Gov’s pick for judge
stirs fast rebukesLingle names interim UH regent
Ted Hong for Hilo Circuit Court
Gov. Linda Lingle's nomination of state chief negotiator Ted Hong for a Hilo Circuit Court judgeship drew immediate opposition yesterday.
Big Island state Sen. Lorraine Inouye, a former Hawaii County mayor, urged Lingle to withdraw Hong's nomination.
Lingle said Hong, who is also an outspoken interim regent of the University of Hawaii, would continue to be a dedicated public servant as a judge.
"I am impressed by his strong work ethic, his sense of fairness and his integrity," she said.
Hong, 46, was a private attorney in Hilo prior to joining the Lingle administration as the director of the Office of Collective Bargaining. He previously served as an assistant corporation counsel for Hawaii County and a deputy prosecuting attorney on Oahu.
The Circuit Court appointment must be confirmed by the Senate.
Sen. Colleen Hanabusa, Judiciary Committee chairwoman, said her committee has not scheduled a hearing on the Hong appointment, but acknowledged that it will be controversial because of the perception that Hong is outspoken.
"I am not saying that he doesn't have a judicial temperament, but one of the criticisms I have heard is how he performed as a regent," said Hanabusa (D, Nanakuli-Makua). "There is no secret that his strong position against the West Oahu campus has met with major resistance from a lot of lawmakers."
Inouye said she is calling on Hanabusa to survey the Judiciary Committee and that if there are not enough votes, then Hanabusa should ask Lingle to withdraw the nomination.
Hong is not a longtime Hilo resident and "has not been active in the community," Inouye said. "He has not proven his worth in the community."
But others, such as J.N. Musto, executive director of the University Hawaii Professional Assembly, said Hong has proven to be among the most popular regents with Big Island UH faculty members.
"He is one of the most responsive regents and the faculty will be sad to know he is going to leave the regents," Musto said.
Hong won strong support from a Big Island Democrat, Sen. Russell Kokubun, who said Hong would make "an excellent judge."
"I greatly respect him as an attorney," Kokubun said.
But Kokubun, a former county councilman, also acknowledged Hong's appointment will be controversial.
"Ted is like a lighting rod," Kokubun said. "He does speak his mind, but his support for Hilo has been excellent. He speaks his mind and he does his homework."
Inouye, however, said she has gotten complaints that Hong "has an attitudinal problem -- being impatient."
"In his role as a judge, I am not sure he will have the patience," she said. "I think he comes out very abrasive, and I will be voting against him."
The appointment, Inouye concluded, is also a political one because "Lingle is taking care of someone who supported her in the campaign."
Hong was a one-time spokesman of the Democrats for Lingle political campaign.
"Why do we have to take care of him and give him a judgeship?" said Inouye, who added she would have preferred either District Judge Terence Yoshioka or per diem judge Diana Van De Car for the position.
Hanabusa said a key element of the evaluation will be Hong's relationship with the public employee unions, because he had to deal with them across the bargaining table as the state's chief negotiator.
Russell Okata, Hawaii Government Employees Association executive director, said the union has not taken a position on Hong's nomination, but called Hong "accessible and forthright."
"He is bright, hardworking and understands the issues," Okata said.
