EDITORIAL
GOP is right in calling for review of Kanno

Five Republican state senators deserve credit for setting a process in motion to begin a state Ethics Commission investigation into state Sen. Brian Kanno's actions on behalf of a worker fired by Norwegian Cruise Line.

It's a shame Senate Democrats did not join in that effort, regardless of Kanno's Democratic Party affiliation.

This should be about ethics in leadership — not partisan politics — and the request for an investigation should be coming from both sides of the aisle.

Kanno, chairman of the Senate Labor Committee, abused the power of his elected office when he met with NCL officials to try to get the worker, who had been fired over allegations of sexual harassment, rehired. When that failed, Kanno apparently asked some of his colleagues to sign a letter that tried — unsuccessfully — to get the cruise line to pay the worker's travel expenses and restitution. He then introduced resolutions, which appropriately failed to advance, asking NCL to explain its termination procedures in these cases and would have directed the state Department of Transportation to determine if the cruise line should be made to pay the state's hotel room tax.

Clearly there are other avenues for employees to take in these cases — the Legislature should not be one of them.

Republican Sen. Sam Slom had it right when he said the actions by Kanno, D-19th (Kapolei, Makakilo, Waikele), and others reflect on the entire Senate.

Legislators are elected to shape broad policy by crafting laws on behalf of Hawai'i's citizens. Surely Kanno's constituents did not elect him to seek preferential treatment for an individual in an employment dispute. Kanno crossed a bright line in introducing resolutions that amounted to a threat — real or perceived — of retaliatory action against the business.

With the request now before the Ethics Commission, any investigation will be thorough and fair, and not about partisan politics. We hope the actions of other legislators involved also will be scrutinized.

Hawai'i's taxpayers deserve leaders with a solid ethical compass, and anything short of that should not be tolerated.