HILO, Hawaii – Dwight Vicente, a participant in the Thirty Meter Telescope contested case, made his argument last week that the State of Hawaii lacks jurisdiction due to the overthrow of the Hawaiian Kingdom in 1893. Its an argument that Vicente has been faithfully making for years at public hearings and government meetings held on Hawaii Island.

During the August 5 pre-hearing conference in Hilo, Vicente made a dizzying recitation of the dates and citations that support his thesis, without even looking at his notes.

Vicente’s motion to disqualify the hearing officer, retired Judge Riki May Amano, was denied by the Board of Land and Natural Resources prior to the Aug. 5 conference, which hired Amano to preside over the hearing.

Vicente’s argument that State of Hawaii lack of jurisdiction to hear this contested case also failed to gain traction with Amano, who denied that portion of the motion. Amano ruled earlier that day that the political status of the State of Hawaii will not be an issue in this contested case hearing.

NOTE: This is one part of a multi-part video series documenting the numerous motions ruled on by Judge Amano during the August 5, 2016 pre-hearing conference. The full video collection is here.