2007-07-11 Board of Ethics Minutes Regular Session

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have personal knowledge of the on- goings behind closed doors, I guess you could say. Basically, what I wanted to say this morning is Emily had called me. I am a practitioner of the Hawaiian healing arts, and I was called upon to do a ho`oponopono, a session that helps right things, yeah. It is difficult for me in the workplace because it doesn't involve family. However, knowing Emily, she has `ohana, a family atmosphere, wherever she goes. She is not my councilmember in my district. I live in Puna, but in a different district. However, I know her personally and her life. Based on her life and the way she conducts her life, that's why she has so much support this morning. It is unfortunately that this hearing is happening today, because personally it is a waste of taxpayers' money which is ma`i make. Things like this — apparently there is some disagreement between individuals, and should be handled in a ho`oponopono situation. Because these people are family, and they are working together and that's why they came together, for this political reason. There is a solution in the Hawaiian culture. In any ancient culture there is no problems, only solutions. I think if that if we address that solution first and foremost, then you can go ahead and perform your duties as far as civil litigation or criminal litigation. But this is something that needs to be handled at the family level. Because this whole campaign, this whole political adventure for Emily, was based on family, and should be handled with that. Mahalo, thank you and aloha. Chair: Thank you. Dr. Keola Downing. Downing: Aloha, Mr. Chairman and members of the Board. I'm here today to speak on behalf of Emily Nae`ole as a character witness, and also to lend a little bit more credence to the words that James Weatherford mentioned, because I also was at that meeting at James and Elizabeth Weatherford's house. And I sat next to Barbara Hale, and I also was very stunned at the way —when I would ask a question or anyone else would ask a question — she would not allow Emily to answer, but would jump in, and I felt like this was a very risky way to handle business, even if there was some kind of expertise that Barbara thought she had that was superior to what Emily had. But we had come to talk -story with Emily Nae`ole, our representative person that we voted for that we wanted to represent us. And it was impossible to make Barbara stop doing what she was doing, which was butting in, overriding things that Emily would say. And I, in my heart, felt very bad because I was very afraid that this woman, for whatever reason, had determined that she was better placed and better set up, you might say, to run the business of the Council, and of course she is not the person that we voted for. And I was distressed that Mrs. Hale would perform her duty as council aide by rough- riding the actual content of what Emily would try to respond. And one of the things that came up, for example —was the widening of Highway 130. A very, very hot issue in Puna, and Barbara just acted like, you know, you guys who are opposed to four lanes can just forget it. That's going to happen. We know that's 7