Woo vs. Harmon - Witness Oprah Winfrey

David C. Farmer, Successor-Trustee vs. Harmon

(Formerly Woo vs. Harmon & Nicholson vs. Harmon)

CV05-00030 DAE KSC

U.S. District Court For the District of Hawaii

Judges: David A. Ezra; Kevin S. Chang

—

DEFENDANT’S WITNESS

OPRAH WINFREY

Television show host; owner of substantial land holdings on Maui, Hawaii.

E-mail: http://www.oprah.com/email/tows/email_tows_main.jhtml

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December 7, 2007

Oprah Winfrey Presents: Barack Obama

Examining the Transitive Property of a Media Mogul's Endorsement

By NITYA VENKATARAMAN

In the world of retail, there's star power, there's celebrity endorsement and then there's Oprah Winfrey. Her Midas touch saves names from anonymity, best sellers from dusty storerooms and favorite things from Internet obscurity.

But as Winfrey has long chosen abstinence in the arena of political endorsements and campaign-trail theater, her capital remains untested. Until now.

In May, Winfrey affirmed her support for Sen. Barack Obama's presidential candidacy to Larry King, describing Obama's leadership as "worth me going out on a limb for." In September, the media titan feted Obama at a California fundraiser, raking in more than $3 million for the Illinois senator's White House bid.

And this weekend, Winfrey hits the trail with the Democratic candidate, making appearances alongside Obama in Iowa, South Carolina and New Hampshire. Though Winfrey made a third-quarter contribution to Obama's primary bid, she acknowledged that because of contribution limits, "my money isn't going to make any difference to him. I think that my value to him, my support of him, is probably worth more than a check."

Cashing In on 'The Oprah Effect'

Political science professor Matt Baum, who published a research paper "The Oprah Effect" for a 2006 study, described Winfrey as a "nonpartisan, above-the-fray, trusted source for women" who politically "has been difficult to pigeonhole," which Baum said, "furthers her ability to come into it now."

Acknowledging the power of Winfrey's glitter, Baum believes that ultimately she'll have little effect on whether or not Obama can harness the numbers necessary to seize the Democratic presidential nomination.

"By virtue of having endorsed Obama, she's no longer above the fray -- she's in the fray," said Baum, a decision he said could erode Winfrey's capital, since she probably has "more credibility than any other celebrity that lives."...

http://abcnews.go.com/Politics/Vote2008/story?id=3965092&page=1

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May 8, 2007

Oprah Winfrey picks Barack Hussein Obama
for President

By Stone Martindale May 8, 2007, 0:58 GMT

Chat queen Oprah Winfrey is giving Barack Hussein Obama her giant "O" seal of approval. Winfrey endorsed Obama Tuesday on CNN.

Will it have an discernible effect on the upcoming presidential politics?

For the first time, Winfrey endorsed a political candidate, Senator Obama, Democrat from Illinois. In an interview on “Larry King Live” on CNN, she declared she was backing the senator “because I know him personally.”

“I think that what he stands for, what he has proven that he can stand for, what he has shown was worth me going out on a limb for,” Ms. Winfrey told King on Tuesday. “And I haven’t done it in the past because I haven’t felt that anybody — I didn’t know anybody well enough to be able to say, ‘I believe in this person.’ ”

Political observers and commentators have noted that Senator Hillary Clinton probably is none too pleased about the nod to Obama by Winfrey...

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From http://www.hawaiithreads.com

Miulang

September 25th, 2005

Oprah Winfrey (http://www.mauinews.com/story.aspx?id=12762) just announced that she would be purchasing a large tract of land from Hana Ranch and turning it into a preserve so that no one will ever be able to develop it. She has plans to put only one house on the 63 acres near Hamoa Beach, which means that 5 multimillion dollar minimansions will not be built. If she also allows locals to continue to use the area, that would be a big win for the people of Hana, who have seen many outsiders snap up land in the area and deny access to the places that locals have always been able to visit.

"...Winfrey will buy six lots covering 63 acres at Mokae, adjacent to Hamoa Beach, and she is expected to build a single residence there. The joint conservation project will be in the neighboring Haneoo and Hamoa districts.

In addition, the ranch is in ongoing discussions with Winfrey, the land trust and other landowners for a separate project adding 26 or more acres to an existing 42-acre conservation easement at Makaalae.

In a letter distributed to the Hana community on Friday, Hana Ranch Chief Operating Officer Dan Omer and Chief Executive Officer William Newsom said the arrangement would be “one of the most important private conservation efforts to occur on Maui.”

If the deal goes through and Winfrey builds at Mokae, she is expected to forego plans to build on a 102-acre Lehoula property she bought in 2002 with her friend and personal trainer Bob Greene.

The ranch’s announcement of its deal with Winfrey was greeted with elation by members of the Hana community contacted by The Maui News on Friday...."

If rich people have to buy up land in Hawai'i, let it be people like Oprah and Jason Scott Lee (on the Big Island), who want to preserve large parts of Hawai'i from development.

Miulang

onocoffee

October 8th, 2005

I was chatting about Oprah awhile back with a friend on Maui and it seems that because Oprah paid so much for her property there it was causing a very dramatic rise in property taxes. So much so that it might force lifetime residents of Hana out because they can no longer afford the taxes.

Anyone know more about that situation?

Miulang

October 8th, 2005

It's not Oprah per se and her purchases in Hana that are causing the problem because she will be turning the area into a conservation area so it can't be developed; it's all the other people who are moving in and buying up land to put their minimansions on them. Her land up in Kula is the same way; it was ranchland that she has kept undeveloped for the last 3 or 4 years....

Because of its relative isolation, the possibility of overdevelopment is reduced considerably, but what you will get instead are rich people moving in because they like the isolation....

Rickyrab

October 13th, 2005

In other words, I suppose Maui might turn into a Hawaiian version of the Hamptons, lol[ (the east end of Long Island, NY, which is a celebrity nest sitting near farmland).

I wonder if Lahaina (my favorite Maui town - remember, I'm one of those Mainland Tourists) is affected by any of this.

Miulang

October 13th, 2005

Rickyrab, this is most definitely not a joke to the locals who are struggling to pay their taxes and make a living, unfortunately, for many of them, catering to the whims of pampered tourists. The people of Hana are decent, proud and hardworking citizens who cherish what they have and are not going to give in very easily to the lure of the dollar. A good portion of the state's taro is grown here, and to the kanaka maoli, a day without poi is like a day without milk to white folk.

Lahaina is Babylon...there's no hope of ever going back to the days prior to statehood when that town was inhabited by locals. I absolutely loathe having to go there when I'm on Maui. Every other store is a tacky souvenir shop and the rest cater to upscale tourists. There's not much there to appeal to locals.

Miulang

jdub

October 13th, 2005

isn't the whole point here that the maui coastal land trust and oprah have signed on for a parcel and a purpose that will ostensibly preserve a massive tract of maui land for perpetuity? (or at least until it appreciates to the point that even "her holiness" flips it)

Miulang

October 13th, 2005

Oprah signed a pact with Nature Conservancy for one tract in Hana and is negotiating to obtain another neighboring tract with the same type of agreement. She also owns ranchlands in Kula which she has said she will never develop, either. Since the Nature Conservancy is the conservator, the only reason they might sell land under their care is if the proceeds would be used to buy up other properties which might be in dire need of conservation (like the sand dunes on Moloka'i or the sand dunes in Waihe'e on Maui). There's also a Maui Coastal Land Trust which I believe is taking care of the Waihe'e sand dunes, which have lots of archeological artifacts still buried.

Miulang

kimo55

October 14th, 2005

..... ostensibly preserve a massive tract of maui land for perpetuity?

believe half of what ya hear and none of what ya see.

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NEW DISCOVERY (04-15-08):

Connecting the dots...

David Farmer...Steven Guttman...Brian Schatz...Barack Obama...Oprah Winfrey...Hillary Clinton...Linda Lingle...John McCain....AIPAC...Punahou School...Kamehameha Schools...Dee Jay Mailer...The Global Fund...Henry Paulson...George W. Bush...Haunani Apoliona...OHA...Daniel Akaka...Dan Inouye...Stephanie Case...Dan Case...Steve Case...Jeffrey Case...Aon...The Nature Conservancy...Greg Dunn...Judith Neustadter Fuqua...etc...ad infinitum...

http://www.midweek.com/content/paina/image_full/2090/

~ ~ ~ New Discovery (01/05/08) - Political and financial relationships between Oprah Winfrey, The Nature Conservancy, and witness Faye Kurren (wife of Judge Barry Kurren):

East Maui Watershed Partnership

The Nature Conservancy

In late 1999, the Conservancy's Board of Governors chose the East Maui Watershed Partnership to receive the organization's highest honor: The President's Conservation Achievement Award. This award is given to an individual or organization that works in partnership with The Nature Conservancy to advance biodiversity protection. Out of all the partnerships in which the Conservancy is involved globally, only six receive this award annually.

The East Maui Watershed Partnership has pioneered a model for protecting large landscapes quickly and efficiently. Before this partnership, the Conservancy had helped protect 50,000 acres in Hawai`i. This one project alone brings active management to more than 100,000 acres of critical watershed and native forest habitat.

Our Approach

The East Maui Watershed Partnership (EMWP) was formed in 1991 through the joint initiative of the State Department of Land and Natural Resources, The Nature Conservancy, the County of Maui - Board of Water Supply, Haleakala Ranch Co., East Maui Irrigation Co., Ltd., Haleakala National Park, and Hana Ranch. Since its formation, the EMWP has made significant strides to control Miconia calvenscens and has built strategic, upper-elevation fences to control feral pigs.

"Perhaps the most important reason the Conservancy recognized the partnership is for its role as a model for similar partnerships throughout Hawai`i, including the West Maui Mountains Watershed Partnership, the East Moloka`i Watershed Partnership, and the Ko`olau Watershed Partnership on O`ahu," said Suzanne Case, Executive Director of the Hawai`i Chapter. "By working together as neighbors, under a unified management plan, we exponentially expand the effort that each group can make to protect East Maui's natural resources."

For more, GO TO > > > Blue Gold in Blue Hawaii

August 4, 2003

Faye Kurren named president of
Hawaii Dental Service

Pacific Business News (Honolulu)

Faye Kurren, former president of Tesoro Hawaii Corp., will be the new president and CEO of Hawaii Dental Service beginning Sept. 3, the company announced Monday.

Kurren replaces Jonathan Won, who has been HDS president and CEO since 2000. He had announced in May that he was leaving the company.

Kurren has held executive leadership positions with companies such as Pacific Resources Inc. as counsel in 1984 and BHP Hawaii (formerly PRI) as vice president and general counsel.

When Tesoro Petroleum Corp. acquired BHP Hawaii in 1998, Kurren became president, overseeing refining, distribution and retail operations for the mid-Pacific region.

"Faye brings to HDS a solid track record of strong leadership," said Jay Kanegawa, chairman of HDS' board of directors. "Her local leadership experience and perspectives will strengthen HDS to better serve Hawaii's residents, businesses and organizations."

Kurren, a graduate of Punahou School, has a law degree from the University of Hawaii Richardson School of Law, a master's degree in sociology from the University of Chicago and a bachelor's degree in sociology from Stanford University.

She's a member of the boards of the University of Hawaii Foundation, Girl Scout Council of Hawaii, the Nature Conservancy of Hawaii, Pacific and Asian Affairs Council and Waikiki Aquarium.