More than a month after one of the deadliest wildfires in U.S. history swept across the Hawaiian island of Maui, there are still a number of glaring questions about suspect actions taken by both utility company executives and government officials – including President Joe Biden – during and immediately following the blaze. The U.S. House of Representatives finally began demanding some answers to those questions during its first hearing on the disaster last week.
During the hearing of the House Energy and Commerce subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations, Hawaiian Electric CEO Shelee Kimura faced a number of tough questions from lawmakers about significant backlogs of maintenance around the company’s power lines. Although Kimura said she did not know when power stopped flowing through the downed power lines near the town of Lahaina that investigators believe ignited the flames, she did admit that 2,000 of the company’s wooden power poles had not been tested for insect infestation or rot since 2013.
Hawaii Public Utilities Commission Chair Leodoloff Asuncion, Jr., and Hawaii Chief Energy Officer Mark Glick also testified at the hearing. Both officials deflected many questions from lawmakers, frustrating some of the wildfire victims who were in attendance.
“There was a lot of non-answers and deflection, and a lot of ‘I don’t know’ or ‘I have to check with people within my company,’” Andrea Pekelo, a woman who barely escaped the flames alive, told the AP. “I really hope to get real facts about what these people in positions of power knew the day of the fire.”
Some of the most pertinent questions that victims didn’t get answered in the first hearing were regarding why officials on the island didn’t do more to warn residents as the flames approached Lahaina. Maui has a comprehensive alert system complete with multiple emergency sirens. But as the fire spread across the island, the Maui County Emergency Management Agency decided not to activate the island’s emergency sirens. This cost many victims critical moments that may very well have saved their lives.
In a later press conference, representatives of the agency defended their actions by stating that the alarms are usually used for tsunamis; therefore, residents would have headed into the mountains where the fire was most concentrated.
In an interview with NewsNation, an attorney representing victims of the wildfires stated that this reasoning was “absurd,” noting, “The idea that you can’t sound a tsunami alarm to give people warning of a ‘fire tsunami’ coming (toward) me is absurd…They go out of their house, they look around, they see the fire, and they try to escape.”
The head of the emergency management agency resigned the day after the press conference.
There are also lingering questions about why the Hawaii Commission on Water Resource Management delayed approval of a request to divert water to fight the fires. Kaleo Manuel, the Democrat official who refused to release the water, was a former Obama Foundation leader who believes access to water is a question of “equity” and has previously stated, “water must never be used, but revered.”
Manuel has since been “reassigned” from his position, and the Hawaii water commission has claimed that they were “consulting with farmers” while deciding whether or not to release water to fight the fires. But neither Manuel nor anyone at the Hawaii Department of Land and Natural resources has admitted any fault for withholding water that could have saved dozens of lives and millions of dollars in property damage.
Hawaii Democrat Governor Josh Green has also flown conspicuously under the radar since the disaster despite clear failures by his administration. While he found time in the days after the destruction of Lahaina to claim that “climate change” was responsible for the fires, he has yet to be held to account for allowing routine utility maintenance to get so behind or appointing the officials who botched the state’s response.
Although President Joe Biden cannot be directly blamed for the disaster itself, his response in the aftermath of it was woefully inadequate – something no one in the White House has answered or apologized for. After waiting days to even address the deadly fires, Biden took time to vacation in Delaware and California before finally making the trip to Maui. Once he arrived, he proceeded to insult the victims by comparing their suffering to a small kitchen fire he experienced decades ago.
The administration now seems to have forgotten about Hawaii entirely, and most in the mainstream media have moved on as well. But for the residents of Lahaina who lost everything, their suffering is continuing, even as those in power try to shirk responsibility.
If any justice is to be had for the failures that made the Maui wildfires some of the deadliest in the country’s history, it looks like it will be up to House Republicans to provide it.
Democrats do what they always do when their policies result in loss of life. They ignore and try to deflect responsibility onto others and then wait for the issue to be forgotten by both the MSM and the general public. There is a long history of this being the standard Democrat playbook going back several decades. One would hope that this might cause enough of the voting public in the state of Hawaii to reconsider their unwavering support for the Party and its policies that directly led to all the deaths and massive property destruction, but I’m enough of a realist to know that won’t happen. Ultimately, the voting public has to make better, more informed choices in who they vote for. Until that happens, places where Democrats control the entire state politically will be at risk for additional instances like this and others in the future.
Hard to support Americans when sending BILLIONS to Ukraine
Lying Crooked Joebama Biden shirking responsibility? . . . Gee, what a surprise! . . . NOT!
Deflect. LIE and DENY..then BLAME on Climate Change!
Watch this closely in coming days and See Who benefits the most from this disaster. I’m sure it won’t be those who lost their homes & loved ones. Biden’s attitudes & remarks were insulting and show his lack of mental ability. I’ve heard that land is being bought for ridiculously low prices by wealthy people whose homes were safe & sound, some well known Celebrities who already own a large chunk of the Island. There’s moser to this than meets the eye!
This is not a climate change fire. It was manmade. With support of the power company and water dept plus the emergency warning systems operators. Prior to the fire they rezoned Lahaina to become a 15 minute city. The governor, county commissioners and the mayor of Lahaina are all complicit in this disaster.To date nobody is allowed to go into the area unless accompanied by govt overseers. They cannot touch the ashes because of its toxicity of the dangerous chemicals contained in the ash. I think they don’t want anyone take any of the ashes out to test them what chemicals it contains. What will they find? Some chemicals that are not coming from the burning of the household goods and building materials? I think so.
Yesterday I saw a video taken one day after the fire and there is absolutely nothing to be found not even any walls or appliances. Everything is burned to the ground.Total devastation. Most fires in a housing area leaves something standing. Not here. Everything has melted. What accelerant was used? Nobody of the utility companies questioned have answers. If they could they would blame Trump and the Magas for this disaster. Like with everything the left has done, that is a disaster, the blame goes to the reps.
This disaster may never be proven that it was manmade. The people involved know it and in time the rest of America will know it too. For now the lies from ole Joe are working. He not only told lies while he was there he laughed and joked around and fell asleep during lunch with the victims. DO WE FEEL SAFE YET?
Hawaii; you get the government you elect and you ALWAYS elect democrats. Do you even know why you do thisz/It’s not because they’re looking out for you.
The “water tsar”, Manuel had such a smirky face when asked questions….I watched his interview and wanted to slap his face!! He stated he had to “ASK THE FARMERS IF THEY COULD USE WATER TO FIGHT THE FIRES!!!!” Really??? Stupidity of democrat jackazzes have no bounds. Then Joe flies in and tells his idiotic story of his “kitchen fire”…..”I almost lost my wife, my cat and my 67 Corvette”….which is a crock……Hey Joe…..NOBODY CARES what you “ALMOST LOST”!!
Biden is shirking ALL of his responsibilities so this is no surprise! Has he been to East Palestine, Ohio, yet? He has to take too many vacations just to keep his mind at the reduced level it is now!!
These poor people. I hope they remember who hates them and burned their children, family and friends alive.
Well, what else is New??? Jobama and Dem Comrades are only interested in spending trillions $$$ to satisfy their wish list to Go Green!
I’m betting Joe Biden bkames his ED on climate change as well… been stationed in the Navy on Oahu in ’97, rented a house in Ewa Beach. Power lines on Oahu/Ewa were pretty hinky due to sea air and the tropical climate. Stationed on Guam in 2000 and that was worse! The sea air and climate really do a number on connections and power poles and without upkeep are doomed for failure. But its always cleaper to ignore a problem if your government…
Republicans do need to step up in many cases. Changes are happening and we need the correct people in the right positions. There is a lot of concerns with Maui and the suffering taking place. My theory is when no one is helping or accepting responsibilities and haven’t found solution then there are things they don’t want us to know. It is prime real estate for the rich with soil, much land, water, sun that can produce much. I’ll let you fill in the rest but I’ll bet no bug farms created as a new food source there. Keep fighting Maui citizens it’s only going to get tougher but I do believe in miracles!
2,000 wooden poles hadn’t been tested in 10 years. Reporters: why not give the public the whole story? Why didn’t you ask how often they should be tested? If they are overdue for testing, then why weren’t they? I would like to know.
Just got back from Maui. One can see the devastation in spite of the fencing they have put up. It is heart-breaking. So many mistakes were made and now poor excuses for their complete inaction on the days of the fire. How can politicians be so wrong about everything!? So cruel, so inept!
There IS a land grab coming, and it will be from the state. Actually, early on, the Governor said as much. Yes, they have planned for a 15 -minute city – first for Lahaina, then for the island since 2015. The people are incensed. There are so many strange things that happened, and residents are trying to put it all together. Was this on purpose? Was the inattention willful? Like “they” have said; don’t let a good disaster go to waste! But never mind the lives lost? And homes and livelihoods destroyed? Normal people can’t understand that kind of response, but today’s Democrats aren’t normal people anymore. They can’t wait to be the first island to kowtow to the Climate Czars, the U.N. and Claus Schwab, et all.
I hope the Republicans look into whether DEWs were used. There is an Airforce facility on Maui that does research into DEWs. These Energy Weapons by satellite are silent, invisible in the daytime and can start fires of a horrendous temperature. A common brush fire burns at about 750 degrees. This fire had to be 2000 degrees or more to melt cars, aluminum, and other metals. We saw that. Not just scorched, melted! And appliances turned to white ash, along with everything else. Some areas of homes on the edges did have cement block walls or supports still standing, but nearer to the ocean – when perhaps the fire temp had lessened. Not downtown, though. It ravaged it all, right down to the water. You can see it on Google Earth’s website.
Where we were, a couple miles away – it was all as beautiful as ever. If you’re thinking of a Hawaii trip, all the island (except Lahaina) will be “open” after October 8th. Including the rest of West Maui (Kaanapali, Mahinahina, Kahana, Napili and Kapalua. Don’t hesitate to go and support the people and their jobs. Planes are half empty and restaurants need you. Be respectful and Give Them Some Aloha.
From just an observer who did a little searching. And who loves Hawaii and her people. They deserve so much better.
They should identify as Ukrainian if they want to get help! That seems to be the only ones we’re really helping right now
Is there any effort from rich and famous who were not touched by he fire to help those less fortunate ? After all they are the ones who can’t shut up about equality
To hell with US citizens, we have Nazis to fund in Ukraine. C’mon man!!
“…..it looks like it will be up to House Republicans to provide it (justice).”
Ooookayyy! I’m sure they’ll jump right on it. No reservations at all. . . from a bunch of idiots who wouldn’t even stand against pelosi’s house and watched her orchestrate the theft of the century. Glad I don’t live in Hawaii for all the underhanded crap that’s been going on there for decades.
Does anyone remember East Palestine, Ohio?
Isn’t it interesting co-incidental?) that the Maui Chief of Police, John Pelletier, is the same one who oversaw the Las Vegas shooting a couple of years ago?
What about all the evidence of the Direct Energy Weapon that was used to create the disaster?
Biden doesn’t care about Americans, only himself and family members. That is obvious in everything he has done and when people complain he try’s to shift blame to others and then creates a new “crisis” to distract the public’s attention away from the problems he alone, caused. .
I’m hoping the Hawaiian people will wise up and remember this when it comes to vote for our new president.
The thing for these folks to co is ensure that EVERY elected person who bares any responsibility for this is voted out of office. Also attend every public meeting by any agency involved to demand answers and action to make sure these failings aren’t allowed again. There is zero excuse for the power company being so far behind on maintenance.
I forgot to mention, The orange shirts of Samaritan’s Purse were evident there. One volunteer was asked, how long do you think S.P. will be working here? The answer: 3 to 6 years! He said they are capable of doing Everything as far as re-building & clean-up- now that the worst is being removed. But will the politicians allow them?? I wonder. An observation: no blue tarps, which I associate with S.P. There are No roofs to put them on. Please pray for the people, Samaritan’s Purse and for the rebuilding as the property owners want it, not the government. Thank you.
The Biden administration handler view Hawaii as an automatic Democrat vote, so no need to be concerned about their circumstances. And they’re probably correct in their thinking. The same people keep on voting these clowns into office no matter how bad things get while living under their administration policies. Apparently they all enjoy pain and suffering. I’m finding it increasingly difficult to have compassion for their situations when they refuse to reverse things by using some logical thinking and utilizing the simple act of voting only for those who get things straightened out – regardless of what party affiliation they belong to.
I hope the Hawaiin people have come to realize that the Biden Admin could care less about them!!
You get what you vote for and I bet the people of the 50th State will continue to elect Democrats.I would love to be wrong.
Bidum doesn’t care because it does not affect him, nor did the train wreck and toxic fire that followed in East Palestine OH. Nor the 13 who died when he pulled out of Afghanistan with no plan. Or the millions of illegals invading America across our Southern border. Bidum has Secret Service Protection 24/7 so he is insulated from the crime and the beatings of old men and women and he won’t be around long enough to worry about it much longer.
Remember “The buck stops here”? Can you name one time that Biden and the Dems have taken responsibility for messing up?
Dems Hate HI