BJ Penn blasts Hawaiian Governor for handling of Maui wildfires fallout

BJ Penn slammed Governor Green, Hawaii’s Governor, and won’t remain silent about the ongoing struggles the Hawaiian people suffer in the aftermath of the Maui wildfires.

Maui has recently been subject to horrific wildfires that have displaced numerous local residents from their longtime homes. However, many locals are worried that major developers will take the opportunity to buy up their land and take their homes. Just weeks before the fires, Hawaii governor Josh Green issued an emergency proclamation on housing, putting a housing czar in charge of development.

The community voiced their concerns to Governor Green during a recent hearing, and one such resident who attended was former UFC champion BJ Penn. Penn took aim at Green, who left the meeting shortly before he came up to speak, reminding the council that they work for the people.

“Just want to remind you guys,” Penn began, “That you guys work for us. We come here to start talking about something and then you guys start fighting back with us. You work for us. You don’t talk to your boss like that, right? Who talks to their boss like that?

“Look at Josh Green, how weak. Weak, weak man. What happened? What, I came inside and all of a sudden he needs to go? What is going on? He only signs the bill to further his political career. So what’s next? He’ll go for president. And that’s what you guys look for, the guy who screws everybody over to get to the top. That’s not what Hawaii is about. Aloha is the law.”

Penn actually ran for governor back in 2022, but lost in the Republican primary to winner Duke Aiona. After the election’s conclusion, Penn actually filed a complaint with the Hawaii Supreme Court to contest the results. Speaking on Thursday’s (August 31, 2023) episode of The Jesse Waters Show, Penn detailed his experience at the community meeting Governor Green skipped out on. Penn said the council members actually argue back with community members, forgetting that they’re public servants.

“Yes, they actually do argue with the community. They really did forget what this was about. You’re a public servant, you’re here to serve the people. I used the word “waiter” just trying to show them – as a servant that’s why you’re here. You’re here for us. I knew when I ran for governor I knew that as soon as I got in those would be my first words. At your service.”

Penn believes the Hawwaian people are beginning to see how serious the matter really is, and urges the community to fight alongside him before things get out of control.

“Even when they say the state is left – they lean very left, and it’s that type of state, but I think everybody is starting to pick up real quick about what’s going on,” Penn said. “About the agenda, about the state wanting to take over everything. Its always been that way, Hawaii has always been – socialist, communist state, and it’s time to get out of it.

“The people are in a position right now with the assessment property tax – it’s killing everybody. Everybody is going to have to leave. You got people who have been there for generations who will never move. Somebody next to them will sell their house for $10 million, and now this guy has got to pay the tax on it. Everybody is going to be forced out unless we do something.”

Although his fighting days inside the Octagon might be over, Penn says he’ll go from city to city in his home state to continue to fight the injustice he feels his people are suffering.

“Me, I’m from Hilo,” Penn said. “But I got no problem fighting these guys for any state, city, land, one acre, a quarter acre, whatever it is, a hundred feet. We gotta fight them. We can’t stop. We got nothing else to do.”