Hawaii Gov. Abercrombie's Health Director Quits

HONOLULU - Interim Hawaii Health Director Dr. Neal Palafox abruptly quit Wednesday, the first of new Gov. Neil Abercrombie's Cabinet appointees to leave.

The reason for Palafox's resignation was a mystery, and he wouldn't say whether he was asked to resign.

Abercrombie's office said Palafox asked the Democratic governor to withdraw his nomination.

"Gov. Abercrombie accepted Dr. Palafox's request and will make a new appointment for the Health Director as soon as possible," spokeswoman Donalyn Dela Cruz said in a statement.

The Attorney General's office wouldn't comment on whether it's investigating Palafox, said Joshua Wisch, special assistant to the attorney general.

Palafox, 58, said he was surprised when he heard TV news reports citing anonymous sources claiming he was under investigation for medical billing fraud.

"I get handed these e-mails about investigations and so forth, but I have no clue. I'm lost," Palafox said.

University of Hawaii John A. Burns School of Medicine Dean Jerris Hedges said the school is unaware of any pending investigation. Hedges said Palafox will return to his job at the school, where he was chairman of the Department of Family Medicine before his nomination.

The state Department of Commerce and Consumer Affairs said it had no complaints about Palafox over the last five years.

No criminal cases named Palafox in a search of federal and state court records.

Sen. Clayton Hee, who has overseen many confirmation hearings, said he suspected that the Abercrombie administration's review of Palafox's background overlooked key information.

"An issue has arisen, probably having to do with personal reasons, and that suggests to me that the vetting process wasn't as complete as it should have been," said Hee, D-Kahuku-Kaneohe, chairman of the Judiciary Committee.

U.S. Sen. Daniel Inouye's office said allegations that he pressured Abercrombie to oust Palafox are false.

"Sen. Inouye and his staff stand ready to assist Gov. Abercrombie and his administration in whatever way possible," said Inouye spokesman Peter Boylan.

When Abercrombie named Palafox as health director last month, he commended Palafox's "proven track record to rebuild our system of public health."

Palafox served on the active medical staff at Wahaiwa General Hospital, and he previously was medical director for the Republic of the Marshall Islands.

[flounderaz]

I wonder who raft and lawyer hate the most? Swift boat vets, Dan Rather memo doubters, birthers, tea party, global warming skeptics? T. Boone Pickens offered one million$ to anyone who could disprove anything the Swift Boats said in their ads, book, public statements, etc. Pickens had to pay out zero. You cannot be sued for personal opinions. Example: "I think John Kerry is a coward and never earned the Purple Hearts he applied for". What the Swift Boat Vets did was stated as facts they personnaly witnessed. If false, it is legally actionable as slander. How many lawsuits did John Kerry launch for all the lies the media said Swift Boat Vets told? How much did he collect? Zero and zero. Dan Rather's memos were done on Microsoft Word. I wonder if raft and lawyer are aware that software did not exist in 1972 when Dan's "proof" was made? Global Warming???? Which globe are they talking about? When was the last time you heard about the hole in the ozone layer, Y2K, nuclear winter, the killer bees.... Talk about gullible.

[jtl5]

Rafterboy I and so have others given you the evidence, Rather. pun intended, taken and dismantled your evidence. Keep believing. We all need morons around to make other liberals look intelligent.

[bornpolitical]

Mr. rafterman,:
Actually, gullibility is about deception, not believability.

Sorry, wrong again.

[bornpolitical]

Ah, now you have actually asked a question that I can address.

If there is actually an original long form then the case is closed. As long as it is not produced, then there is cause to question it. That is what we are debating, is it not?

As far as Lawyers-Guns reply is concerned, he actually posited his position. That is what a debate is. Simply stating a position does not make it right. That is why we have courts and a congress.

Unlike Lawyers-Guns who uses references and published opinions in his arguement, you are congenitally incapable of critical thinking.

Grow up

[bornpolitical]

There is a word that describes your line of reasoning, sophistry
soph?ist?ry
/?s?f?stri/ [sof-uh-stree]
-noun, plural -ries.
1. a subtle, tricky, superficially plausible, but generally fallacious method of reasoning.
2. a false argument; sophism.
conspiracy theory scams, which have already been debunked.

Yes, you are not like Unlike Lawyers-Guns. He takes the time to post reasoned, researched and plausible arguments that can be intelligently debated.

You see my young skull of mush (I know, it is from Rush)until you settle down, take your meds, and come to the table with more than your inane talking points, nobody is going to take you seriously.

So once again, grow up.

[jtl5]

@ Rafterman; You are retarded and thats it. I mean it. It is all over the news and papers that as you say"the repub governor saw it".
No she didn't and she has said that. She said she is cinfident that it is here because people whon she felt were credible said it was there. Now the present Governor who said he saw Obama born has changed his tune. He absolutely sure he idn't see "Barry" until he was several years old. walking to be exact and how many newborns do you know that can walk? I'm sure you know thousands and they were talking too and all Demidiots.
The former health director Fukino, Supervisor Okubo are now saying they never saw it and they are being investigated for perjury, making false statements, altering documents, falsifying documents etc;They have lawyered up, did you know that? Of course they are innocent until proven guilty. But theres a pattern developing here.
Like the pattern where you can't think. The FEC's has said that they were told no such document existed and to be quiet. The FBI background check I can't comment on but I'll bet that soon a high ranking FBI supervisor will announce early retirement. Again you and fatchick.orgie. What is it with you. They have already been discredited. They are out of Philly but are funded by the Annenberg Foundation out of Chicago. A very left wing foundation but better yet guess who was one their board? That's' right your messiah Barrack Hussein Obama from Kenya was on their. So fatchick.org has a major credibility problem. The two press clipppings......you are retarded. How do I say this with out getting in trouble. People from foreign countries often would contact someone here, or a company, to contact the department of health or do it themselves then itt was published. If you went to the DOH they congratulate you and call the paers. Funny thing though. they both have his grand mothers address. The Obama's never listed her home as their residence ever. It's all in the details.

[bornpolitical]

As usual, you are making it up as you go along. Where has anybody said, "the sky is green"?

Once again, you do not argue with facts and references, you speak in invectives and ad hominem attacks. It is a lazy way to argue but that is your way.

[bornpolitical]

Sorry, not sure what the whine comment is but let's have a look at your facts.
I have a few facts that you can look at to see if your assumptions are accurate. It may keep you busy. Get back when you have rebutted all of these. Here we go....
1. In order to be eligible and qualified to run for Office of the President you must be a "natural born" citizen. United States Constitution, Article II, Section I.
2. Obama claims he was born in Hawaii however, his grandmother in Kenya,
brother and sister claim they were present during Obama's birth in Kenya.
3. Obama's mother was not old enough to have met the residence requirements
to have Obama registered as a "natural born" citizen if fact Obama was born in Kenya.
4. If in fact Obama was born in Kenya, the laws on the books at the time of his birth stated if a child is born abroad and one parent was a U.S. Citizen, which would have been his
C:\Documents and Settings\DAD\My Documents\BarackObama Motion for TRO.doc 2 mother, Stanley Ann Dunham, Defendant's mother would have had to live ten (10) years in the U.S., five (5) of which were after the age of fourteen (14). At the time of Defendant's
birth, his mother was only eighteen (18) and therefore did not meet the residency requirements under the law to give her son (the Defendant) U.S. Citizenship. The laws in effect at the time of Defendant's birth prevented U.S. Citizenship at birth of children born abroad to a U.S. Citizen parent and a non-citizen parent, if the citizen parent was under the age of nineteen (19) at the time of the birth of the child. Defendant's mother did not qualifyunder the law on the books to register Defendant as a "natural born" citizen. Section 301(a)(7) of the Immigration and Nationality Act of June 27, 1952, 66 Stat. 163, 235, 8
U.S.C. ?1401(b), Matter of S-F- and G-, 2 I & N Dec. 182. Obama would have only been Naturalized and a Naturalized citizen is not qualified and/or eligible to run for Office of the President. U.S. Constitution, Article II, Section I, Clause 4.
5. Even if Obama's birth could have been registered as "natural born" in the United States, Obama lost his United States Citizenship when his mother, Stanley Ann Dunham married Lolo Soetoro, a citizen of Indonesia and relocated with Obama to Indonesia, where Obama spent four (4) years. The first requirement is that naturalization must be achieved through "application." This means that naturalization affected through workings of
law is not effective to produce loss of citizenship. Such type of naturalization occurs, for example, when a person acquires a foreign nationality by marriage to a national of that country. Nationality Act of 1940, Section 317(b).
6. As stated above, The Nationality Act of 1940 provided for the loss of
citizenship when the person became naturalized upon the naturalization of his or her parent having custody of such person. Obama's mother expatriated her U.S. Citizenship C:\Documents and Settings\DAD\My Documents\BarackObama Motion for TRO.doc 3 when she married Lolo Soetoro, a citizen of Indonesia and relocated her and her so(Defendant) to Indonesia.
7. Obama's mother failed to take the oath in order to regain her U.S.
Citizenship. Therefore, Obama would not have been able to regain his U.S. Citizenship until he turned eighteen (18) years after he took the oath of allegiance before a diplomati or consular officer of the United States, or in the U.S. before the Attorney General or the
judge or clerk of court. Plaintiff is informed, believes and thereon alleges Defendant failed to regain his citizenship by taking the oath of allegiance. Since the oath of allegiance would have been entered in the records of the appropriate embassy, legation,consulate, court or the Attorney General, if Plaintiff is incorrect, then Defendant should
be able to produce in Court a certified copy of the proceedings,including a copy of the oath administered.
8. Defendant and his Campaign office have been asked for Defendant's
Certificate of Birth in order to prove he is a "natural born" citizen as required by the U.S.Constitution.

more coming

[bornpolitical]

9. After many attempts of the public to obtain Defendant's Certificate of
Birth, a Hawaiian Certificate of Live Birth (COLB) was placed on Defendant's campaign
website. However, as posted all over the internet three (3) independent Document
Forensic Experts performed extensive Forensic testing on the Certificate of Live Birth posted on Defendant's campaign website. The Forensic Expert findings were the Certificate of Live Birth (COLB) was in fact a forgery. It was further discovered the original Certificate of Live Birth which had been altered and forged was issued to Maya Kasandra Soetoro, born in 1970. Maya Kasandra Soetoro is Defendant's half sister who C:\Documents and Settings\DAD\My Documents\BarackObama Motion for TRO.doc 4 was born in Indonesia and her birth was later registered in Hawaii. The altered and
f o r g e d COLB is still on Defendant's website located at http://my.barackobama.com/page/invite/birthcert
10. Further discovery and investigation led to Defendant's State Bar
Registration and Public Disciplinary Record. On the Illinois State Bar Registration and
Public Disciplinary Record it specifically asks for "Full former name(s). Defendant put "None", when in fact he went by the name Barry Soetoro, and Barry Obama. It is further believed Defendant has used the name Barry Dunham. Defendant lied on the State government form that he signed under the penalty of perjury.
10. The Democratic National Committee (DNC) is supposed to represent and
protect the interests of working Americans, which includes securing a Democratic Nominee on the Presidential Election ballot who represents the Democratic vision and
who is qualified and eligible to run for Office of the President under the qualifications of the United States Constitution. The DNC has failed to inquire into Obama's eligibility

[crazyname]

The stuff is about to finally hit the fan and whever is lying about the birth certificate should go to jail. No matter how high up the coverup goes. The dems were calling all this a stupid republican attempt to get rid of Obama as president, and the people behind it idiots and nuts and a host of other names. If all this comes to light as true, a lot of heads will roll and it appears the guys in Hawaii are not willing to keep the hoax going!

[jtl5]

@jimatmadison; As I stated earlier I am in no way convinced in the validity of that Kenyan BC. I should have stated that with more entusiam but I did mention it earlier. I do have reservations about it. But that point is irrellevant. His father was a Kenyan citizen or actually a subject or citizen of Britain. That alone precludes him from being Potus. He can be a USA citizen, congressman, governor, ambassador etc: Show us the documents.

[bornpolitical]

There you go again siting statute law as evidence. Where are your FEELINGS?

[jtl5]

@rafterman: you r atotal AH!!!! ive said ten times that we do know allot of facts now but you keep lying and changing them The Grandmother went to the Dept of health and notified them of a live birth. The state then Created a certificate of live birth not a birth certificate and they are not interchangeable. The stae then palced an announcement in two newspapers of his birth not citizenship. The hospitals have no records of his birth. The announcements had his grand mothers address even though the Obama's said that they never lived with her. The address they gave was aprofessors who did not know them. They got to HI several weeks after Obama's Birth.Rafterman keep ignoring the facts the former and present gonernor never saw the birth certificate. The head of the health dept and an aide Fukino and Okudo have taken back what they said about seing the birth certificate. They are being investigated now for altering gov't docs and perjury. And you use the racist card one more time I will persoanlly knock every bone in your body out side of your skin you little squirrel.

[WeHappyFew]

Ah I see you are a troll. No worries. Knock yourself out.

[bornpolitical]

You are beating a dead horse. Liberalism is a non-treatable mental illness.

It is what it is and it will play out one way or the other, regardless if they choose to ignore them or not.

Facts are pesky things. They are relentless and do not give up. They will come out and this will be settled.

In the mean time, be patient.

[jtl5]

@wehappyfew; please get off the pipe.You try to cloud the issue and it isn't working. It happened quite often parents would have new borns in foreign lands but they would play the system and have an announcement of birth here. You libs are so worried that you let a criminal into the WH and once revealed it will crush the dems and all the supporters of this crininal act. again. His parents wanted a better life for their child born in Kenya to a father who was a Kenyan citizen and an american mother. Therfore little O is not a natural citizen. It was not a conspiracy at this birth to take over the WH but he is not eligible to be in the WH.

Keep covering it up, making new excuses up, calling skeptics all types of insults etc: If I or anyone else is wrong it is YOUR'S AND OBAMA"S BURDEN TO PROVE HE IS A CITIZEN. I can't prove a negative. Show us the Birth Certificate long form not the Certificate of live birth which is worthless for what is required. Show us his school transcripts like all other Presidents have had to do. What because he is black he doesn't have to follow the same laws and requirements? Sorry but he does.

Sorry but no affirmative action for him regarding this. When it blows up and it will you and your ilk will lose every election for years. Theres no one to blame but your liberal democratic leaders for allowing this to happen. But I'm sure your group of fools are blaming Bush and Cheyney but that won't work either.

[WeHappyFew]

Where to begin? Allow me to disabuse you of the idea it is MY responsibility to prove Obama is anything. I fail to see where in my post I have traded personal and general insults or ascertained this issue has anything to do with race. My post does not state whether I believe he is or isn't eligible for the WhiteHouse. Unfortunately, the same cannot be said of your post.

Let me assure you I am not worried about the 'likelihood' of putting a criminal in the WhiteHouse though I do think those voters who support the party who put Nixon in office need to think on.

I will make my point again. This is not a case of lying on your CV for a manager's position at Walmart. If Obama is not eligible to be President on such an obvious technicality why have not the GOP refused to take part in this administration until the matter is resolved? Why have ALL the vested interests been complicit? As I say, If you are correct, Obama is the least of your worries.

I would ask in future, if you are replying to my comment, attach my post so others may see what I actually wrote as opposed to your totally bogus version.

Many thanks.

[jimatmadison]

I used to think that birtherism was a myth - that nobody was actually dumb enough to believe the birther fables.

I assumed it was the usual right wing crap where a bunch of angry, depressed, intellectually impotent people would spout off just to rile each other up and feel better about it afterward.

I'm beginning to think that some of you actually believe this hooha.

That means there's a whole paranoid subculture devoted to propping up these stories at any cost to the truth.

That's actually a little frightening. Mostly funny, but a little frightening nevertheless.

[bornpolitical]

The irony of your position is that it is now merging, with the Abercromby fiasco, that this is actually a ploy from the left to discredit the right.

It is just to fishy that even with all of what you call hooha that Obama would not simply produce the document and put this to rest. After all,the bunch of angry, depressed, intellectually impotent people, the so called bithers, are in are in fact citizens and are entitled to some answers.

So as long as this is kept fuzzy and arcane by Obama, it will continue to percalate and cause people to be suspisious.

The current theory is that he will spring the origional document on us just prior to the next election nullifying and discrediting the right and winning the mushy middle.

Either way, Obama needs to man up and settle this.

[jtl5]

Read this and then shuitup. maybe Rachel Madbull will talk to you.

Exactly correct!! Additionally, the former Director of Health (******) was fired 2 weeks ago for finally coming clean and admitting the truth. Also, on January 18th the former Senior Elections clerk May, 2008-Sept. 2008 signed a sworn and notarized statement declaring that he had been told on numerous occasions by his supervisors that NO LONG FORM BC existed for Obama..that is was common knowledge AND that there was no record of his birth at either hospital in Hawaii. This will make Watergate look like nothing. The truth will come out. Also MSNBC (liberal) did a poll and 43% of their poll had questions regarding his place of birth...hardly "fringe"..other polls have that number as high as 60%. That would be a MAJORITY of the American people.


Read more: http://www.cbsnews.com/8601-250_162-7288553-0.html?assetTypeId=30&blogId=&tag=contentBody;commentWrapper#ixzz1Cdh6KPIQ

[Wayne_In_Akron]

Hey LGnM06...

Why don't you admit you can't defend your claims and can't refute what we have presented.

It is a good thing that you have founded the "Save the Idiots Foundation." You can serve the triple role of Charter Member, Beneficiary, and Founder.

[i_say_so]

HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA.Funny.LGM deserved that.

[Wayne_In_Akron]

LGnM06...

You've 'done what' numerous times?

You claimed that Abercrombie never made a statement, yet I provided you with the AP story where he did.

You claim that 'everyone in Hawaii' gets a certificate of live birth, even if there birth certificate is on file. Not true!

You claim that the 1961 newspaper listing is proof, but don't address the fact that those outlets accepted listings from anyone, without any requirement of proof.

Have you ever noticed how carefully crafted both of the press releases from the (now former) Hawai'i Health Director back in 2008 and 2009 were?

In 2008, he wrote that he has:

"personally seen and verified that the Hawai'i State Department of Health has Sen. Obama's original birth certificate ON RECORD".

NOT that it is ON FILE, but "on record".

Then in 2009 Dr. Fukino issued another press release where he stated he had "seen the original vital records maintained on file by the Hawaii State Deptartment of Health".

"Original vital records maintained on file".... NOT THE BIRTH CERTIFICATE.

These carefully crafted statements would seem be in line with the current Health Department spokeswoman Janice Okubo's statement earlier this month that "Obama's name is found in its alphabetical list of names of people born in Hawaii."

Again... NO INDICATION OF A BIRTH CERTIFICATE.