Lingle accused of
dodging debate

Democrat Ed Case wants the
Republican to explain her stance
on Hawaiian issues

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By Pat Omandam
pomandam@starbulletin.com

Democratic gubernatorial candidate Ed Case said Republican Linda Lingle is dodging public forums with other candidates because her plan lacks substance.

Also, the Manoa state representative said Thursday, Lingle should have been at the Oahu Council on Hawaiian Civic Clubs forum this week to explain her position on native Hawaiian issues, including why she is not using her Republican connections to seek passage of the Akaka Bill.

"She should've been there to explain why she said she's too busy campaigning to lobby Congress for federal recognition of native Hawaiians," Case said.

Lingle, the GOP gubernatorial front-runner, responded that her position on many issues is well known and that she had prior engagements to the forums mentioned by Case. She emphasized it is not part of her campaign strategy to debate candidates in other political parties until after the Sept. 21 primary election.

As for the Akaka Bill, Lingle said, those claims that she should be lobbying for it as an individual "are the best use of spin I have seen."

She said if anyone is to blame for the lack of passage of the bill, it is the Democrats, who have politically isolated Hawaii by having all four members of the congressional delegation from the same political party. Lingle said she believes Hawaii's U.S. senators, Daniel Inouye and Daniel Akaka, could have pushed the bill through the Democrat-controlled Senate if they wished.

On other Hawaiian issues, Lingle said as governor she hopes to resolve the ceded-lands revenue dispute between the state and the Office of Hawaiian Affairs, something Gov. Ben Cayetano had promised but could not do.

"I want to actually do it," she said. "We have to make things right, eventually."

Lingle said she will also work to protect the federal Hawaiian Homes Commission Act of 1920 from legal challenges and will do what she can to get the more than 10,000 people off the homestead waiting list.

Lingle will discuss native issues with other gubernatorial candidates at the Native Hawaiian Convention on Sept. 12 at the Sheraton-Waikiki Hotel.

Also, she plans to attend six separate gubernatorial forums after the primary election. Sponsors include the Tax Foundation of Hawaii, the American Association of Retired Persons and the Building Industry of Hawaii.

But Case complained that Lingle's absence at a Villages of Kapolei candidate's forum Thursday night is the third time in recent weeks that the former Maui mayor has avoided discussions with voters and other candidates.

"She seems to think she can just avoid any real discussion of the issues and hide behind her millions worth of spin," Case said.