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Hawaii lawmaker resigns from Republican Party to join Democrats

By Steve Gorman

REUTERS

 

U.S. Representative Beth Fukumoto is shown in this undated handout photo in Honolulu, Hawaii, U.S., provided March 22, 2017. Courtesy of Hawaii State Capitol/Handout via REUTERS

 

REUTERS - Hawaii lawmaker Beth Fukumoto, ousted last month as Republican leader of the state's House of Representatives after publicly criticizing President Donald Trump, resigned on Wednesday from her party to seek membership as a Democrat.

 

Fukumoto, 33, the youngest Hawaii legislator to serve as House minority leader, said divisive campaign rhetoric during the 2016 elections convinced her the Republican Party no longer reflected her political values or the interests of her state's diverse population.

 

"This election, I saw members of my party marginalizing and condemning minorities, ethnic or otherwise, and making demeaning comments towards women," she said in an open letter of resignation to the Republican Party.

 

Fukumoto, who is of mixed Japanese and Irish ancestry, said she found Trump's comments about banning Muslim immigrants and the possibility of establishing a registry of Muslim-Americans to be especially troubling.

 

"I wanted very badly to see the Republican Party denounce his comments, and that didn't happen," she told Reuters, saying a Muslim registry struck her as "one step away" from internment camps.

 

"That for me was the issue that really changed how I felt."

 

A self-described political moderate, Fukumoto was the first Republican in 26 years to represent the largely middle-class central Oahu district outside Honolulu, capital of the predominantly Democratic state.

 

She said she originally joined the Republicans out of a sense that Democrats were the status quo party, but she grew gradually disillusioned with the Republicans.

 

She recounted a fellow Republican caucus member admonishing her last year that they should be considered the "party of middle America" despite Hawaii's diverse demographics.

 

Before making the switch, Fukumoto sent out a questionnaire to constituents seeking their opinions. Of those who replied, 76 percent said they would support her regardless, while most of the remainder opposed her changing parties, she said.

 

First elected to the state legislature in 2012, Fukumoto became leader of the state's tiny House Republican caucus two years later, only to be removed by her peers in February of this year after she spoke out against Trump during the Women's March in Hawaii the day after his inauguration.

 

As of Wednesday, Fukumoto, became the lone independent among 45 Democrats and five remaining Republicans in the state's lower House, as she launches a process of applying for membership in the state's majority party.

 

(Reporting by Steve Gorman; Editing by Joseph Radford)

 

-- © Copyright Reuters 2017-03-23

[craigt3365]

Can't say the democrats are any better, but right now, they are better than the republicans.  Perhaps staying an independent is the best thing. A new party is desperately needed in the US.

[phantomfiddler]

Strange how someone of part japanese ancestry can find the banning of muslims so distasteful when Japan is one of the few countries with such a ban ! Sounds to me that she is going any way the wind blows.

[alfalfa19]

good for her.  

[alanrchase]

46 minutes ago, phantomfiddler said:

Strange how someone of part japanese ancestry can find the banning of muslims so distasteful when Japan is one of the few countries with such a ban ! Sounds to me that she is going any way the wind blows.

Why? She is American, not Japanese or Irish. 

[little mary sunshine]

Just looking out for Herself and

trying to make a buck.

[elgordo38]

52 minutes ago, phantomfiddler said:

Strange how someone of part japanese ancestry can find the banning of muslims so distasteful when Japan is one of the few countries with such a ban ! Sounds to me that she is going any way the wind blows.

Imagine she is so young and beautiful and has already found the holy grail of politics. Wet your finger and hold it up. 

[jesimps]

Reading her comments she doesn't sound like much of a Republican to me. How did it take her so long to realise that she was really a Democrat? 

A whistleblower in the making I'd say and the Republicans should consider themselves well shut of her, even if she is a bit of a babe.

 

[kamahele]

1 hour ago, phantomfiddler said:

Strange how someone of part japanese ancestry can find the banning of muslims so distasteful when Japan is one of the few countries with such a ban ! Sounds to me that she is going any way the wind blows.

She is American by birth. Why would anything the Japanese government does have anything to do with her reasoning or opinions? 

[kamahele]

Smart lady. Spoke her mind. Got sanctioned. Changed parties. Better than holding her tongue when she sees a wrong and saying nothing to protect her position. Brave.

[craigt3365]

1 hour ago, phantomfiddler said:

Strange how someone of part japanese ancestry can find the banning of muslims so distasteful when Japan is one of the few countries with such a ban ! Sounds to me that she is going any way the wind blows.

As mentioned, you've missed the point.  She's an American.  Just looks Asian.

 

Congrats to her for standing up.  More people need to do this.

[thaihome]

1 hour ago, phantomfiddler said:

Strange how someone of part japanese ancestry can find the banning of muslims so distasteful when Japan is one of the few countries with such a ban ! Sounds to me that she is going any way the wind blows.

In addition to the other comments on her being an American your basic claim about Japanese "ban" of muslims is incorrect and was debunked 2 years ago.

http://www.snopes.com/muslims-in-japan/

Can always tell a posters news sources by the debunked claims they make.

TH 

 

[louse1953]

2 hours ago, phantomfiddler said:

Strange how someone of part japanese ancestry can find the banning of muslims so distasteful when Japan is one of the few countries with such a ban ! Sounds to me that she is going any way the wind blows.

This is fake news.You shouldn't spread rumours about something you read without checking.

[Rhys]

Go for the "aina"  Hawaiian Sovereignty next.  Aloha Anui Loa Beth...

[little mary sunshine]

1 hour ago, craigt3365 said:

As mentioned, you've missed the point.  She's an American.  Just looks Asian.

 

Congrats to her for standing up.  More people need to do this.

Congrats?..Never. Looking to protect herself

and land a big bucks job with the Dems....hope

they give her the heave ho!!

[Rhys]

2 hours ago, kamahele said:

She is American by birth. Why would anything the Japanese government does have anything to do with her reasoning or opinions? 

Ethnicity vs nationality....

[rijb]

1 hour ago, Rhys said:

Ethnicity vs nationality....

Lots of Japanese in Hawaii.

[Emster23]

8 hours ago, craigt3365 said:

Can't say the democrats are any better, but right now, they are better than the republicans.  Perhaps staying an independent is the best thing. A new party is desperately needed in the US.

Uh, seems you can say they are better than republicans.... I agree both major parties don't seem to serve the people, but at least demos don't go out of their way to harm and vilify people purposefully. More like collateral damage

[craigt3365]

10 hours ago, rijb said:

Lots of Japanese in Hawaii.

Good point.  LOTS of Japanese in Hawaii.  Both residents and tourists.

[Ahab]

Hawaii is almost entirely Democratic with only a very small handful of Republicans serving anywhere in the state government. Many Republicans in Hawaii over the years have shifted over to being Democrats to be able to get stuff done and hold committee positions.

[darksidedog]

Fair play to her for having the integrity to stand up for her convictions.

It could not have been an easy decision, but the points she makes are very valid.

The Republican party is going in the wrong direction.

[stevenl]

Hawaii is almost entirely Democratic with only a very small handful of Republicans serving anywhere in the state government. Many Republicans in Hawaii over the years have shifted over to being Democrats to be able to get stuff done and hold committee positions.

A very small hand, is Trump involved?

sent using Tapatalk

[louse1953]

On 23/03/2017 at 3:29 PM, phantomfiddler said:

Strange how someone of part japanese ancestry can find the banning of muslims so distasteful when Japan is one of the few countries with such a ban ! Sounds to me that she is going any way the wind blows.

This is fake news.

[ilostmypassword]

On 3/23/2017 at 5:26 PM, craigt3365 said:

As mentioned, you've missed the point.  She's an American.  Just looks Asian.

 

Congrats to her for standing up.  More people need to do this.

Actually, she looks just as American as any other American.

[craigt3365]

7 minutes ago, ilostmypassword said:

Actually, she looks just as American as any other American.

Perfect!!!!!!

[mrwebb8825]

On 3/23/2017 at 8:17 PM, Emster23 said:

I agree both major parties don't seem to serve the people, but at least demos don't go out of their way to harm and vilify people purposefully.

You mean like the "demos" that attacked the pro-trump rally in CA. over the weekend? 

[Jingthing]

4 minutes ago, mrwebb8825 said:

You mean like the "demos" that attacked the pro-trump rally in CA. over the weekend? 

That's unfair to characterize that faction as in any representative of the democratic party. They were "antifa" extremist activists. 

 

As long as you're referencing the horrors of that event, please add some balance to it. At that event, some pro-trumpists were chanting a chant indicating that dissenters should be thrown off helicopters in a similar fashion to the previous fascist Argentinian regime. There is alt-right and then there is also alt-reich. 

Edited March 27, 2017 by Jingthing

[mrwebb8825]

Just now, Jingthing said:

That's unfair to characterize that faction as in any representative of the democratic party. They were "antifa" extremist activists. 

So, once again it's fair when the dems point the fingers at the GOP but completely unfair when the fingers get pointed back.

[Jingthing]

Just now, mrwebb8825 said:

So, once again it's fair when the dems point the fingers at the GOP but completely unfair when the fingers get pointed back.

I didn't say that but I get it, you're promoting a pro-trumpist narrative. 

[mrwebb8825]

2 minutes ago, Jingthing said:

I didn't say that but I get it, you're promoting a pro-trumpist narrative. 

Yes you did say that. The 1st 2 words of your retort were "That's unfair". What I said was true. What you Don't get is just how tired I am of the pot calling the kettle black.

 

When Obama got elected I gave him every opportunity to make the changes that he promised and was sorely disappointed for 8 yrs. Now the shoes on the other foot and it's really getting old very fast that the 1st POTUS elected in my lifetime who is trying to make good on his promises gets bashed for tying his shoes differently.

Everyone complains about getting the same old crap from dishonest politicians but look how they cry when they don't have one to cry about.