State Rep. Jon Riki Karamatsu, D-41st (Waipahu, Village Park, Waikele), is expected to announce today that he is exploring a potential campaign for lieutenant governor in 2010.
Karamatsu, an attorney who owns an Internet retail business, is the chairman of the House Judiciary Committee. He is also a former vice speaker.
From his statement:
I am honored that my name has been mentioned in the community as a potential Lieutenant Governor candidate for the last several months. With the support of my family, friends, and many in the community, I am excited to explore the possibility of serving this great state from its second highest office.
I am determined to ensure that Hawai̒i is the best place in the world.
Karamatsu joins several Democrats who have shown interest in the race.
For those who may have lost count, here is a refresher: State Senate Majority Leader Gary Hooser; Democratic Party of Hawaii chairman Brian Schatz; Honolulu City Councilman Donovan Dela Cruz; state Sen. Robert Bunda; Honolulu City Councilman Rod Tam; and state Sen. Norman Sakamoto.
State Rep. Joseph Souki also told the Star-Bulletin’s political blog recently that he may go.
With the end-of-the-month deadline looming for the next state campaign-finance reports, U.S. Rep. Neil Abercrombie and Lt. Gov. James “Duke” Aiona have been stacking up fundraisers in the hopes of posting impressive numbers for their governor’s campaigns.
Abercrombie, a Democratic candidate, has scheduled eight fundraisers since he announced his campaign in March, five in June alone. Aides say his birthday fundraiser on Monday evening at the Hilton Hawaiian Village, featuring an appearance by actress Kelly Hu, will include a keynote speech by the congressman outlining how he would govern if elected.
Aiona, a Republican candidate, has held 27 fundraisers since 2007 and has had eight in June, including his birthday bashes. Aiona has been in California for fundraisers at the Regency Club in Los Angeles Thursday, a gathering in Newport Beach Friday, and a meet-up at Trader Vic’s in Palo Alto today.
Honolulu Mayor Mufi Hannemann, who has formed a committee to raise money for a potential run for governor, has his first fundraiser this evening hosted by attorney Bert Kobayashi, Jr.
Bill Kaneko, Abercrombie’s campaign manager, reminded the congressman’s supporters in an e-mail on Friday of the importance of giving before the end of the month:
The campaign finance reporting period ends on June 30. That means there is still time to make a donation and be part of the first quarter fundraising report. As you may know, these reports are scrutinized by the news media and others to gauge momentum. You can help send a signal that Hawaii wants change. The amount we will have raised is one thing, but the number of donors we will report is truly astonishing. In three months we already have over 500 donors. That's an amazing accomplishment and a sign that a true grassroots movement is brewing.
The Democratic Party of Hawai’i has mostly stayed off the field while Gov. Linda Lingle, state House and Senate leaders, and public-sector labor unions have clashed over the state budget deficit.
But Brian Schatz, the party’s chairman, told Democrats in an e-mail Thursday that they should urge the governor to tap the state’s hurricane relief fund instead of cutting public education.
Union leaders have suggested that the hurricane relief fund, the state’s rainy day fund, and an increase to the state’s general-excise tax could be alternatives to the governor’s furlough plans.
Interestingly, Schatz urged Democrats to contact the governor, not House and Senate leaders, who have the power to return in special session if they wanted to address the budget deficit sooner than next session. House and Senate leaders have said they have no plans to come back unless they are called by the governor.
“I think all options have to be on the table and both the Legislature and the governor have a lot of thinking to do,” Schatz told us.
From his e-mail:
During this unprecedented fiscal crisis, I'm glad that there are some clear thinkers in leadership positions.
One of those leaders is Janice Akuna, who used to be Chair of the Hawaii Hurricane Relief Fund and now serves as a member of the Board of Education. She feels strongly that we ought to use the money remaining in the Hurricane Fund to prevent disastrous cuts in education.
In the below piece, published in today's Star Bulletin, she points out that the fund contains more than $180 million, was closed in 2001, and serves no purpose anymore. In fact, she points out, in the case of a hurricane, the fund wouldn't even be usable, homeowners would be covered by their insurance, and FEMA would also be able to help.
We think it's time to seriously consider using these monies to prevent catastrophic cuts in the classroom.
If you agree, please let the Governor know that you think this would be a better alternative than cutting public education.
The U.S. Supreme Court ruled today that an Arizona school district violated the Fourth Amendment rights of a 13-year-old student by ordering the girl to strip down to her underwear in a search for contraband Ibuprofen. The girl was asked to pull out and shake her bra and pull out her underpants, exposing her breasts and pelvic area. No pills were discovered.
In the 8-1 decision, the court found that a look at the girl’s belongings was permissible because school officials had a tip she may have been passing out pills and found contraband in a day planner the girl said she had given to another student. But the court determined that the search of the girl’s underwear was a violation of the Fourth Amendment right against unreasonable search and seizure.
A district court in Arizona and a three-judge panel of the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals sided with the school district, while the full 9th Circuit backed the student.
A Hawai’i state lawmaker pointed out a Hawai’i connection to the case: 9th Circuit Judge Richard Clifton, a former Honolulu attorney and only the second judge from Hawai’i to serve on the court, wrote the 9th Circuit’s initial opinion in favor of the school district.
Finally, we conclude that Defendants administered the search in a reasonable manner.
The search of Redding's person was conducted by two employees who were of the same gender as Redding, and the search took place in the privacy of the school nurse's office with the door securely locked. Cf. Beard , 402 F.3d at 606 (noting that "[t]he fact that the search[ ] . . . did not occur in the presence of only school officials, but rather in the presence of other students, . . . supports the conclusion that the search[ ] w[as] unreasonable").
Redding was not physically touched in any way during the search, and she was not asked to remove her bra or underwear. Furthermore, Defendants returned Redding's clothing and permitted her to get dressed as soon as the search was over. See , e.g. , Cornfield , 991 F.2d at 1323 (upholding a search under similar conditions); Singleton , 894 F. Supp. at 391 (accord).
Under those facts, we cannot say that Defendants' search of Redding's person exceeded the permissible scope prescribed by the Supreme Court in T.L.O.
Our Hawaii Superferry story today noted that the federal Maritime Administration would likely take possession of the two catamarans in bankruptcy proceedings. The Mobile Press-Register in Alabama -- home of Austal USA, which built the catamarans; and Atlantic Marine, where the vessels are docked -- reported today that MARAD would likely sell the vessels after taking possession.
For readers interested in the background, here is the exchange between the Press-Register and MARAD:
MARAD OFFICIAL ANSWERS TO Press-Register newspaper reporter's submitted QUESTIONS
Q: The Press Register would like to know whether or not talks between MARAD and Hawaii Superferry ended, and if so, when?
A: The company (Hawaii Superferry, Inc.) is in bankruptcy and the Maritime Administration has been in contact with that company through the Department of Justice.
Q: Does MARAD plan to take possession of the vessels? (They are currently docked at Atlantic Marine here in Mobile.)
A: Yes, whenever the bankruptcy court signals the Maritime Administration can take possession.
Q: And if MARAD does plan to repossess the vessels, when will that occur and what will be done with them?
A: The Maritime Administration does not know when the bankruptcy court will grant possession but when that occurs, the Maritime Administration will likely put both vessels up for sale.
Q: If they are to be taken or moved, where will they be headed?
A: These answers cannot be determined at this time in the litigation process.
Q: What are the future plans for the vessels? (We have also reported that the military plans to lease two fast ferries to fill the gap until its Joint High Speed Vessels are completed.)
A: The Maritime Administration has not as yet determined any future plans for the vessels at this time.
