FEC audit just a fishing expedition?

Given that the audit process is still underway, it’s hard to know what to make of the Federal Election Commission’s audit of the Democratic Party of Hawaii’s 2012 disclosure reports.

The commission has asked the party for source material, including documents related to campaign contributions. The FEC wants invoices for all spending, loan documentation, fundraising materials, phone-bank scripts, and contracts and invoices for media ads.

"It’s all copacetic," said Dante Carpenter, party chairman at the time. "Nothing is illegal, immoral or unethical in that regard."

Well, good-government advocates are surely glad to have the FEC watchdogs on the trail and will wait for their opinion before drawing any conclusions.

At least in this case, we’ll say it: Welcome, federal overseers.