State attorneys
will help Legislature
in Felix appeal

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By Crystal Kua
ckua@starbulletin.com

The state attorney general has assigned two deputies to represent the Legislature in challenging the decision by a federal judge to quash a subpoena issued by a joint Senate-House investigative committee.

"My deputies are going to talk to their clients and do what they think is right for their clients. That's their job," Attorney General Earl Anzai said.

The investigative committee is examining the state's spending in complying with the Felix consent decree, the federal mandate to improve special education services in Hawaii.

As part of it's investigation, the committee subpoenaed Judith Schrag, who was a member of a federal court-appointed panel that provided technical assistance to the state on compliance issues.

U.S. Judge David Ezra last week granted a protective order prohibiting Schrag from appearing before the committee.

The committee chairpersons have said their members want to challenge Ezra's ruling and asked for representation from the state attorney general before deciding on the best course of action.

The committee is scheduled to meet again tomorrow.

Anzai said the deputies representing the Legislature will act separately from the two deputies currently assigned to represent the state administration in the consent decree.

"There's obviously a conflict -- that's why I have separate groups. I couldn't have the same ones," Anzai said.