In 2007 or 2008, then Portland Tribune reporter Nick Budnick made a public records request for the Portland police report, obtained it but the newspaper did not run a story….

In June 2010, the woman called police, asked for a copy of her statement….

On June 1, 2010 Al and Tipper Gore announced they would be separating.

This Jones Act is a 90-year old anachronistic law. It is basically protectionist legislation that limits ships operating in U.S. water to American-flagged vessels. Under normal circumstances in the past there might be some justification for this; but with the situation in the Gulf: we need to stop the spill, we need to clean up the mess and we need to do everything we can to hold BP accountable.

On the campaign trail, I pledged to listen to my constituents.  To that end, I asked my constituents about the issues that Congress is likely to vote on in the next few months.  I also held a live telephone “talk story” and had the privilege of hearing the thoughts and concerns of thousands of my constituents in the 1st congressional district.  I also plan on holding eight “talk stories” throughout the State in early July.

“The biggest concern I hear about on a regular basis from my constituents is the out-of-control spending in Washington, D.C.  We’re simply spending too much money on programs that don’t work with no plan to pay it back. This is irresponsible."

The Washington Post reports today that Gen. Stanley McChrystal, U.S. commander in Afghanistan, apologized for an upcoming article in Rolling Stone magazine that portrays him and senior officials on his team as dismissive of top Obama administration officials. As a result, General McChrystal has been summoned to the White House to explain his comments. It is a case of poor judgment on the part of the general and his staff to air comments on the character of senior civilian leaders to a reporter, but both the White House and the brass need to put this media gaffe aside and focus on the real problem - destroying al Qaeda, defeating the Taliban and helping establish an Afghanistan that can govern itself.

HONOLULU – Governor Linda Lingle today released three lists of nominees for three circuit court judges that were provided to her by the Judicial Selection Commission.   The nominees, some of whom are on more than one list, will fill three vacancies on the Circuit Court of the First Circuit which covers the island of O‘ahu.  The Governor is inviting the public to submit comments on the nominees as part of her review and selection process.

In order to avoid a vote on the record trillion-dollar deficits they are responsible for accumulating since taking office, Democrats have confirmed that they will be the first House majority that has failed to pass an annual budget resolution since the Congressional Budget Act was adopted in 1974.

  ILWU: Just another servant of Islamism.

The Star Advertiser today reported that 85% of the respondents are asking for a veto!

HB444 HD1 SD1 RELATING TO CIVIL UNIONS.

Veto Explanation:        Extends the same rights, benefits, protections, and responsibilities of spouses in a marriage to partners in a civil union.

When we compare how Duke Aiona performs against either of his potential opponents in a general election for Governor, we find that in both cases the race is too close to call.  Indeed, both ballot results are within the margin of error of the survey.  But it is hard to ignore the fact that Duke Aiona actually leads Mufi Hannemann (+4) and is not very far behind with Neil Abercrombie (-3).

 Rep. Djou At the Ewa Hongwangi Bon Dance

Alaska and Texas chose not to apply for Race to the Top funding because of the provision requiring adoption of national standards.

Both Minnesota and Virginia argue that their state standards are stronger than the proposed national standards supported with federal dollars.

But if the Obama administration has its way, states might not have a choice in the matter. The U.S. Education Department recently released a "blueprint" for reauthorizing No Child Left Behind. The blueprint language indicates the administration will try to tie $14.5 billion in money for low-income school districts to a state's adoption of national standards.

Federal law has also hampered the assistance. The Jones Act, the maritime law that requires all goods be carried in U.S. waters by U.S.-flagged ships, has prevented Dutch ships with spill-fighting equipment from entering U.S. coastal areas.

“What's wrong with accepting outside help?” Visser asked. “If there's a country that's experienced with building dikes and managing water, it's the Netherlands.”

Even if, three days after the rig exploded, it seemed as if the Dutch equipment and expertise wasn't needed, wouldn't it have been better to accept it, to err on the side of having too many resources available rather than not enough?

BP has been inundated with well-intentioned cleanup suggestions, but the Dutch offer was different. It came through official channels, from a government offering to share its demonstrated expertise.

To reinvigorate marriage in lower-income neighborhoods, Rector suggests, government could start by providing facts on the role of healthy marriages in reducing poverty and improving the well-being of children. Why not teach skills for selecting a wife or husband? Why not explain the importance of developing a stable marital relationship before bringing children into the world?

Nothing could be further from government practice. In social service agencies, welfare offices, schools and popular culture across America, what Rector calls "a deafening silence" reigns on the topic of marriage. The welfare system actively penalizes low-income couples who do get married. He adds:

For most on the Left, marriage is, at best, an antiquated institution, a red-state superstition. From this viewpoint, the real task is to expand government subsidies as a post-marriage society is built.

Continuing her mission in Asia, Governor Lingle is in Japan and met yesterday with Minister Seiji Maehara of Japan’s Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism (MLIT).  The Governor thanked Maehara-san for his support of internationalizing Haneda Airport.  In October, Hawai`i will welcome daily flights by Hawaiian and Japan Airlines with the opening of the new runway at Haneda Airport.

On March 29, 2010, the first meeting of the Hawai‘i-Okinawa Task Force was held in Honolulu.  Top-level officials from the U.S. Department of Energy, Prefecture of Okinawa, Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry, New Energy Technology Department, Department of Business, Economic Development and Tourism, Hawai‘i State Energy Office, Department of Defense, and national laboratory representatives met to discuss the acceleration of renewable energy technologies and  energy efficiency, and evaluate the achievements of existing clean energy projects to enable the islands to be energy independent.  Initiation of several joint projects resulted from that meeting.

"Through the groundbreaking Hawai‘i Clean Energy Initiative, our state is leading the way toward an energy-secure and self-sufficient future," said Lt. Governor Aiona, who delivered the keynote address at the Hawai‘i-Okinawa Task Force meeting.

She was joined by Ann Wright, 63, of Honolulu, Hawaii, who wore a BP hard hat, overalls and sunglasses adorned with dollar signs.

"BP doesn't really care about this," she said, pulling out an oil-stained rubber ducky.

The Jones Act may also have played a role in delaying the construction of sand barriers to protect the fragile Louisiana coast. Mr. Visser, the Dutch consul, says American dredging companies, which lack the dike-building expertise of the Dutch, rebuffed Dutch offers of help, which might have meant running afoul of the Jones Act.

For the longer term, Mr. Djou is about to introduce a bill to exempt his home state of Hawaii from the law. Hawaii is hit hardest by the law because most goods arrive by sea. Despite the political power of unions locally, Mr. Djou is pressing forward.

The commission may go beyond the allegations made by the complainant if investigators feel there are any other irregularities.

“We could add additional counts to the complaint or file an additional complaint. At my discretion, I can file a complaint,” Wong said. “The commission has the opportunity to decide whether there is probable cause that a violation or violations occurred, whether to dismiss the complaint, whether to ask for additional investigation or whether to refer it to the prosecutor."

A prosecutor gets involved only in cases where willful or intentional violations are found. According to state statute any person who knowingly, intentionally or recklessly violates any provision of campaign spending law faces a misdemeanor. Anyone who knowingly or intentionally falsifies any report required with the intent to circumvent the law or deceive the commission faces a class C felony.