LIHU‘E — Gov. Neil Abercrombie picked Lt. Gov. Brian Schatz to fill the U.S. Senate vacancy left by the recent and sudden death of Sen. Daniel Inouye, D-Hawai‘i. The governor’s choice denies Inouye’s deathbed wish for Rep. Colleen Hanabusa, D-Hawai‘i
LIHU‘E — Gov. Neil Abercrombie picked Lt. Gov. Brian Schatz to fill the U.S. Senate vacancy left by the recent and sudden death of Sen. Daniel Inouye, D-Hawai‘i. The governor’s choice denies Inouye’s deathbed wish for Rep. Colleen Hanabusa, D-Hawai‘i to succeed him in the Senate.
“I have informed the leadership of the United States Senate … that I have appointed Brian Schatz as the next U.S. Senate from Hawai‘i,” Abercrombie said at a press conference Wednesday afternoon.
Schatz said he would fly to Washington Wednesday night, and planned to be sworn in today and start working right away.
“I’m humbled and honored by this opportunity to serve the people of Hawai‘i and the people of (the United States of) America,” Schatz said at the press conference. “No one can fill Sen. Daniel K. Inouye’s shoes, but together, all of us, we can try to walk in his footsteps.”
Abercrombie’s choice came out of a list of three names sent by the state’s Democratic Party Central Committee, which included Hanabusa and Esther Kia‘aina, deputy director of the state Department of Land and Natural Resources.
“These are challenging times for Hawai‘i; we are mourning the loss of Sen. Daniel Inouye, a leader whose lifetime of selfless service to our country has been noted and will be noted forever in our hearts,” Abercrombie said. “At the same time this is an opportunity to build on the remarkable foundation that Sen. Inouye laid; it’s an opportunity to shape the future for the state of Hawai‘i.”
Inouye died Dec. 17 in the nation’s capital, a week after checking into a Washington-area hospital and two weeks short of completing 50 years of service in the U.S. Senate. Because of his length of service, Inouye was the Senate’s president pro tempore — the third in line of succession for the U.S. presidency — and arguably one of the most powerful politicians in the nation.
On the day he died, Inouye wrote a letter to Abercrombie. In the letter — which starts with “Dear Neil” — Inouye says he understands that selecting a successor for the Senate is Abercrombie’s responsibility, but that he “respectfully” requests that Hanabusa succeeds him and continues his work. Inouye says the congresswoman possesses the intellect, presence and legislative skill to succeed in the Senate, and will represent the people of Hawai‘i “with the same fervor and commitment” that he had brought to the Senate since 1962.
“I hope you will grant me my last wish. God bless the people of Hawai‘i and God bless the people of the United States of America,” Inouye asked Abercrombie, before writing “Aloha,” and hand-signing his name.
“While we are very disappointed that it was not honored, it was the governor’s decision to make,” Inouye’s chief of staff Jennifer Sabas said in a statement, as reported by the Associated Press. “We wish Brian Schatz the best of luck.”
Abercrombie said he felt “very, very comfortable” with his choice, and that the U.S. Senate is about to get the value of its newest member: Insightful, intelligent, forcible, experienced and committed.
“Of course Sen. Inouye’s views and his wishes were taken into account fully, but the charge of the (Democratic Party) Central Committee, and by extension myself as governor, was to act in the overall best interests of the party … the state and the nation,” Abercrombie said.
Seconds prior to broadcasting live Abercrombie’s announcement, KITV reported sources confirmed that Schatz gathered the most votes at the state’s Democratic Party Central Committee. Abercrombie, however, said the three names came forward alphabetically. “It was not a concern as to what vote numbers were, what was a concern was everybody’s point of view,” he said.
If Hanabusa would have been picked, a special election would have to be called to fill her position at the U.S. Congress, and Abercrombie said there was “no question” that this played a role on his decision.
“Look, everybody has their personal and deeply felt loyalties and preferences, no question about that,” he said. “But nonetheless, you have to take into account as well what’s in the overall best interests. And sometimes you have to set aside personal considerations in order to look for the good of the whole.”
Abercrombie said Hanabusa occupies a key position on the Armed Services Committee in the U.S. House, and is well on the way to establish a senior position there.
Lt. governor vacancy
Schatz’s appointment creates a vacancy in the lieutenant governor’s position. The law puts the state Senate President Shan Tsutsui, D-5th District, as the first in line of succession.
“I think that what we all have to do is to give (Tsutsui) a little breathing room here, so that he can make his mind up as to what he thinks is best in terms of service to the people of Hawai‘i,” Abercrombie said.
Shortly after Abercrombie’s announcement, Tsutsui sent a statement congratulating Schatz on his appointment, and made clear he hadn’t made a choice yet. “I understand that by law, as (state) Senate president, I would be next in line to succeed Lt. Gov. Schatz,” Tsutsui said in the statement. “I plan to discuss this prospect with the governor and my family before making a decision.”
If Tsutsui declines becoming Hawai‘i’s next lieutenant governor, the next ones in line will be, in this order: Speaker of the House, Attorney General, Director of Finance, State Comptroller, Director of Taxation, and Director of Personnel Services.
U.S. Senator-elect Mazie Hirono, D-Hawai‘i, sent a statement within an hour of Schatz appointment, in which she says he looks forward to partnering with Schatz, Hanabusa and Rep.-elect Tulsi Gabbard, D-Hawai‘i, who had also sought Inouye’s seat.
“As a delegation and as a state, we will pull together to build upon the foundation laid by Sens. Inouye and (recently retired Daniel) Akaka, to ensure that our values and priorities continue to be reflected in our nation’s capitol,” she said in the statement.
Schatz will serve until the next state elections, which will be in 2014. Hawai‘i voters will then elect a senator to fill the rest of the Inouye’s term, which would end in 2016. Schatz announced at the press conference that he intends to seek reelection.
He said he knows Inouye’s staff “very well,” and is confident that they are ready to help in any way. One of his main priorities, he said, will be identifying federal funds coming to Hawai‘i and making sure to stabilize them as much as possible. Native Hawaiian recognition and global climate change were also top priorities for Hawai‘i’s newest senator. “I will give every fiber of my being to doing a good job for the state of Hawai‘i,” Schatz said.
“We have a long and perhaps difficult road ahead of us, but we can succeed if we work together. I understand the magnitude of this obligation and this honor, and I won’t let you down.”
