Saturday, October 12, 2024
Hawai'i Free Press

Current Articles | Archives

Tuesday, April 27, 2010
Obama’s Justice Dep’t says no to Inouye: OKs purchase of Advertiser by group including Ed Case’s uncle
By Andrew Walden @ 7:33 PM :: 11203 Views :: Maui County, Education K-12, Energy, Environment, National News, Ethics

by Andrew Walden

The Obama Department of Justice has concluded its inquiry into anti-trust issues related to the purchase of the Honolulu Advertiser by owners of the Star-Bulletin.  The inquiry, which had been demanded April 20 by Senator Dan Inouye in a letter sent to the DoJ anti-trust division, found no reason for justice to block the sale.  Inouye had supported Hillary Clinton over Barack Obama in the 2008 Hawaii Democrat caucuses.

Interestingly, Inouye’s demand came immediately after the Advertiser’s April 18 endorsement of Inouye nemesis Ed Case, facing off in the May 1-22 Congressional Special Election against Republican Charles Djou and Inouye's favorite, Senate President Colleen Hanabusa.  Ed Case’s uncle, Grove Farm corporate attorney Dan H. Case, is among the Star-Bulletin minority owners participating in the takeover of the Advertiser. 

In an email sent out early this afternoon, Star-Bulletin “The Buzz” columnist Erika Engle wrote: “I am SUUUUUPER relieved. I believe this means the Guild contract with Star-Bulletin parent Oahu Publications Inc. will continue to be in force.”   The Advertiser reports the deal "will likely result in mass layoffs at both newspapers." 

As part of the purchase, the Star-Bulletin's owners will either sell the Star-Bulletin or merge it into a new publication to be called the Honolulu Star-Advertiser.  The transaction is expected to close Saturday May 1.

Three groups of potential purchasers have emerged.  State Sen. Sam Slom (R-Hawaii Kai) and www.HawaiiReporter.com publisher Malia Zimmerman, backed by local businesspeople in the Smart Business Hawaii group Slom heads are believed to be preparing a final offer for the Star-Bulletin to be submitted today.  Other potential purchasers include Texas-based Anthem Newspapers, and Frederick "Derick" Harris, owner of Big Island-based Cyber ID.

---30---

RELATED:

Links

TEXT "follow HawaiiFreePress" to 40404

Register to Vote

2aHawaii

Aloha Pregnancy Care Center

AntiPlanner

Antonio Gramsci Reading List

A Place for Women in Waipio

Ballotpedia Hawaii

Broken Trust

Build More Hawaiian Homes Working Group

Christian Homeschoolers of Hawaii

Cliff Slater's Second Opinion

DVids Hawaii

FIRE

Fix Oahu!

Frontline: The Fixers

Genetic Literacy Project

Grassroot Institute

Habele.org

Hawaii Aquarium Fish Report

Hawaii Aviation Preservation Society

Hawaii Catholic TV

Hawaii Christian Coalition

Hawaii Cigar Association

Hawaii ConCon Info

Hawaii Debt Clock

Hawaii Defense Foundation

Hawaii Family Forum

Hawaii Farmers and Ranchers United

Hawaii Farmer's Daughter

Hawaii Federation of Republican Women

Hawaii History Blog

Hawaii Jihadi Trial

Hawaii Legal News

Hawaii Legal Short-Term Rental Alliance

Hawaii Matters

Hawaii Military History

Hawaii's Partnership for Appropriate & Compassionate Care

Hawaii Public Charter School Network

Hawaii Rifle Association

Hawaii Shippers Council

Hawaii Together

HiFiCo

Hiram Fong Papers

Homeschool Legal Defense Hawaii

Honolulu Navy League

Honolulu Traffic

House Minority Blog

Imua TMT

Inouye-Kwock, NYT 1992

Inside the Nature Conservancy

Inverse Condemnation

July 4 in Hawaii

Land and Power in Hawaii

Lessons in Firearm Education

Lingle Years

Managed Care Matters -- Hawaii

MentalIllnessPolicy.org

Missile Defense Advocacy

MIS Veterans Hawaii

NAMI Hawaii

Natatorium.org

National Parents Org Hawaii

NFIB Hawaii News

NRA-ILA Hawaii

Obookiah

OHA Lies

Opt Out Today

Patients Rights Council Hawaii

Practical Policy Institute of Hawaii

Pritchett Cartoons

Pro-GMO Hawaii

RailRipoff.com

Rental by Owner Awareness Assn

Research Institute for Hawaii USA

Rick Hamada Show

RJ Rummel

School Choice in Hawaii

SenatorFong.com

Talking Tax

Tax Foundation of Hawaii

The Real Hanabusa

Time Out Honolulu

Trustee Akina KWO Columns

Waagey.org

West Maui Taxpayers Association

What Natalie Thinks

Whole Life Hawaii