Nancy McMahon
Michael Moore
Bart Mulvihill
Noel Muraki
Rose Niimoto
Steven Offenbaker
Marie Okutsu
Inam Rahman
Janice Shields
Nancy Stone
Stephanie Tabbada
Deirdre Moana
Charmaine Tavares
Raynard Torres
Norman Vares
Dante Verdadero
Nelson Waikiki
Patrick Walsh
Dawn Wasson
Shane Yaw

By Richard Borreca

Gov. Linda Lingle and former Miss Hawaii USA Juliet Lighter will be speaking at  Rep. Kymberly Marcos Pine’s $35 a ticket fundraiser at Pearl Ultra Lounge.The fundraiser, called “Political chicks for Pine” will be held from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. on Feb. 17.

Taking a page from  Gov. Sarah Palin’s vice presidential playbook, Pine’s supporters will be serving “pit bull punch and grinds from the local barracuda buffet.”

By Richard Borreca

The state Senate is teaming up with  the public access television operation, Olelo, to collect selected hearings and an make them available on the Internet.

You can find videos from this year’s Senate hearings at  http://www.capitol.hawaii.gov/site1/senate/senate.asp.

The hearings will also be available for on-demand viewing on the Internet for up to six months from the hearing date, according to the Senate Democrats.

The House is also mulling over a similar project.

Because the hearings that are broadcast are closed captioned, viewers can do a text search for key words that show up in the hearing.

Hawaii is late coming to the Internet video party as the National Conference of State Legislatures reports that live proceedings were available on the Internet from 46 states plus Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands.     About half the states also archive floor or committee proceedings (for varying periods of time).

By Richard Borreca

Gov. Linda Lingle’s annual State of the State speech is usually a time to show off her administration and flood the public with glossy brochures. In past years she has sent out full-color, spiral bound booklets with details of her initiatives and plans.

But this year, with the budget deficit mounting, Lingle dropped the high gloss. Instead reporters were handed a card with the web address of her speech: www.hawaii.gov/gov.

Taking a page from President Barack Obama’s successful campaign utilizing text messages, Lingle flooded the local news media cell phones with text message updates. One television reporter complained to Lingle that reporters were getting charged for all the text messages. It was a complaint that Lingle easily knocked out of the ball park, telling the reporter that the news media complains when they don’t get enough information and is now complaining that they have too much information.