Chief Justice nominee grilled over ties to powerful political action committee

[MyManao]

Just a few lines of testimony, written from your  is all it takes. Ignite the change we deserve now.

And what, brother ‘Tang, should those few lines be?

I am the oppressed. I mean, since you say I am, I must be, right? And for sure, I am disgusted, just like you, with the *

[Punatang]

Just a few lines of testimony, written from your  is all it takes. Ignite the change we deserve now.

And what, brother ‘Tang, should those few lines be?....


...what should I say? I don’t know this judge, never heard his name before you brought it to my attention...

MyMan!  Don't give TomK more ammo with this writer's block story you're selling.  Personally, I just don't buy it.  You always have so much to say. 

It is extremely edifying to hear that this thread brought at least one person out of ignorance.  The thread is a complete success on that basis alone.  Thanks to you and Punaweb, for raising awareness.

This thread is not about telling folks who or what to support.  The goal is just to get folks involved.  It is called inclusion and democracy. 

The difference between independent thinking and groupthink is not who you support.  It is what you are willing to question.

Hopefully you can wrap your mind around that, eventually.

In the meantime, exercise those writing muscles.  You may even be able to attach a photo...

Click Here: [u][u]https://www.capitol.hawaii.gov/session/measure_indiv.aspx?billtype=GM&billnumber=801&year=2026[/u][/u]

And then click here:       

[HiloJulie]

*
Rise up my PunaWeb brethren raise your voice and come on up and testify! Amen!
*

[MyManao]

MyMan!  Don't give TomK more ammo with this writer's block story you're selling.  Personally, I just don't buy it.  You always have so much to say.

'Tang, dear brother 'Tang, I'm afraid the moment its slipped away.. no mo can share our manao da door stay shut. What we gonna do brother 'Tang wen da buggah gets confirmed? We've failed fo sure.. our voice stay marginalize da anti-democracy inclusion deniers run amok we're screwed!

Oh well. At least it's another glorious sunrise. I mean.. lucky we live Hawaii, eh?

[Punatang]

The hearing starts at 9:30 am today 4/22/26

If you submitted testimony then you should receive a link to watch the zoom.

If you didn't submit testimony you may watch the hearing on Youtube here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Nb5xlsngT4I

[*]The stream usually starts a few minutes early.

[*]There is still time to submit testimony.

[*]Click here:  [u][u]https://www.capitol.hawaii.gov/session/measure_indiv.aspx?billtype=GM&billnumber=801&year=2026[/u][/u]

   

[HiloJulie]

I did my civic duty and submitted my testimony in support of his nomination, solely due to his 30 plus year record of being a lawyer, representing the "working stiff masses," child abuse victims and being named to the top 1% of Nationally Distinguished Legal Councilors. 

If not for this guy's picture being in the news, I could not have picked him out in a line up.

But, nonetheless, I support his nomination and feel he is more than qualified for the job he has been nominated for. It's not like we are discussing the nomination of a guy for the job of protecting human health against viruses and germs who claims there is nothing to worry about because he used to snort cocaine off public toilet seats.

[HiloJulie]

So, I watched the entire hearing, gavel to gavel. Not quite as exciting as those 8-hour election commission meetings that's for sure!

I would start out by saying that before Tang's thread here, I have never even heard of the nominee. I will also say that after watching this meeting, in as much as on paper this guy SHOULD be a shoe in, his failure to disclose his affiliation of Be Change was a colossal error. 

Having said that, I can also understand his explanation of his role as a lawyer also being a director for an organization, having been in similar situations in my career. It is also a good warning to ANYONE who may be associated with any organization, be it non-profit or for profit as a director, officer or owner to make dang sure upon your separation from that organization, you demand and verify, in writing that an amended DCCA Certificate of Good Standing that clearly removes your name and discloses all new or subsequent owners, directors and officers is immediately filed.

As for the hearing itself, I counted 4 NO SUPPORT but lost count of the SUPPORT. I will say that all but one of the Senators, including young Brenton, who did manage to get in just one little "all about me" swipe, displayed the utmost professionalism and asked good gestions and behaved like adults, but I am most disappointed with Puna's own Representative San Buenaventura. She was, in my opinion combative, and even after watching her back and forth with the nominee several times, came off additionally as what I would call befuddled, but she also came across to me that she seemed somewhat afraid - nervous in her posture, her voice and her demeaner. Almost like in the sense of being a kidnapped victim making a ransom video praising the kidnappers while the kidnapper is aiming a gun to the victim's head off camera. Or one could possibly say, maybe under some "undue influence?"

I think the nominee presented well, professional and was articulate. But in the end, as the saying goes, one "ah shucks" can wipe out 1,000 "attaboys." But also, as Tang said about his Ex-Navy Veteran, the nominee "acknowledged his error" and as Tang also said, "Folks make mistakes."

I certainly hope that the nominee can produce credible evidence with respect to his dates of affiliation with Be Change. 

Having said all that, I still support the nominee.

[Punatang]

Follow up articles, from Hawaii outlets, regarding the hearing .  For context, some of the most intense grilling came from our rep Joy San Buenaventura as she faced the man with a packed house, full of his supporters, who surrounded him and stared back at her, all in a very tight little space.  She was a vision of courage IMO.  

https://www.civilbeat.org/2026/04/suprem...-senators/

The confirmation hearing was held in a conference room packed with members of labor groups and the legal community, most of whom were there to support Devens.




..." Chuck Freedman, who has worked for various nonprofits and in the administration of former Gov. John Waiheʻe.
“My objections stem from the concentration of power by the Hawaiʻi State Carpenters Union in all three branches of our government, with the appointment of Devens to Chief Justice being either a capstone or another notch in the gun for a single union, depending on your point of view,” wrote Freedman. “Absolute power corrupts absolutely. We have watched this happen with the Carpenters Union, mostly in silence. It is time for the sirens to go off.”...

..."[Senator]Rhoads also pressed Devens about why, as a sitting Supreme Court justice, he had attended the retirement party in August of Darren Cachola, an officer with the Honolulu Police Department accused of assaulting women and who was fired after a video showed him hitting his girlfriend in a restaurant. Cachola was later reinstated.
An invitation for Darren Cachola’s retirement party featured a photo from a police protest. (Civil Beat/2025)
A flier for the party, Rhoads pointed out, featured a photo from a police protest with Cachola’s face alongside that of Derek Chauvin, the officer convicted of killing George Floyd in 2020 in Minnesota, and George Zimmerman, a Florida watch volunteer who shot and killed Trayvon Martin in 2012. 
“How did you find out about that party?” Rhoads asked.
“Somebody had told me about it,” Devens replied.
“If he wasn’t a personal friend, why did you feel you needed to go?” Rhoads then asked.
Devens responded by saying that Cachola was a former client."...


https://www.hawaiinewsnow.com/2026/04/23...committee/

..."Devens, a Berkeley-educated labor lawyer appointed by Gov. Green in 2023, served as a director of “Be Change Now” until 2022. He did not indicate that role on his judicial applications.
“Be Change Now,” was financed by Pacific Resource Partnership, which is funded by the Carpenters Union and unionized contractors, and has spent millions to influence in local campaigns over the years.
“You didn’t indicate anywhere that you were a part of one of the most powerful political organizations in the state,” said Sen. Karl Rhoads, Chair of the Judiciary Committee at the packed confirmation hearing"...

[HiloJulie]

Could it now be said that maybe, just maybe, Be Change Now was actually, correct? 

Hawai‘i Lt. Gov. Luke taking leave of absence indefinitely amid corruption accusations

[HiloJulie]

So, the Committee voted 3-2 to approve the nomination of Vladimir Devens as Hawaii Supreme Court Chief Justice where it now goes to the full Senate for final confirmation vote.

Voting for was Vice Chair Gabbard, Chang, and of all wonders of the world, Awa.

Voting against was Chair Rhodes and Puna's own (unfit to say)

What I find truly ironic in this entire ordeal, was with testimony of overwhelming support from virtually every aspect of peoples everyday life in Hawaii, including from the now retired former Chief Justice, with only 4 against, one of those whose written only testimony that was against Justice Devins was from Ann Botticelli, a former KHON and KITV news journalist and communications executive with Hawaiian Airlines and a Honolulu Police Commissioner who is now working for the embattled Sylvia Luke who just went on an extended leave of absence over her potential of being the target of an bribery probe says just exactly where Hawaii is in its twisted political realm, when you consider the ONLY potential downfall of this Chief Justice nominee was because he did not disclose that he sat on a board of a PAC that made negative ads about Sylvia Luke.