Case Files for U.S. Senate
Congressman Ed Case, D-HI (2002-2007), joined by his wife Audrey Nakamura, family and supporters, filed his nomination papers for the U.S. Senate election on Thursday. (see the video here)
The former Blue Dog Congressman said his candidacy offers Hawaii voters “strong effective leadership that’s honest with us, preserves our values, breaks through the gridlock and gets the job done.”
Case, who gained a reputation during his 8 years in the Hawaii State House for taking on his own party leaders, and then continued that trend in Congress, said:
I love Hawaii and our country, and believe our foundations are strong and our future bright. But Washington today is broken, poisoning our whole democracy and obstructing our progress here at home. Like most Americans, I’m just fed up.
The status quo on Capitol Hill is not going to overcome the challenges we all face today and tomorrow. Just adding more Senators who live and breathe endless partisan warfare, who follow the crowd and rubber stamp the way things are, who view every issue from the extremes, is not what we need.
I’m proud to be a Democrat and will advance and defend the core values of our party that have made our country great. But that can’t be the be-all, end-all of governing our country.
And the problem is not only deep partisan divisions and a refusal to seek common ground. It’s just as much about inside-DC special interests advancing their own agendas at the expense of everyone else.
Specific reforms can help, like prohibiting super PAC and registered lobbyist contributions. But the only real way forward is fresh thinking and a renewed commitment to the shared benefits and obligations of citizenship.
I will do everything and work with anyone I can to fix DC and reclaim our government, because the reality is that we can’t achieve what we must without changing DC. Only then can we find workable, inclusive solutions to grow our economy, balance our budget, assure our energy needs and save Social Security and Medicare, to touch just the tip of the iceberg.
Fixing Washington absolutely matters to all of us right here in Hawai’i as well, now and well down the road,” said Case. “Our own next generation will be one of great opportunity and challenge.
We must preserve our economic pillars and forge new industries and jobs for our children. We must assure our fair share of federal support and fight for our own special needs. We must pursue energy independence, retool education, preserve our unique resources, and take full advantage of this Pacific Century. And all this amidst accelerating change for our Hawai’i, country and world.
We can only navigate these waters with Washington as our full partner and not as our enemy. So when we fix Washington, when we solve our country’s challenges, we also chart a better course for Hawaii.
Over the last several months, Case has invited his Democratic opponent, Congresswoman Mazie Hirono, to debate key issues top of mind in the Democratic Party of Hawaii, and challenged her to stop “hiding behind her handlers and join him in debates and joint appearances throughout Hawaii.”
Case said: “Folks want to hear from us together, to size us up side-by-side. They want to make this crucial decision for themselves; the days of being told how to vote are over.”
Case said he accepted several debate invitations from around Hawaii and will keep doing so, and hopes Hirono will show.
Born and raised in Hilo, Hawaii, Case, an attorney, has practiced law in Honolulu for 30 years.
Fast & Furious Report, One Not to Miss
For those interested in the “Fast & Furious” investigation, Fox News Reporter William Lajeunesse has a fascinating news story entitled “Agents appeared to have probable cause to arrest Fast and Furious suspect, documents show”
He writes:Â Documents released Thursday show that federal agents appeared to have probable cause to arrest the biggest buyer of assault weapons in the Fast and Furious operation — eight months before Border Patrol Agent Brian Terry’s death ended the scandal-ridden program.Â
Rep. Darrell Issa, R-Calif., and Sen. Charles Grassley, R-Iowa, have demanded Attorney General Eric Holder provide a briefing as to why ringleader Manuel Celis Acosta was not arrested earlier given repeated evidence that he was running guns.Â
“I think the Department of Justice is the Department of Injustice,” Grassley said on Capitol Hill. “They can’t expect people to believe that they couldn’t arrest this guy.”
Lajeunesse has been in Hawaii several times to cover stories here.
38 Pound Doggie Superhero
There are many stories about dog saving people from attacks. The most recent is a Mabeline, a Rhodesian Ridgeback mix, who saved a 17-year-old Florida girl as she was being attacked at the Friends of Strays animal shelter in St. Petersburg.
WTSP-TV reports the girl was walking with the dog behind the shelter where the dog lived when an attacker grabbed her by her hair and pinned her to the ground.
The girl got away after the dog scared off the alleged suspect, Michael Paul Bacon.
Mabeline was adopted shortly after by Mary Callahan, who did not know about the dog’s heroic act when she adopted her. When she learned the back story, she saw Mabeline in a new light.