Hawaii and U.S. Politics | Honolulu Star-Advertiser

Trump stands by Pentagon pick Hegseth as nomination in doubt

Reuters — Sat, 07 Dec 2024 01:00:00 +0000

WASHINGTON >> President-elect Donald Trump today reiterated his support for Pentagon nominee Pete Hegseth, citing the former Fox News host’s “charisma” and calling him “a WINNER” with a “tremendous track record” even as the nomination faces headwinds amid allegations of misconduct.

U.S. appeals court upholds TikTok law forcing its sale

Reuters — Fri, 06 Dec 2024 18:23:00 +0000

WASHINGTON >> A U.S. federal appeals court today upheld a law requiring Chinese-based ByteDance to divest its popular short video app TikTok in the United States by early next year or face a ban.

House Republicans block release of ethics report on Gaetz

New York Times — Fri, 06 Dec 2024 11:05:00 +0000

WASHINGTON >> The House on Thursday night blocked the release of a damaging Ethics Committee report about former Rep. Matt Gaetz, as Republicans voted to bury it, an expected move that makes it less likely the materials will ever be made public.

City seeks candidates for Honolulu Ocean Safety Commission

Ian Bauer — Fri, 06 Dec 2024 10:05:00 +0000

Honolulu Mayor Rick Blangiardi’s administration says the process has begun to find candidates to serve on the new commission that will oversee the city’s Ocean Safety Department.

Trump appoints former PayPal exec as AI and crypto czar

Reuters — Fri, 06 Dec 2024 08:00:00 +0000

President-elect Donald Trump today said he was appointing former PayPal Chief Operating Officer David Sacks as his “White House A.I. & Crypto Czar,” another step towards overhauling U.S. policy.

Biden team considers blanket pardons to thwart Trump’s threats

New York Times — Fri, 06 Dec 2024 01:55:00 +0000

WASHINGTON >> President Joe Biden’s staff is debating whether he should issue blanket pardons for a swath of President-elect Donald Trump’s perceived enemies to protect them from the “retribution” he has threatened after he takes office, according to people familiar with the discussion.

Elon Musk brings Trump’s government efficiency push to Capitol Hill

Reuters — Thu, 05 Dec 2024 23:28:00 +0000

WASHINGTON >> Billionaire Elon Musk and former presidential candidate Vivek Ramaswamy met on Thursday with Republican lawmakers whose support they will need to win the sweeping spending cuts that President-elect Donald Trump has asked them to find.

FDA chief defends work on obesity, food to Senate

Reuters — Thu, 05 Dec 2024 20:56:00 +0000

U.S. Food and Drug Administration Commissioner Robert Califf defended the agency’s role in addressing the country’s obesity epidemic as he was grilled by senators over FDA regulation of the food and beverage industry on Thursday.

Empty homes tax bill up for final reading Dec. 11

Ian Bauer — Thu, 05 Dec 2024 10:05:00 +0000

The Honolulu City Council is scheduled to hold its final reading Wednesday on a proposed empty-homes tax.

Honolulu certifies election results

Ian Bauer — Thu, 05 Dec 2024 10:05:00 +0000

The final results of Honolulu’s Nov. 5 general election involving the passage of four city charter amendments have been officially certified.

COVID hazard pay arbitration to save Hawaii County millions, Roth says

None — Thu, 05 Dec 2024 10:05:00 +0000

Hawaii County has reached a “significant arbitration outcome” with a government workers’ union over COVID-19 hazard pay, former Mayor Mitch Roth announced Monday.

Taiwan leader talks with U.S. speaker, China warns of red lines

Reuters — Thu, 05 Dec 2024 08:35:00 +0000

TAIPEI >> Taiwan President Lai Ching-te spoke by telephone with U.S. House Speaker Mike Johnson during Lai’s visit to the Pacific, the presidential office said on Thursday, as Beijing called the Taiwan issue a “red line” not to be crossed in Sino-U.S. ties.

Supreme Court’s Gorsuch steps away from case after recusal request

Reuters — Wed, 04 Dec 2024 23:04:00 +0000

WASHINGTON >> Supreme Court Justice Neil Gorsuch will not participate in an environmental case to be argued next week involving a proposed railway in Utah, the court said on Wednesday, a move that followed a call by some Democratic lawmakers for him to recuse over a possible conflict of interest.

Trump picks Musk ally Jared Isaacman to head NASA

Reuters — Wed, 04 Dec 2024 20:14:00 +0000

WASHINGTON >> President-elect Donald Trump on Wednesday tapped Jared Isaacman to lead NASA, selecting a billionaire private astronaut and close associate of Elon Musk to oversee an agency closely linked to the SpaceX founder’s business.

Supreme Court justices lean toward Tennessee transgender law

Reuters — Wed, 04 Dec 2024 19:42:00 +0000

WASHINGTON >> Conservative U.S. Supreme Court justices appeared sympathetic on Wednesday toward the legality of a Republican-backed ban in Tennessee on gender-affirming medical care for transgender minors in a major case that could affect other state laws targeting transgender people.

Trump considers DeSantis for defense secretary as support for Hegseth falters

New York Times — Wed, 04 Dec 2024 18:24:00 +0000

President-elect Donald Trump’s support for Pete Hegseth, whom he announced as his pick for defense secretary shortly after Election Day, is wobbling after a crush of controversy over a rape allegation and a 2018 email from Hegseth’s mother accusing him of a pattern of abuse toward women.

Kimo Alameda is sworn in as Hawaii island mayor

None — Wed, 04 Dec 2024 10:05:00 +0000

Kimo Alameda was sworn in as Hawaii island’s mayor Monday at an inauguration ceremony that was attended by hundreds, including Gov. Josh Green and Lt. Gov. Sylvia Luke.

Trump team agrees to FBI background checks for nominees

New York Times — Tue, 03 Dec 2024 23:45:00 +0000

President-elect Donald Trump’s transition operation announced today that it had belatedly signed an agreement with the Justice Department that will allow the FBI to conduct background checks on people Trump intends to appoint as senior officials in his new administration.

Trump’s pick to lead DEA withdraws from consideration

Reuters — Tue, 03 Dec 2024 23:00:00 +0000

WASHINGTON >> President-elect Donald Trump’s pick to lead the Drug Enforcement Administration, Chad Chronister, said today he was withdrawing from consideration.

Bloomberg: Kennedy would be ‘beyond dangerous’ as health secretary

New York Times — Tue, 03 Dec 2024 18:55:00 +0000

WASHINGTON >> Michael Bloomberg, the former New York City mayor, launched a lengthy broadside today against Robert F. Kennedy Jr., using his opening remarks at a public health conference to warn that installing Kennedy as health secretary would be “beyond dangerous,” and tantamount to “medical malpractice on a mass scale.”

White House defends Biden’s pardon of his son, Hunter

Reuters — Mon, 02 Dec 2024 16:45:00 +0000

ON BOARD AIR FORCE ONE/WASHINGTON >> The White House today defended President Joe Biden’s decision to pardon his son, Hunter, and said the president believed his political opponents would have kept persecuting his son going forward.

Honolulu Council wants study uniting paramedics with Fire Department

Ian Bauer — Mon, 02 Dec 2024 10:05:00 +0000

The apparent inability of the city’s ambulance service to respond to daily emergencies on a timely basis is of concern to many current and former first responders.

Honolulu Mayor Rick Blangiardi appoints new housing director

Ian Bauer — Mon, 02 Dec 2024 10:05:00 +0000

Honolulu Mayor Rick Blangiardi recently announced the appointment of a new executive director of the city’s Office of Housing.

Biden says he is pardoning his son, Hunter

Reuters — Mon, 02 Dec 2024 00:54:00 +0000

WASHINGTON >> President Joe Biden said today he had pardoned his son, Hunter Biden, who had been convicted of making false statements on a gun background check and illegally possessing a firearm and pled guilty to federal tax charges.

Zelensky urges Biden to rally support for Ukraine’s NATO membership

Reuters — Sun, 01 Dec 2024 19:46:00 +0000

KYIV >> Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky called on the outgoing U.S. administration of President Joe Biden on Sunday to help convince NATO members to invite Ukraine to join the alliance, as Ukraine’s war with Russia enters an unpredictable new phase.

Close Hawaii House election goes to court after recount

Andrew Gomes — Sun, 01 Dec 2024 10:05:00 +0000

A race for a seat in the state Legislature that turned out to be the biggest nail-biter in Hawaii’s Nov. 5 general election might not be settled yet.

New Hawaii legislators, leadership hold fate of legal recreational marijuana

Dan Nakaso — Sun, 01 Dec 2024 10:05:00 +0000

State legislators expect to take another run at legalizing adult recreational marijuana use and impose new, unspecified fees on tourists — all while figuring out how to pay for historic tax cuts passed earlier this year.

Trump nominates MAGA loyalist Kash Patel to lead FBI

New York Times — Sun, 01 Dec 2024 01:54:00 +0000

President-elect Donald Trump said Saturday that he wants to replace FBI Director Christopher Wray with Kash Patel, a hard-line critic of the bureau who has called for shutting down the agency’s Washington headquarters, firing its leadership and bringing the nation’s law enforcement agencies “to heel.”

Hawaii state House reorganizes with new faces, leadership

Dan Nakaso — Sat, 30 Nov 2024 10:05:00 +0000

The Democrat-dominated state House will see a mix of veteran and new committee chairs when the next legislative session begins in January, along with new House leadership.

Biden, FBI address hoax threats to lawmakers, Trump cabinet

Reuters — Sat, 30 Nov 2024 00:00:00 +0000

NANTUCKET, Massachusetts >> President Joe Biden said today that his administration was working with the FBI to address “swatting” and bomb threats made this week targeting lawmakers and several of President-elect Donald Trump’s cabinet picks.

Experts warn Trump’s health picks lack pandemic experience

New York Times — Fri, 29 Nov 2024 16:00:00 +0000

WASHINGTON >> President-elect Donald Trump had already succeeded in rattling the nation’s public health and biomedical establishment by the time he announced Tuesday that he had picked Dr. Jay Bhattacharya to run the National Institutes of Health. But amid growing fears of a deadly bird flu pandemic, perhaps no one was more rattled than experts in infectious disease.

City postpones identifying next landfill site

Ian Bauer — Fri, 29 Nov 2024 10:05:00 +0000

Although they said it would be named in November, Mayor Rick Blangiardi’s administration now says the future site for Oahu’s next municipal landfill will be made public in December.

Mexico president touts friendly Trump call, looks to ease tariff tensions

Reuters — Thu, 28 Nov 2024 21:21:00 +0000

MEXICO CITY >>Mexico’s President Claudia Sheinbaum said on Thursday she and U.S. President-elect Donald Trump had agreed to maintain a good relationship in a friendly phone call that appeared to ease tensions between the top trading partners amid tariff threats.

Trump administration picks targeted with bomb threats, swatting

Reuters — Thu, 28 Nov 2024 01:21:00 +0000

WASHINGTON >> Several of President-elect Donald Trump’s cabinet and administration picks were targeted this week with actions including bomb threats and “swatting,” a spokesperson for the transition team said today.

Trump picks physician who opposed lockdowns to head NIH

New York Times — Wed, 27 Nov 2024 19:00:00 +0000

President-elect Donald Trump said Tuesday evening that he had selected Dr. Jay Bhattacharya, a Stanford physician and economist whose authorship of an anti-lockdown treatise during the coronavirus pandemic made him a central figure in a bitter public health debate, to be the director of the National Institutes of Health.

Mexico warns Trump tariffs could cut 400,000 U.S. jobs, vows response

Reuters — Wed, 27 Nov 2024 17:30:00 +0000

MEXICO CITY >> Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum said today Mexico would retaliate if President-elect Donald Trump followed through with his proposed 25% across-the-board tariff, a move her government warned could kill 400,000 U.S. jobs.

Trump tariffs could raise grocery, liquor bills

Reuters — Wed, 27 Nov 2024 16:00:00 +0000

WASHINGTON/REGINA, Saskatchewan >> U.S. prices may rise next year for avocados, strawberries and other fresh produce, and consumers could face shortages, if President-elect Donald Trump follows through on plans to slap tariffs on goods from Mexico and Canada, agricultural economists and industry executives said.

What is Project 2025 and how is it connected to Trump?

Reuters — Wed, 27 Nov 2024 15:50:00 +0000

WASHINGTON >> President-elect Donald Trump has named several high-profile conservatives associated with “Project 2025” to his administration despite repeatedly distancing himself from the hard-right initiative on the campaign trail.

At least $100K in transit fare revenue lost from cyberattack

Ian Bauer — Wed, 27 Nov 2024 10:05:00 +0000

A crippling cyberattack that targeted TheBus and TheHandi-Van earlier this year wound up costing the city $100,000 or more in lost fare revenues, Honolulu officials indicate.

Former Maui Council member sues to void election result

Andrew Gomes — Wed, 27 Nov 2024 10:05:00 +0000

For the second straight general election in Hawaii, a candidate is alleging in court that Maui County’s top election official improperly prevented valid votes from being counted.