Lingle backs Bunda
in leadership fight

The Senate president treated
legislation more fairly, she says

Gov. Linda Lingle says of the two Democratic factions vying for control of the state Senate, she thought Senate President Robert Bunda treated her more fairly.

"I will say that in this session of the Legislature, we had a good relationship with the existing leadership," the Republican governor said yesterday at a news conference.

Lingle was asked about the Senate leadership struggle that pits a group led by Sens. Donna Mercado Kim, Clayton Hee and Colleen Hanabusa against Bunda.

"President Bunda treated us fairly in our appointments and the legislation we took down," Lingle said. "Those people on the new group that's forming didn't treat us fairly in a variety of ways.

"It's my personal observation, but who is going to lead the Senate is and should be decided by the Senate," Lingle said.

Bunda (D, Wahiawa-Pupukea) thanked Lingle for her vote of confidence.

"We differ a lot and we continue to have differences, but that is not to say we can't work together," he said. "We in the Senate have to treat people fairly and with respect."

On Thursday the Senate wrapped up business for the year with a group of senators led by Kim (D, Kalihi Valley-Halawa), Hee (D, Kahuku-Kaneohe) and Hanabusa (D, Nanakuli-Makua) offering a resolution to allow the Senate to call itself back into session to elect new leaders.

Lingle said Kim and Hee have not treated the administration fairly.

Hee, as chairman of the Higher Education Committee, opposed two Lingle nominations to the University of Hawaii Board of Regents. Kim, Tourism Committee chairwoman and vice president, had questioned the governor's tourism liaison officer, Marcia Wienert, and attempted to abolish the position.

"Hee is the most obvious. ... Donna Kim would fall into the same category," Lingle said, adding that Kim has tried to remove the funding for Lingle's special tourism liaison position.

"Just highlighting those two gives you an indication of the kind of leadership they might bring should they get in," Lingle said.

The Democratic trio needed the support of two Republicans, Sens. Paul Whalen and Gordon Trimble, to get the required 13 votes for the measure to pass on Thursday.

Lingle had visited the GOP caucus, asking Whalen and Trimble to stay out of the leadership fight, but they refused.

Hee said yesterday that Lingle is injecting herself into the business of the Senate and "has crossed a bright line in the separation of powers."

"She crossed that line when she, Linda Smith (senior policy adviser) and Bob Awana (Lingle's chief of staff) went into the caucus to persuade them (Trimble and Whalen) to change their vote," Hee said. "She doesn't honor the bright line of separation."

Hee also said he was inviting all 20 Senate Democrats and Whalen and Trimble to a backyard barbecue today to talk things out.

"We are taking a rest. We are going to kick back and enjoy each other's company," Hee said.

Bunda, while not mentioning the weekend gathering, said he also thought it would be good to "sit back and rest a little."