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Kanno flap tests ties
that bind Democrats

Stress fractures are showing up in the four-year-old coalition that runs the state Senate under the gentle hand of Senate President Robert Bunda.

In the strangest floor speech of the session, Senate Vice President Donna Kim rose Thursday to assure Bunda and fellow senators she was not "orchestrating the news stories about the senator from Kapolei (Brian Kanno), and that I'm doing this to teach the senator a lesson for not joining me to oust you, Mr. President. This is patently false," Kim said.

The other 24 senators said Kim's disclaimer was a surprise, but some acknowledge an ongoing whisper campaign that Kanno's ethics problem was wrapped up in a threat to Bunda.

Republican Sen. Sam Slom said he also had heard the rumors.

"I think there is disarray in the Senate leadership; there are factions," Slom said.

Kanno is accused by Senate Republicans of abusing his power by helping a man fired by Norwegian Cruise Line last year for sexual harassment. Republicans and Gov. Linda Lingle have said that Kanno and other Democrats "stepped over the line" by sponsoring a resolution calling for an investigation of NCL's tax status after the cruise line rebuffed Kanno's attempt to help the man.

In the Senate Democrat's coalition, Kanno's importance is as a supporter of Bunda. Changes in that balance cause their own magnified disturbance.

One of the Legislature's most senior members, Bunda was elected president in 2001 after former president, Norman Mizuguchi declined to run for re-election in 2000. The organization was at the acquiescence of two groups of senators, one aligned with Bunda and the other with Sen. Colleen Hanabusa.

Between them Bunda and Hanabusa have split most of the Senate goodies, including Judiciary, Ways and Means, Commerce and Consumer Protection and the presidency. The two groups can see the benefit in remaining together because changing the structure means someone would lose power.

But last week the only person coming out fully in support of Democrat Bunda was Sen. Fred Hemmings, the GOP leader.

"I support the Senate president and always have; the majority party's problems are not my kuleana," Hemmings said.

Kim, when asked if she wanted a change in leadership, said, "Not at this time." And when asked if she would want to change the Senate organization next year, Kim said only, "No comment."

Hanabusa cryptically raised the bar when asked if she wanted to be Senate president next year by saying only, "I want what is best for the Senate."

Defining what's best will be the top political speculation among the 20 Democrats for at least the next month.