Posted on: Monday, January 28, 2002

EDITORIAL
Welcome federal look into Felix complaints

Putting aside what he appears actually to think about the state legislative investigation into the massive special- education spending he has ordered, federal Judge David Ezra has wisely asked the U.S. Justice Department to have a look at the lawmakers' suspicions.

A report produced by the committee says there have been instances of overcharging, waste and conflicts of interest, as well as poor oversight of spending by the departments of Education and Health. But the report is short on specific charges.

The committee turned the report over to the state attorney general's office for follow-up. According to one of the plaintiff's attorneys, Ezra felt there was potential for a conflict of interest in that office, and wanted the case to go to federal and city prosecutors.

No one suggests that Attorney General Earl Anzai should not investigate; the more probing eyes, the better. But it is a fact that the attorney general also represents the Health and Education departments, which have been put under a cloud.

If this additional investigation results in the identification and elimination of "bad eggs" attempting to exploit the haste with which the Felix effort was undertaken, that's not a bad result. Ultimately, what's crucial is public confidence in a mission that, after all, must be carried out successfully — not only to avoid a federal takeover of part of Hawai'i's public-education establishment, but for the sake of our collective conscience.