Anzai recuses self
in airlines merger

The attorney general's
wife is counsel for
Hawaiian Airlines

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By Lyn Danninger
ldanninger@starbulletin.com

State attorney general Earl Anzai said yesterday he has completely recused himself from oversight of the proposed merger of Hawaii's airlines because his wife is legal counsel for Hawaiian Airlines and worked on the merger.

"It was done at the very beginning. I'm not that stupid," he said. "I have not been in a single meeting or seen a single document."

As vice president, general counsel and corporate secretary for Hawaiian Airlines, Anzai's wife, Lyn, would have played a key role in the due diligence phase and other activities related the merger.

But she has not had any direct role in negotiations with the Attorney General's office, spokesman for Hawaiian Airlines Keoni Wagner said.

The state Attorney General's office will likely play a bigger role in any approval of the Hawaiian-Aloha merger than federal regulators.

Anzai said potential conflicts of interest are not unusual and he has always recused himself from past cases in order to avoid any appearance of a conflict.

Questions regarding potential conflicts of interest were first raised as far back as Anzai's legislative confirmation hearing to become attorney general. At one time, his wife had also worked as an in-house attorney for Kamehameha School which was then under investigation by the Attorney General's office.