Another Side of the Story
Another Side of the Story
Civil rights, land matters
guided anti-Bronster voteA recent letter to the editor and some of my opponents in the race for Congress questioned my Senate vote not to reconfirm Margery Bronster for a second term as attorney general.
I welcome the opportunity to respond because, in looking back, it was a vote that was based on what I believed was best for the people of the state of Hawaii. A majority of the Senate agreed with me, and I would vote the same way today.
There are certain misperceptions about the reasons for my lack of confidence in Bronster as attorney general, which should be corrected once and for all.
>> The most egregious misperception is that I voted against Bronster based on the Bishop Estate investigation and because I had allegiance with the trustees, especially Henry Peters. This is not true. In fact, I had not even met Peters at the time. While I felt that the investigation by the Attorney General's Office was handled at times with a flagrant disregard for civil rights and due process, this was not the major reason for my vote against Bronster's reconfirmation.
In retrospect, it should be noted that the concurrent criminal cases against the trustees were found by the court to have been illegally bolstered; eventually these cases were ordered dismissed with prejudice by the state Supreme Court. It disturbs me that the state's top law enforcement officer would lead an investigation using illegal methods, and while I understand that the investigation created popularity with voters, that in itself does not make it right or just.
>> Perhaps the major reason for my vote against Bronster involved the voting machine controversy in my own Waianae district following the 1998 election. When I questioned whether there may be problems with the voting machines, the attorney general dismissed the possibility and argued that the problem lay not with the machines but with the people who may not know how to vote correctly. The people of my district were understandably insulted and angered by those remarks, which they took to mean that the attorney general thought they were too stupid to vote. When forced to check, the Office of Elections did indeed find mechanical problems. The attorney general is supposed to be an advocate for the people of Hawaii, and in this situation Bronster demonstrated poor judgment and disregard for the people.
>> An important factor in my decision had to do with the sheer lack of fairness, sensitivity and compassion for the Hawaiian community in relation to settling claims for homestead lands. I recognize the complexity of the task, but I am still appalled by the inefficiency of the process through the years. When the Attorney General's Office approved changing the ground rules for processing claims, I asked Bronster, "What about those who have already made it through part of the process?" Some of these families have waited patiently for decades due to the state's malfeasance and delay, and it is heartbreaking to witness those cases where family members have died while still on the waiting list. Her response was that they would just have to start all over again. I was incensed by this response and I believe the people of Hawaii who have a sense of fairness would be, too.
Voting against the confirmation of a member of the governor's cabinet is never an easy decision. Reputations and careers are at stake. It should never be done in a vindictive spirit. As legislators, however, we are bound to vote according to what we believe to be in the best interest of the people we represent. It was a hard decision but the right one, and I stand by my vote.
It is unfortunate, but not surprising, that my opponents in the race for Congress have chosen to make this a campaign issue. Voters should ask former Sen. Matt Matsunaga the same question I would ask him: Why did you vote with the minority to reconfirm Margery Bronster as attorney general, given this background and in the face of such clear injustices?
Colleen Hanabusa is a state senator and candidate for the 2nd Congressional District in the Jan. 4 special election.