Elizabeth Dear is a SELFISH Soldier’s Wife

As of writing, U.S. federal government shutdown now has lasted 14 days — two weeks. Millions of American workers and their families are impacted and furloughed. Fear and uncertainly grip their households. Some are now being furloughed permanently — fired. U.S. military members also go without pay during a federal government shutdown. Current president claims to have found sufficient money elsewhere to keep paychecks coming.

My PhD work was political science with emphasis on the rise and fall of democracies, specifically related to countries in Latin and South America. Dictators work hard to keep the military happy. Dictators make sure to keep military paychecks coming. The current president behaves as a “tinpot” dictator in one of these second-world countries. He dares not lose the support of the U.S. military.

The year was 2019. Was the most blessed year of my recent life. Had three brief conversations with a coworker at Hawaiian Electric Co. I respected and trusted Elizabeth “Liz” Dear. Elizabeth “Liz” Dear played a significant role in my permanent furlough — being “fired” from HECO. Elizabeth “Liz” Dear and HECO left me permanently traumatized.

Virginia Roberts Giuffre

Posted a graphic to my social media pages today about Virginia Roberts Giuffre. Virginia was abused by Jeffrey Epstein, and assisted in that abuse by Ghislaine Maxwell, at Donald J. Trump’s Mar-a-Lago castle. Virginia committed suicide in April 2025 at the age of 41, at her home in Neergabby, Australia. Abuse she suffered beginning around age 16 haunted her all her short life.

I spent much of my professional career defending, protecting and fighting to end abusive behavior toward women, as well as men, in schools and workplaces. Abuse can be physical, as well as psychological and emotion, and generally the latter forms of abuse do the most damage to the victim.

Elizabeth “Liz” Dear abused me. To this day, nearly seven years after our brief connection, the psychological and emotional trauma haunts my soul. Desperately seeking to be returned to my IT position at HECO, the company forced me to file a lawsuit. I named Elizabeth “Liz” Dear as one of the defendants.

Elizabeth “Liz” Dear wrote in a legal declaration, under oath, and claiming to be the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth: “It was very disturbing to be named as a defendant in a lawsuit … the fact that Mr. Goold named me personally as a defendant has caused me significant distress and has been very upsetting. It has caused me stress and I have lost sleep because of these allegations. I cannot think of any reason why Mr. Goold would include me in this lawsuit.”

Elizabeth “Liz” Dear added, “I no longer work for Kumabe or Hawaiian Electric, or even live in Hawai’i. My husband is deployed overseas, and I am presently alone raising our infant son.”

Being fired by HECO was “very disturbing” to me. Being fired “caused me significant distress and [was] very upsetting.” The termination “caused me stress and I have lost sleep because of [the company’s] allegations.” And, frankly, I “cannot think of any reason why [Elizabeth “Liz” Dear]” did not speak truthfully to me; I “cannot think of any reason why [HECO]” would terminate my employment as they did.

From my personal perspective, I find Elizabeth “Liz” Dear to be a SELFISH solider’s wife. I honor his service to our nation, as I hope you do. I respect the sacrifice of family members who support our national heroes. However, as I will show, Elizabeth “Liz” Dear in my opinon played the “military card” to portray herself as a victim, when Elizabeth “Liz” Dear actually victimized and abused me.

The PERJURY of Elizabeth “Liz” Dear

I’m not an attorney, but believe speaking falsely in a legal declaration constitutes perjury. Elizabeth “Liz” Dear stated for the official record, “I never advised Mr. Goold that ‘his employment would not be affected by any positive drug results for cannabis’ or that his employment ‘would be fine’ if he failed the drug test but had a medical card. I simply told Mr. Goold that I would advise my supervisor that he had a medical marijuana card.” Elizabeth “Liz” Dear added, “I never advised Mr. Goold that ‘his use of medical cannabis would not be a problem.'”

Background to this incident related to a job offer extended to me by HECO, a promotion if you will. HECO recruited me to the island of O’ahu on August 8, 2018, and I began work as a contract IT professional Monday, August 13, 2018. My 90-day review was stelar. HECO renewed my contract for six months until July 2019, and in January 2019, an internal position opened in our department.

My supervisor, Lori Yafuso, urged me to apply. HECO fast-tracked me into the position. In February, HECO notified me that I had been formally selected. Needed to complete two final steps: background check and drug-screen. HR director Shana Buco handled the background check. Elizabeth “Liz” Dear contacted me to manage the drug-screen. I had not spoken to either previously. Trusted that both were competent and “on my side” to be hired. I was wrong.

At the time, I was injured, disabled and a legal, prescribed medical cannabis patient for chronic severe pain. Medicated only at night prior to bed so I could sleep restfully. Never medicated before or during work hours.

My first of three brief conversations with Elizabeth “Liz” Dear was the morning of Thursday, February 14, 2019. She and I would have two more. Valentine’s Day is a special day for my wife and I. We had been married about 21 years, and enjoy the celebratory day of love and romance.

We had a special dinner that night. Primary topic of conversation was my morning conversations with Elizabeth “Liz” Dear, and the drug screen later that afternoon. These events were important to both of us — as this was the final step finalizing my new role with HECO.

On the other hand, Elizabeth “Liz” Dear’s conversations with me would have been quite insignificant to her. She likely had a busy day. She stated that the two telephone calls “lasted a few minutes.” We had a third call, and Elizabeth “Liz” Dear stated, “this was also a short call the (sic) lasted one or two minutes.”

From her recollection, we spoke about five minutes. Of the 480 minutes in an eight (8) hour day, Elizabeth “Liz” Dear claims she spoke with me for about five — or about 1% of the minutes in her busy day.

In addition, Elizabeth “Liz” Dear would likely not be asked about her recollection of these conversations until after HECO fired me — which occurred February 25, 2025 — nearly two weeks later.

Elizabeth “Liz” Dear stated for the legal declaration, “Mr. Goold asked the distance to the drug test, which I provided.” Exactly. I recall explaining why the distance was an issue for me. I recall that I informed Elizabeth “Liz” Dear that I suffered injuries, a disability and have difficulty walking.

If the distance was far for me, I recall explaining to Elizabeth “Liz” Dear that I would prefer submitting to the drug screen on a later day when I could bring my scooter. Elizabeth “Liz” Dear helped me locate the testing facility on a Google map. Distance was only a few blocks. Told Elizabeth “Liz” Dear I believed I would be able to make that distance walking.

Elizabeth “Liz” Dear added in her declaration, “but he even (sic) told me that he was disabled.” Believe she meant to state “never.” He said/she said, right? Ask women like Virginia. She claimed Jeffrey Epstein abused her; he said he didn’t. Who believes victims in America? Virginia killed herself.

HECO Internal Investigation

However, this incident isn’t simply a “he said/she said” situation. I filed a discrimination complaint before the Hawai’i Civil Rights Commission (HCRC) prior to filing the lawsuit in circuit court. HECO had to respond to my HCRC allegations. HECO expressed a different version of events for Elizabeth “Liz” Dear in their internal review of February 11, 2020. This earlier version contradicts and impeaches the legal declaration of Elizabeth “Liz” Dear, dated March 18, 2021, San Diego, California.

HECO officially reported to the HCRC review that Dear “told Goold, ‘I don’t believe it will be a problem, but I will inform my supervisor of the situation and if there are any issues, someone will get back to you.'”

WHOOPS!!! What did Elizabeth “Liz” Dear say under oath, “I simply told Mr. Goold that I would advise my supervisor that he had a medical marijuana card.”

WHOOPS!!! What did Elizabeth “Liz” Dear say under oath, “I never advised Mr. Goold that ‘his use of medical cannabis would not be a problem.'” HECO claims she did … “I don’t believe it will be a problem …”

WHOOPS!!! Elizabeth “Liz” Dear then made Scott Goold a promise: “I will inform my supervisor of the situation and if there are any issues, someone will get back to you.” HECO claimed Elizabeth “Liz” Dear informed her supervisor, but NOBODY got back to me, as Elizabeth “Liz” Dear promised me.

HECO in their response to HCRC said Elizabeth “Liz” Dear was “not aware of HECO’s policies regarding the usage of marijuana.” The statement is irrelevant. It’s a deflection and avoidance of corporate responsibility. HECO’s Substance Abuse Policy mandates that ALL employees be provided with the company’s cannabis (marijuana) policy. HECO management failed their duty.

However, whether Elizabeth “Liz” Dear knew or didn’t know isn’t the point. Elizabeth “Liz” Dear said to me, “I don’t believe it will be a problem …” Elizabeth “Liz” Dear’s ETHICAL, HONEST and PROFESSIONAL response, if she didn’t know, was simply, “I do not know. You should contact my supervisor.”

Without question or dispute, clearly there were “issues” with my legal, prescribed use of medical cannabis. Had Elizabeth “Liz” Dear honored her promise, “someone would have gotten back to me.” To me, Elizabeth “Liz” Dear lied to me. She led me to believe “probably” I would be fine. If not, someone would get back to me. Nobody got back to me. Therefore, I was “fine.”

Elizabeth “Liz” Dear misled me; Elizabeth “Liz” Dear made a promise to me that she did not keep. Elizabeth “Liz” Dear in part engaged in behavior that cost me my job … permanently furloughed me. Again, what did Elizabeth “Liz” Dear state in her legal declaration:

“It was very disturbing to be named as a defendant in a lawsuit … the fact that Mr. Goold named me personally as a defendant has caused me significant distress and has been very upsetting. It has caused me stress and I have lost sleep because of these allegations. I cannot think of any reason why Mr. Goold would include me in this lawsuit.”

Elizabeth “Liz” Dear, March 18, 2021, at San Diego, California

Elizabeth “Liz” Dear claims she was victimized by me: significant distress, very upsetting, lost sleep. I’ve believe I suffered far worse due to her abusive behavior of leading me to believe I would be fine, and promising me that someone would get back to me if there were issues. This trauma has been with me since the wrongful and unnecessary termination on February 25, 2019.

HECO did not have to fire me or permanently furlough me. Hawaiian Electric Code of Conduct (p24) states that “The Company may waive application of the policies …”

HECO also promises Fair Dealings (p21), “We must never take unfair advantage of others through manipulation, concealment, abuse of privileged information, misrepresentation of material facts or any other unfair dealing practice.”

Elizabeth “Liz” Dear misrepresented material facts to me. HECO admitted that Elizabeth “Liz” Dear “immediately informed [Shana] Buco about Goold’s claimed marijuana use. Buco told Deer (sic) to allow Goold to take the test, and a decision would be made once HECO received the test results. While Buco was aware that Goold had a medical marijuana certificate, she had no knowledge that he was disabled, or the nature of any claimed impairment” (p4).

Again, what did Elizabeth “Liz” Dear PROMISE Scott Goold, her HECO coworker? “I don’t believe it will be a problem, but I will inform my supervisor of the situation and if there are any issues, someone will get back to you.”

IF SOMEONE would have gotten back to Scott Goold, as promised, all these “issues” would have been resolved and confusion cleared up. HECO admitted that Scott Goold ethically, honestly and pro-actively notified management of his medical situation. HECO failed to follow up as promised to Scott Goold. HECO then blamed Scott Goold for their “lack of knowledge,” and HR director Shana Buco “concealed” critical information from Scott Goold.

Scott Goold is a veteran and also comes from a military family. Father is a combat Veteran; grandfather a Purple Heart recipient in World War I. Ancestral grandfather recipient of the Medal of Honor. Scott’s wife’s grandfather, Ray Larribas, is a decorated WWII POW, who escaped captivity and saved many others. Scott Goold believes Elizabeth “Liz” Dear’s behavior was selfish; caring only about her military family, but not concerned about his.

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Ko’olau of Kaua’i. I am the Defiant One
“I Believe We Can”