Kaʻū News Briefs Jan.15, 2025

Madame Pele is Back with her Fountains

Episode 4 of the ongoing Kīlauea summit eruption began Wednesday morning, Jan. 15. Lava fountains resumed erupting from the two vents that have been active in the eruption that began within Halemaʻumaʻu at the summit of Kīlauea volcano on Dec. 23. Each episode of the eruption has been separated by pauses in eruptive activity lasting less than 24 hours to 12 days. More details are available at 

https://volcanoes.usgs.gov/hans-public/notice/DOI-USGS-HVO-2025-01-10T20:11:29+00:00.

 USGS photograph by M. Patrick

QUESTIONING PRESIDENTIAL NOMINEES AT CONFIRMATION HEARINGS IS A DUTY OF HAWAI'I SEN. MAZIE HIRONO. On Wednesday, Hirono, a senior member of the U.S. Senate Judiciary Committee, questioned Pam Bondi, President-elect Donald Trump's nominee to be U.S. Attorney General.

Sen. Mazie Hirono questions nominee
for U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi.
Image from Forbes

    During her line of inquiry, Hirono pressed Bondi on her fitness to serve as Attorney General to lead the Department of Justice,

    Before the questioning, Hirono said, "Ms. Bondi, I am focused on two things in my evaluation of President-elect Trump's nominees. The first is whether the nominee is qualified and experienced enough to do the job. The second is fitness to serve, which includes putting loyalty to the Constitution over loyalty to the President. Unfortunately in my view, many of President-elect Trump's nominees are lacking in at least one of these two requirements."
    "Ms. Bondi, your experience as a prosecutor is the kind of thing we would expect to see in a nominee for Attorney General," said Hirono. "But I do have questions and concerns about potential conflicts of interest, about whether you will keep DOJ's law enforcement responsibilities independent of the President's political whims, and about whether you will let facts and evidence guide your decisions."
    Hirono asked Bondi who won the 2020 presidential election. Bondi repeatedly declined to state that Joseph Biden won the election. Hirono said, "I can say that Donald Trump won the 2024 election. I may not like it, but I can say it. You cannot say who won the 2020 presidential election. It is disturbing that you can't give voice to that fact." 

   The Hawai'i Senator also said she has concerns about the Department of Justice's independence from politics in the upcoming Trump administration. After reciting several quotes from Trump regarding his views on undocumented immigrants and his description of those who broke into the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6 as patriots and hostages instead of felons, Hirono pressed Bondi on whether she agreed with Trump's statements. Bondi declined to agree with or condemn statements made by Trump.

    "You have an incoming President who said, 'I have the absolute right to do what I want to do with the Justice Department,' and, in fact, President-elect Trump considers the DOJ to be his law firm," said Hirono during the exchange. "I think it is really important to us that the Attorney General be independent of the White House."
    Hirono also asked Bondi whether she would comply if President-elect Trump asks, suggests, or hints that she—as Attorney General—should investigate his perceived political enemies. When Hirono pressed Bondi on whether she would prosecute or investigate Jack Smith, Liz Cheney, or Merrick Garland after becoming Attorney General, Bondi declined to explicitly deny or confirm whether she would comply with Trump's request to investigate or prosecute any of the individuals listed.
    Video of Senator Hirono's question line can be found here.

To read comments, add your own, and like this story, see facebook.com/kaucalendar. See upcoming events, print edition and archive at kaunews.com.

SEN. MAZIE HIRONO QUESTIONED DONALD TRUMP'S NOMINEE FOR SECRETARY OF DEFENSE Pete Hegseth on Tuesday. Hirono, who is elected to represent Kaʻū and all of Hawai'i in the U.S. Senate, is a senior member of the Senate Armed Service Committee, which is tasked to question the nominee before the Senate votes to approve or turn down the appointment.
    During her line of inquiry, Hirono questioned Hegseth on accusations of personal misconduct, sexual assault, and whether, if confirmed, he will be loyal to the Constitution or Donald Trump.

    

    She also said she is concerned about accusations of Hegseth regularly being drunk at work. Hirono asked Hegseth to commit, under oath, that he will resign if he drinks alcohol while serving as Secretary of Defense. Hegseth declined to make such a commitment, but claimed he will not drink if confirmed.
    "I'm not hearing an answer to my question so I'm going to move on," said Hirono during the exchange. "While you have made a commitment, you will not commit to resigning if you drink on the job."
     Hirono asked Hegseth whether his allegiance to President-elect Trump would take precedent over the oath he will make to support and defend the U.S. Constitution, if he is sworn in as Secretary of State.

    Hirono cited an example from 2020 when then-President Trump directed former Secretary of Defense Mark Esper to shoot protesters in the legs in Downtown D.C., an order Esper refused.
    When pressed by Hirono, Hegseth declined to explicitly deny whether he would comply if Trump gave him a similar order. "That sounds to me that you would comply with such an order," said Hirono. "You would shoot protesters in the leg. Moving on."
    Hirono cited several Trump comments, including his refusal to rule out using military force to seize Greenland and the Panama Canal, his threats to invade Canada, as well as his intention to revoke the Department of Defense's current policy to allow servicemembers to be reimbursed for travel associated with reproductive health care, including abortions.
    Hirono also expressed concern over Trump's comments to use the military to enable the mass deportation of undocumented immigrants. Hirono said it would be a decision that would significantly threaten military readiness and cost billions of dollars.
    Hirono told Hegseth, "I have noticed a disturbing pattern—you previously have made a series of inflammatory statements about women in combat, LGBTQ servicemembers, Muslim Americans and Democrats. Since your nomination, however, you have walked those back on TV and interviews, and most recently in your opening statements." Hirono told him, "You are no longer on Fox and Friends, Mr. Hegseth. If confirmed, your words, actions, and decisions would have real impacts on national security and our servicemembers' lives. There are close to three million personnel in the Department of Defense—$900 billion budget. I hardly think you are prepared to do the job."
    A video of Hirono's questioning of Hegseth can be found here.

To read comments, add your own, and like this story, see facebook.com/kaucalendar. See upcoming events, print edition and archive at kaunews.com.

TROJAN BOYS BASKETBALL TEAM BEAT ST. JOE'S on Wednesday night, reports Trojan Athletic Director Jaime Guerpo. Kaʻū High scored 71 and St. Josephs scored 27. Trojan's top scorers were Daetin Castillio 14, Excel Bonoan 14 and Ryder Nakano 12. 

    In Girls Trojans Basketball, Kaʻū nearly defeated Pahoa, coming up just three points short. Pahoa scored 53 to Kaʻū 51. High scorers for Kaʻū were Jazmyn Navarro with 22 and Sky Pritchard with 16.