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By Jim Dooley and Malia Zimmerman | Hawaii Reporter
Andrew Winer
HONOLULU — Politically influential local lawyer Andrew Winer is at the top of the three-name list of nominees to fill a federal court judicial vacancy here, Hawaii Reporter has learned.
He resigned that position and returned to Hawaii earlier this year. He works as a lead strategist for U.S. Rep. Mazie Hirono’s U.S. Senate campaign. He’s also been the lead strategist on the campaign of U.S. Sen. Daniel Akaka and former Council member Duke Bainum.
Winer directed President Barack Obama’s Hawaii election campaign in 2008 and later took a position in the Obama administration, serving as director of external affairs in the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.
A vacancy opens on the U.S. District Court bench here later this month when Judge David Ezra moves to senior judge status.
A federal Judicial Selection Commission headed by Lawrence Okinaga interviewed prospective candidates for the judge’s job here and forwarded a list of three nominees to U.S. Sen. Daniel Inouye and Akaka.
Those names then were reportedly forwarded to the White House for final selection. Read the full story at HawaiiReporter.com
