Rouse

FOR PUBLICATION

UNITED STATES COURT OF APPEALS

FOR THE NINTH CIRCUIT

LEON R. ROUSE, 

Plaintiff-Appellant, v. No. 06-15967

UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF

STATE; JOHN NEGROPONTE; THOMAS  D.C. No.

CV-05-00620-SPK

HUBBARD; JOHN CAUFIELD; MARTHA

OPINION

SARDINAS; PAUL BOYD; JOSEPH

BRACKEN,

Defendants-Appellees.  Appeal from the United States District Court for the District of Hawaii Samuel P. King, District Judge, Presiding

Argued and Submitted September 12, 2008—San Francisco, California

Filed November 24, 2008

Before: Diarmuid F. O’Scannlain, Ronald M. Gould, and Carlos T. Bea, Circuit Judges.

Opinion by Judge O’Scannlain

15715 15718 ROUSE v. UNITED STATES DEP’T OF STATE

COUNSEL

Kari E. Hong, Law Offices of Kari E. Hong, Oakland, Cali- fornia, argued the cause for the plaintiff-appellant and filed the briefs.

Derrick K. Watson, Assistant United States Attorney, Hono- lulu, Hawaii, argued the cause for the defendants-appellees; Lawrence L. Tong, Assistant United States Attorney, Hono- lulu, Hawaii, filed the brief; Edward H. Kubo, Jr., United States Attorney, District of Hawaii; Jeremy M.…