Chairman Henry Waxman's letter requesting the investigation was posted yesterday on the Oversight and Government Reform Web site (http://oversight.house.gov/).

In the letter to the committee, Waxman writes, "In June 2007, a number of Hawaiian nonprofit organizations raised serious allegations regarding the inappropriate use of government funds and unethical conduct by WESPAC and its Executive Director. More recently, credible sources have also contacted the Committee on Oversight and Government Reform to raise similar concerns about the conduct of V/ESPAC and its Executive Director.

"Given the importance of ensuring that the regional fishery council tasked with managing an area of nearly 1.5 million square miles functions properly, the Committee asks that you undertake an investigation into WESPAC's expenditures to verify whether the council and its Executive Director are properly using and accounting for government funds."

Waxman's inquiry was heralded by some local fisherman yesterday. In an e-mail to The Advertiser, local fisherman William Aila is quoted as saying, "We are pleased Representative Waxman sees fit, based on the evidence, to initiate an investigation of WESPAC and Kitty Simonds in regards to possible breaches of fiduciary duty."