Back to Hawaii News index

Posted: Sunday, April 22nd, 2007 6:26 AM HST

Senate releases transcripts from Young confirmation hearings

By Associated Press

HONOLULU (AP) _ The state Senate released testimony yesterday of closed session meetings from the confirmation hearings of natural resources head Peter Young. But the state withheld portions of the transcripts including comments from investigators. Attorney General Mark Bennett had requested that several employees of the Bureau of Conveyances be heard in an executive session. That's because their testimony could have affected the investigation. Members of the Senate Water, Land, Agriculture and Hawaiian Affairs Committee asked the employees about gifts from title companies, the bureau's interactions with them and grievances among workers. Bennett's office reviewed the transcripts, removing some sections of testimony. It's unclear how much of the hearings was removed. The Senate also didn't release transcripts from testimony of Dennis Naganuma, an investigator with the Office of the Attorney General. Also not released was testimony from Hilton Lui, an investigator working for the State Ethics Commission. (Copyright 2007 Associated Press. All rights reserved)