A potential whistleblower who flagged ethics concerns at Hawaiian Electric years before this year’s wildfires would provide nothing but “irrelevant, inflammatory and confidential” information to the litigation, according to the utility now sued over the damages.
Hawaiian Electric Industries Inc. filed a Nov. 22 motion to quash the subpoena of ex-employee Mark Thaller, who, from 2014 to 2016, was an energy contract manager responsible for planning renewable energy resources. Plaintiffs lawyers suing on behalf of victims of the Maui wildfires sought documents from Thaller that they say reveal Hawaiian Electric’s knowledge about wildfire risks.
Chief Douglas Otaru, the former publicity secretary who was recently removed from his position following the APC state congress, was quoted as making several allegations against Dr. Aliyu Bello, t...