Legislative probe of bureau unneeded

THE ISSUE Senate leaders are proposing a joint committee to investigate the Bureau of Conveyances.

A PROBE by state legislators into possible misconduct at the Bureau of Conveyances would seem unnecessary since the attorney general and Ethics Commission are already investigating -- unless Democratic senators are simply looking to provide themselves cover for their petty behavior in expelling Peter Young from his job.

Lawmakers should leave investigating to the professionals. Their probe would just duplicate, if not interfere with, the ongoing inquiries and would waste taxpayer money to boot.

In a mockery of confirmation hearings, senators ignored wide public support of Young and rejected his renomination as director of the Department of Land and Natural Resources, which oversees the bureau.

Though Young had asked the attorney general to investigate the bureau, a committee led by Big Island Sen. Russell Kokubun used the issue against Gov. Linda Lingle's nominee.

Now Senate leaders want to spend a yet-to-be-determined amount of money to hire experts and clerical staff to run their own investigation, inviting their House counterparts to join in.

An enabling resolution cites, among other rationales, a 2006 audit that points to ineffective management at the bureau. Had lawmakers been as concerned as they claim to be a year later, they might have acted sooner.

Whether their probe will amount to anything is uncertain. Kokubun described the effort as "fact-finding," but is unsure if corrective measures will emerge.

Which begs the question: What's the point?

Fact-finding is surely part of current investigations and even with their subpoena powers, which they tend to use with little discretion, lawmakers aren't likely to turn up any more. They should stand down.