Lingle/Harbin debacle

[kimo55]

Re: Lingle/Harbin debacle

what da hells all this about sins of omission?
it is an outright lie to say:
"no. I have no bad marks or anything that anyone would be embarrased about."

omission, shmomission!

[jdub]

Re: Lingle/Harbin debacle

after careful consideration, i must agree...i lie is a lie...and the eye to eye lie wont fly in the by and by, my oh my...

[Keith H.]

Re: Lingle/Harbin debacle

She should be able to see pretty clearly that she cannot be an effective legislator, so it's clear she's hanging on purely out of pride, spite, and a hope to milk this disaster for all it's worth -- at everyone else's expense.

Agreed with that. She's embarrassed Lingle so she can't count on her support. And the Democrats never welcomed her in the first place, so you can be sure that Brickwood Galuteria will find a strong candidate to run against her, if only to keep that seat in Democratic hands.

State Attorney General Mark Bennett said there is nothing the governor can do to remove Harbin from office because the state Constitution only allows the governor to fill a vacancy.

I wonder what it would take to amend the law or the constitution so that the governor reserves the right, under extreme circumstances like these, to rescind a nomination within 30 days. And/or institute a mechanism for recall. I think this just might find a groundswell of support in January.

[mel]

Re: Lingle/Harbin debacle

I wonder what it would take to amend the law or the constitution so that the governor reserves the right, under extreme circumstances like these, to rescind a nomination within 30 days. And/or institute a mechanism for recall. I think this just might find a groundswell of support in January.

There are a small handful of bills introduced last session on the subject of initiative, referendum and recall that can be revived this coming session by getting the committee chairs of the referral committees to agree to hearing them.

SB 881
SB 1633
HB 202
HB 1525
HB 1681

Go to the State Capitol website and look up the bill status of these.

Also at the start of the new session in 2006, legislators can also introduce new bills to address the problem.

Whatever the solution is, be it authorizing recall by the public or expanding the Governor's powers, it will be a process that has to go through the standard hearing cycle in order for something to happen. Some of the bills may have to be in the form of introducing a new constitutional amendment that has be to be decided by the people at the next election cycle.

Support for initiative, referendum and recall have gone nowhere in the legislature so far.

[pzarquon]

Re: Lingle/Harbin debacle

Call it the "Harbin Bill," and it just might make it to the ballot!

In case anyone cares, I found the press release in which Lingle crowed about Harbin's appointment. Since it's so long, I'll spoiler tag it, but it's not much of a spoiler, since we all know how this sorry tale turned out!

HONOLULU – Governor Linda Lingle today appointed small business advocate Beverly Wolff Harbin as representative for the 28th district of the Hawai`i State House of Representatives, which covers Iwilei, Kaka`ako, Chinatown and Downtown Honolulu. Harbin will fill the vacancy created by the Sept. 1 resignation of Kenneth Hiraki. Her term expires in November 2006.

“Bev has worked closely with all branches of state and local government, the private sector and the community to address the concerns of the Downtown – Kaka`ako area, as well as to create a more business friendly environment statewide,” said Governor Lingle. “I look forward to working with her in the next legislative session. I appreciate and thank all the candidates who stepped forward to be considered for this position.”

Harbin is the president and chief executive officer of the Employers’ Chamber of Commerce, which advocates for small businesses on issues relating to health care benefits, workers’ compensation, tort reform, and tax and regulatory matters.

She developed and managed PROJECT JOBS (Join Our Business Success), a Hawai`i Chamber of Commerce Foundation program to promote business retention and expansion. Harbin previously served as an independent contractor for the Chamber of Commerce of Hawai`i where she provided support to the Small Business Council and reviewed legislation relating to small business.

She also created and leads The Eye on Makai community planning group, which is made up of Kaka`ako residents and business owners and concerned groups and individuals statewide to address the future of the area makai of Ala Moana Boulevard. Harbin also served for four years as president of the Kaka`ako Improvement Association.

Harbin is a member of the Hawai`i Prepaid Health Care Advisory Council, which assists in the review and approval of prepaid health care policy and rules changes. She is also involved with the Hawai`i Independent Physicians Association, which assists small businesses and physicians statewide with health plans and other aspects of doing business in Hawai`i.

As an entrepreneur and business owner, Harbin established and managed the Hon/Hawai`i Auto Repairs in Aiea and Kaka`ako, an auto repair facility. She also founded Express Auto Imports, an automobile brokerage company. Harbin is the past president of the Hawai`i Auto Repairs and Gasoline Dealers Association.

Harbin is the past first vice president and membership committee chair of the Outdoor Circle.

Harbin, a Kalani High School graduate, attended the University of Hawai`i from 1978 to 1990 where she studied political science, Hawaiian studies, Western religion studies and environmental studies/law.

After Hiraki submitted his resignation, Governor Lingle invited residents to submit their resumes or to nominate qualified individuals to serve. Six candidates were found to meet the core eligibility requirements, including being a U.S. citizen, a resident of the State of Hawai`i for not less than three years, at least 18 years of age, a qualified voter of the 28th House District, and a member of the Hawai`i Democratic Party.

The six candidates were interviewed by members of the Governor’s senior staff and the Governor met with the top three individuals before making her final selection.

I like the emphasis on the eligibility requirements ("a qualified voter of the 28th House District, and a member of the Hawai`i Democratic Party" -- yeah, as of a few weeks ago!), the puffed up language about being president and CEO of the "Employer's Chamber of Commerce" (a chamber so small, it fits between her ears), and the prominent mentions of her failed auto repair business. As for the Eye on Makai group, it got Harbin written up in the Honolulu Weekly (note how she says development pushed her out, and not, you know, huge debt), but it seems to have a sporadic meeting record.

See that Hawaii Prepaid Health Care Advisory Council line in her resume? Guess who appointed her there? (That's a PDF. The answer is, "Lingle.")

Wonder what the HIPA thinks of her affiliation (though she's just "involved with" them)? Or the Outdoor Circle? She's membership chair -- hope she does background checks!

[pzarquon]

Re: Lingle/Harbin debacle

Just got around to skimming through the latest edition of Hawaii Business magazine. Guess who surfaces as a voice of dissent in a piece about the future of Kakaako (for discussion on that, see John A. Burns School of Medicine in Kaka'ako). Harbin's focus in this piece was the addition of residential components to the master plan for Kakaako makai.

"We are not NIMBYs," says Beverly Harbin, a KIA board member... "[Kakaako makai] will become very elitist," Harbin says. "I am not going to let them destroy something that is so valuable for our future kids."

Now she takes her fight from the KIA to the Legislature! Question is, will anyone listen?

[craigwatanabe]

Re: Lingle/Harbin debacle

So who can force Harbin to step down? If it's the legislature then they should do so, and at the same time they need to repeal the Gas cap law. If you ask me I think the state legislature is dragging their heals in many ways.

[TuNnL]

Re: Lingle/Harbin debacle

I think if the legislature had legal grounds to rid themselves of Harbin, she’d already be gone. Remember, she must be guilty of “misconduct, disorderly behavior or neglect of duty” for them expel her - and even that requires a 2/3 vote. At this point I think the ball is in Lingle’s court. If she will formally charge that Harbin lied to her, I'm sure the House of Representatives will be happy to take it from there. Right now, I think everyone’s holding their breath, hoping that Harbin will come to her senses and do the right thing. Didn’t she say she would call a press conference this week?

[craigwatanabe]

Re: Lingle/Harbin debacle

What I don't get is why the State Government (her employer) cannot fire her for lying on her job application!

I mean if it works for the private sector...

She lied...fire her! Where's Donald Trump when you need him

[pzarquon]

Re: Lingle/Harbin debacle

The adventure continues.

Political aide and attorney Karl Rhoads has announced he'll run to take the 28th House District from Bev Harbin. Harbin says, "Bring it on." (Actually, she says, "The Republicans don't want me, the Democrats don't want me, the governor doesn't want me, nobody wants me, so what the heck.")

Then she says, "Who knows, maybe raise the bar for the gubernatorial campaign. People keep asking me, have the Democrats found a candidate? And I go, whose got more name ID than Harbin?"

As Poinography notes, someone better let her know that the "Harbin for Governor" blog was a joke.

Poinography also posted an e-mail from Harbin to everyone in the state House.

Forget Lingle and... er, whoever. I'd love to see Bev Harbin and Aunty Lynn in a live televised debate!

[1stwahine]

Re: Lingle/Harbin debacle

Yeah, she believed the Parody. Somebody should define the word for her! Whatever the case may be, I would love to debate her Okole! Infact, I look forward in all upcoming ones with the other candidates!

btw: As an OHANA here, please refrain from poking fun at me. I am serious about running and have the passion to run for the office of Governor for the State of Hawai'i.

Mahalo,
Auntie pUpULE

[TuNnL]

Re: Lingle/Harbin debacle

Anyone notice Harbin has sort of latched on to the HCDA issue? She is at least a little politically akamai after all. Several of the t.v. news stations caught up with her at a recent Kaka‘ako rally. And anyone at the State of the State address at the Capitol may have noticed Harbin wearing her bright red “Save Kaka‘ako” t-shirt, if they were paying attention.

[Jewlipino]

Re: Lingle/Harbin debacle

The real dialogue here is that Gov. Lingle turned a process that has been one of unwritten courtesy into one where the Leg. has to draft legislation to ensure that it won't happen again. It is only right that the Governor should appoint someone approved by the party that controls the office and it is what was done for years for Democrats and Republicans alike. Gov. Lingle, in appointing Harbin, made it clear that she has NO respect for this precedent and in the process has made it a much more contentious issue. It only serves to increase the political rancor between the Dems and GOPs, which hasn't helped the poor Republicans in the Leg one bit. At least before the Dems would OCCASIONALLY listen to them but with Lingle provoking them it means there is a lot less good will to go around. The Republicans in the Leg should be outraged that Lingle's most accomplished skill is in making THEIR jobs a lot harder.

Jewlipino

[MadAzza]

Re: Lingle/Harbin debacle

It is only right that the Governor should appoint someone approved by the party that controls the office and it is what was done for years for Democrats and Republicans alike.

Really? Which Republican governors did it that way?

[Jewlipino]

Re: Lingle/Harbin debacle

Wasn't referring to Republican Govs, there weren't any But when the GOP had a seat open the Dem Gov appointed someone they wanted (more or less, politics being the world that it is) and not some faux dem like Harbin.

Jewlipino