Aloha Republicans:

If you're keeping score, we've lost two Minority Leaders in a row to the Democrats:   Aaron "Ling" Johanson and Beth Fukumoto ( formerly Beth Fukumoto-Chang).  Both of these traitors publicly and privately blame HIRA for outing them as closet Democrats.   HIRA does not deny this.  It had to be done.

For many in Hawaii, Fukumoto's firing yesterday was the first time they realized that some Republicans are really Democrats in disguise.  Shocking, we know!

But, honestly,  neither Johanson nor his successor Fukumoto should have been leading Republicans in the first place.   Both steadfastly refused to lead the fight against 62 years of failed Democrat policies.   Both were grossed out by what most Republicans actually stand for.  And both had voting records which were indistinguishable from Democrats.

[ Sure, go ahead and blame HIRA for being honest, Aaron and Beth.  But the ultimate lesson from this 2nd debacle in a row is a lesson for your GOP colleagues who never should have put RINO's like you in charge of the Republican caucus.]

Let's be blunt, we've now had two Minority Leaders in a row who have defected.  Please let that sink in.   The two "best choices" for the job hoped to make Republicans more like Democrats and then bailed when that didn't work out.   That's like hiring two store managers in a row who not only performed poorly but then they went to work for the competition.  Selecting Johanson and Fukumoto to lead the Minority Caucus shows seriously questionable judgment.  Hopefully, while Donald Trump tightens up the vetting procedures for Syrian refugees, our elected Republican officials at the State Capitol will greatly improve their own vetting procedures for picking leaders in the years ahead.   NOTE:  Not more than 10 years ago, our GOP Minority Leader was a RINO named Galen Fox who  resigned after being convicted of a federal misdemeanor for fondling a woman on a flight from Honolulu to Los Angeles.   We deserve better than the endless bad choices our GOP legislators keep making.

In HIRA's 9-minute video released a year ago, we documented how Beth Fukumoto would keep leading the GOP into the dumps.  Notwithstanding that, two weeks ago, the Minority Caucus unanimously decided to pick Fukumoto anyway.  Though already watched by more than 11,000 on Facebook and YouTube, HIRA's video MUST be seen by ALL Republicans who care about the future of our party.  We can learn from all the warning signs which were there for years:

Picking Johanson and Fukumoto was an act of political suicide  and represents the kind of dumb and shortsighted thinking which keeps our party from realizing any success.  Seriously, a nybody paying even the slightest attention to Fukumoto's words, actions, policies, and affiliations could see that a disaster like this has been looming for years.   Yes, ALL the signs were there .

If Republicans hope to control their destiny in this post-Fukumoto era, we first need to fully appreciate just how hard this closet Democrat ( and her predecessor Johanson) worked to smother our policy ambitions of repealing and replacing so many failed Democrat policies in Hawaii.   Fukumoto held us down for two years, all the while threatening to bail and switch parties.  And she was ready to keep the pillow over our faces; smothering us for another two years with the full blessing and unanimous support of the other five Republicans in the House GOP caucus.

In this spirit, please join HIRA in holding the feet of Democrats and Republicans alike to the fire so we can expeditiously make Hawaii a prosperous, pro-family, pro-business state which soon eliminates its "blue state" status with a vibrant Republican political majority at the county, state and federal levels of government.  It can be done.

Yesterday, Beth Fukumoto was fired from her job as Minority Leader for the ever-shrinking GOP caucus of Republicans in the State House.  We've now officially hit rock bottom and -- with YOUR help -- this will be the lowest point in Hawaii's Republican history.

So let's turn things around.   Here are two things you can do:

1.  Join HIRA today and/or donate to HIRA Action.  While the Hawaii GOP remains asleep at the wheel, the Hawaii Republican Assembly continues to lead the way forward so we can 'drain the swamp' in Hawaii.

2.  Join the movement below - the Phoenix Project, a coalition of real Republicans (a.k.a. conservatives) who are teaming up to 'take back our party'.  Can you imagine a well-run, powerfully-directed and resurgent Republican Party in Hawaii which actually changes the game?  You can be part of this solution.  Information is below.

Finally, a big t hanks to everyone who helped fan the flames of HIRA's campaign to FIRE Beth Fukumoto.   With the right party leadership and the right legislative leadership, we can finally start making a strong case which gets the attention of voters and taxpayers all across the state.  Join us today, change Hawaii tomorrow!

Mahalo,

ERIC RYAN

President, Hawaii Republican Assembly (HIRA)

Chairman, HIRA Action SuperPAC

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