Monday, June 18, 2012

Musings: HGEA Picks Kollar


Venus was all by herself this morning in a blotchy sky of wind-driven clouds, having lost the escort services of a waning moon that is new tomorrow. Dawn arrived to bring another day of rainless gray, the grass in my backyard already going crispy in places, and it's not even officially summer until Wednesday.

The Hawaii Government Employees Assn. (HGEA) — the state's largest union — has officially endorsed Justin Kollar in the Kauai prosecutor's race, striking a serious blow at the re-election aspirations of Prosecutor Shaylene Iseri-Carvalho. HGEA is the only union that actually has members working in the Office of the Prosecuting Attorney, which adds significance to its already powerful endorsement.

"I'm humbled and honored to have HGEA's support,” Justin, a deputy county attorney, wrote in an email when I asked him for a comment. “As Prosecutor, I'll give every employee the respect they deserve. The work they do is critical to public safety in our community, and I am going to give them the support and the leadership they need to succeed in executing their mission. I'm not going to let them down."

SHOPO, the police officers' union, earlier announced its support for Shay — an endorsement reportedly driven largely by the perception that Justin, who is KPD's legal advisor, sided with Mayor Bernard Carvalho in suspending Police Chief Darryl Perry earlier this year.

From what I've been told, Justin had nothing to do with the politically, if not legally, ill-advised opinion that the mayor had the authority to suspend the chief. Still, he works in an office that is run by the mayor's appointee — County Attorney Al Castillo — and the political blowback from that affiliation, evident in the SHOPO endorsement vote, speaks to a deeper problem.

And that's the craziness of having a single legal office, under the authority of the mayor, represent so many diverse clients.

How can one stable of attorneys interchangeably represent the prosecutor, the County Council, the mayor, the police chief, various boards and commissions, and the public — especially when some of these parties are investigating and/or suing each other — while simultaneously trying to keep jobs that depend on remaining in the good graces of a boss who is appointed by the mayor?

It's become a ridiculous mess.

People need to feel they can trust their attorney, and that the advice they are getting is in their best interest. No matter how ethical an attorney strives to be, it would be difficult to believe someone is fully in your corner when his or her job is controlled by your political nemesis. Additionally, it places deputy county attorneys in an untenable position when they are privy to confidential information concerning competing interests.

It creates an inherent conflict of interest that isn't otherwise present in either the civil or criminal legal arena. Council Chair Jay Furfaro is trying to address this problem with a proposed ordinance, draft bill 2438, that calls upon attorneys to report their conflicts. I didn't have a chance to read it thoroughly, so I'll be delving into it more deeply before the July 11 public hearing.

Councilman Mel Rapozo, meanwhile, has introduced a resolution that calls for changing the Charter to restrict the mayor's power over certain departments — a proposal that has both pros and cons, and should most certainly be debated by the public.

I wish I could link you to both of these documents, but unfortunately, the June 13 Council agenda and video — with the links to supporting materials — have gone missing from the webcast site. Perhaps they'll be reposted once all the executive session revelations have been purged.

In the meantime, Justin's campaign has gotten an infusion of vibrant new energy from the HGEA endorsement. The only question is whether he'll actually need it, or if Shay and her empire will crumble before the election rolls around.

67 comments:

Anonymous said...

Shay should see the writing on the wall and resign from the Prosecutor's race. HGEA backing Justin Kollar intead of her, the incumbent, is huge. SHOPO looks ridiculous beacuse they are a law enforcement organization and their pick for prosecutor is being investigated.

Anonymous said...

Wow! At first I didn't think Justin could beat Shaylene but with this major endorsement and what it stand for (HGEA thinks Justin is the winning candidate), now I think he can. People of Kauai are not as stupid as Shaylene thinks they are.

Anonymous said...

Cops shouldn't blame Kollar for mayor's screwup. Glad HGEA recognizes the best candidate

Anonymous said...

Did Iseri really think HGEA would endorse her after the way she treats the employees in her own office? I bet those planning dept. HGEA employees are also relieved to see their union endorse Justin. Who knows what kind of shenanigans Shay asked them to do in hopes of taking down Tim Bynum.

Anonymous said...

I see officers with KOLLAR signs in front of their homes. I guess officers are free to back Kollar even though SHOPO chose Iseri-Carvalho.

Anonymous said...

I wonder could SHOPO reverse their endorsement and choose Justin now? is there any precedent for that?

Anonymous said...

Do you hear that? It's Shay screaming. "How dare that happen!" "How dare that happen!" (How dare a union pick a white boy from the mainland instead of me!)

Anonymous said...

Jake is busy researching whether a union is obligated to endorse an incumbent. Karma sucks, dude.

Anonymous said...

Time and Tide waits for no man - "and te tide and te time pat tu iboren were, schal beon iblescent." St. Marher 1225

SHAY's and JAKE's reign is over! Book em Dano!

Anonymous said...

But But Craig DeCosta did the same thing and I thought I could also get away with it, just like Wally Wilson got away with murders. Not so Fast OPA! We suppose to look out for each other, how come only Mel gots my back? Shhhh AG they don't know

Anonymous said...

What will Mel do now? Beg Shay to resign.

Anonymous said...

For me, the results of this particular election will tell me whether Kauai is or is not a lost cause. If Shay wins again, then Kauai simply will not get away from its plantation thinking. If Kollar wins, I will be inspired.

Anonymous said...

UPW endorsed Shay.

Anonymous said...

HGEA is the only union with members that are actually employed in the Prosecutor's Office.

Anonymous said...

Changes do need to be made in CA's office. Al should represent only the mayor/admin. Get another attny for cops/OPA, and one each for Council and commissions. Hire a few for litigation. Still cheaper than special counsel and settlement payouts.

Anonymous said...

What would happen to the consciousness of the Island if the Garden Island News Paper had a couple of reporters like Joan?

Maybe "ainokea" could be a blast from the past?

Although.......
The corporate mafia of Kauai........
A & B, Monsanto, Syngenta, and the good ole boys who profit from the greed, etc. would shut them down.

Dr Shibai

Anonymous said...

Great news for Justin and really bad news for Shay. I didn't think he had a chance because of the Garden Island's lack of coverage of Shay and Jake's misadventures. Must be the Council meetings, and Joan and Andy's blogs. Can't wait for her to make another appearance and act lolo.

Anonymous said...

I agree, it only makes sense to separate these offices legal representations. It would help the conflicts that we've seen these past few years, the power grab and abuse has been insane on Kauai.

Anonymous said...

The GOB knows their major play is TGI and to withhold information from the public. Most of the voters are the kapunas and they only know one place to get their info and it's from TGI newspaper. If all the Kapunas read KPD blue do you believe Mel would have gotten reelected. I say No and his aspirations of becoming King (mayor) of Kauai is a dream that will never happen. Mel is all Wet!

Anonymous said...

The Message is Written all over 3990 Kaana St Suite 210, Lihue Hawaii 96766 Just Shay No!!!

Anonymous said...

The Sleeping Giant would awake and while trembling in their suits the GOB would run to the most beautiful camp grounds in the world as they say Kamalani, Salt Pond, Anahola beach, hanamaulu beach, kealia beach, anini beach, and they will see what they have created. The zombies that roam these beaches at night, all high from Meth. Is all the dollars in the world worth what the GOB have created. I guess they treasure the suffering of humans for their own personal wealth.

Anonymous said...

Shaymelinda Does do quite a show, put her and her lolo act on stage!

Anonymous said...

Shay has no shame and nothing to hide, wait and see, she is as innocent as a virgin. You'll see, you will all see.

Anonymous said...

TGI is not a newspaper. There are only feel good stories about less than admirable public SERVANTS.

Anonymous said...

Leadership? Sinking ships?

There are only a few good employees in the entire county, they rest need to be drug tested.

Each employee that drives a county vehicle should be required to be randomly tested. I saw a government vehicle today parked ridiculously, just plain illegal and subject to a collision.

Anonymous said...

Look at Al's clients: Shaylene, Mel, Tim, Jay, Bernard, Joann, Kipukai, Jake, Dickie, Darryl. Would you want to represent these people with all their agendas and egos? We should pray for that poor man.

Anonymous said...

Al is a good guy stuck like a opihi on a rock until one of the above named tweekers come with their butter knife and stick it in his back side.

Anonymous said...

Just Shay No!!! Justin is a good ol boy, fool me once shayme on me but fool me twice shayme on you Justin.

Anonymous said...

Mel will keep collecting checks until Shay is out of the OPA!

Anonymous said...

Well Oprah said TGI is a newspaper, ask Dickie. So awful and you call yourself a representative of the people of Kauai. Maybe he meant he represents the people of Mahelona.

Anonymous said...

Out Of Control! Kauai Gone Wild! Just like the Kusaka days when Rich went Wild on Kauai.

Anonymous said...

No sympathy for Al, He choose to be apart of this mess. He should have stayed a private attorney instead he sold his soul. Somebody has to do it, ask Beth.

Anonymous said...

I say 10 percent of the county of Kauai public servants are qualified and good hard workers, too bad we are also stuck with the 90 percent unqualified incompetents (Nepotism). Drug tests would weed out about 75 percent of the incompetents.

Anonymous said...

They don't care legal fees and settlements, it's your tax paying dollars that are fronting the bill.

The will come up with another solid waste tax to raise their salaries and hire more friends and family.

Soon we will have another Furlough debacle where they will ask firefighters and cops to take a pay cut so they can divert the funds to their special place.

Pohaku! excuse me! How dare you!

Anonymous said...

Furlough all these animals

Ooops they already work part time and receive full time salaries.

Fail

Anonymous said...

Justin is hardly a GOB. hes only been here a short time not long enough to be corrupted

Anonymous said...

What if he's like Gary Baldwin? That man was corrupt on arrival. Maryann Kusaka picked someone with her ethical sensibilities.

Anonymous said...

Shay is like Kusaka- corrupt. Since Justin is opposed to Shay, the Kusaka-Gary Baldwin analogy does not work.

Look who already has a track record for corruption - Shay, not Justin.

Anonymous said...

What if he's like Jake?

Anonymous said...

What if he's like Buddha?

Anonymous said...

The Buddha believed in non-judgmental action and karma. Hard to be a prosecutor (or blog commenter) if that's your philosophy.

Anonymous said...

Picking the lesser of two evils is what politics is all about.

Anonymous said...

Roll Tide Roll

Anonymous said...

What if he's like Alexander, the gay version?

Anonymous said...

Kusaka is still driving her Red Convertible laughing at all of us. She got away with so many crimes.

Anonymous said...

Jake= Cpt Kirk Justin=Spoc, we will be sitting and watching Star Trek episodes for 2 years but if they have it their way it would be 4 years.

Just In - Just Shay No or Just in Shay No? Which one do you like?

Anonymous said...

What if hes just a decent fair human being who will do his best? Now that would be refreshing!!

Anonymous said...

Kauai Goons are Saints and the Mayor and his merry men/women is thy fairy God Father and angels. What a joke! Whay world do you live in? TGI

Anonymous said...

Is that the same thing that could be said about Jake Delaplane- he hasn't been here long enough and so he can't be corrupt. Oh how fast do we learn.

Anonymous said...

Justin will be another Jake! Another Haole controlled by the GOB!

Anonymous said...

JUSTIN...TIME!

Anonymous said...

NO MO SHAYME!

Anonymous said...

SHAYME NO MO POHAKU

Anonymous said...

Justin like Jake? Justin had the good judgment to quit working for Shay while Jake tapes witnesses without their consent.

Anonymous said...

Ok there's multiple sides to this story. Justin left Shay's team to join the Mayor's team but he supported the chief prior to joining the Mayors team. Wait there's only two teams, no thats where youre wrong. There is at least two other teams that are in the dark, the two other teams are as evil as the two mention and could possibly be the ring leaders of the dark forces. So what team is Justin on?

Anonymous said...

What if he's like Pontius Pilate or Judas?

Anonymous said...

He has shown his side of Judas to the Chief. You must Keep your friends close and your enemies closer.

Anonymous said...

What if he's like not elected and we get Shay for another four years?

Anonymous said...

That's what TGI and GOB wants. I guess we are screwed either way but I would rather have a weakling like Justin than an out of control sadistic witch like Shaylene. Ask Mel for details

Anonymous said...

It's all Craig DeCosta's Fault

Anonymous said...

I want to be paid to show face at work for a few hours a day disrespect the public and be guaranteed to never lose my job.

Anonymous said...

Go work for the County of Kauai then

Anonymous said...

I'm not sure about teams but no way I'm voting for Shay. Bynum, the Humane Society, Rego, Pohaku, Jake, the revolving deputy door and on and on. She gotta go.

Anonymous said...

Vote for Justin Kollar. NO SHAYME!

Anonymous said...

Even though I don't like Justin because he will be a weak puppet, I will Vote for him because I depise Shay and her abuse of power. Justin we will be keeping tabs on you, you must end the GOB reign and the ICE epidemic on Kauai.

Anonymous said...

Watch the Hilario trial get delayed until after the election.

Anonymous said...

I put all the money that they got from the POHAKU program on that, tell me when you can find the cash. It sounds like a Shapiro money laundering case.