Ikaika Anderson withdraws DHHL nomination

Gov. Josh Green on Wednesday withdrew his nomination of Ikaika Anderson for chair of the state Department of Hawaiian Home Lands after a Senate committee voted not to support him for the post.

The Senate Committee on Hawaiian Affairs voted to recommend that the full Senate not advise and consent to the nomination of Anderson for the DHHL position.

The hearing, which lasted five hours, included testimony from Green, former Gov. Neil Abercrombie, several former lawmakers, and numerous community organizations and individuals.

The vote was 4-1, with Sens. Maile Shimabukuro, Kurt Fevella, Jarrett Keohokalole and Les Ihara voting in favor of the recommendation to not advise and consent. Sen. Tim Richards of the Big Island was the lone vote in opposition to the recommendation.

“While Ikaika is a good person, his evasiveness and unpreparedness before the Senate Committee on Ways and Means were too much to overcome,” said Keohokalole, co-chair of the Legislature’s Native Hawaiian Caucus. “His misrepresentation of the commission’s viewpoints on the $600 million plan significantly influenced my decision.”