George isn't at all curious about a rock star's opinion of mining -- good for him

Over the years, members of the Senate of the United States have learned that the easiest way to pack a hearing room and to assure media coverage is to bring in celebrity witnesses.
One senator, finally, has publicly questioned whether filling seats and producing soundbites should be the Senate's highest priority. Sen. George Voinovich, R-Ohio, refused to attend Thursday's hearing of the Senate Environment and Public Works subcommittee after the Democratic majority added a last minute "expert" to its witness list.
The witness was Kevin Richardson, a 30-year-old member of the pop band "Backstreet Boys." The issue was mountaintop mining, which involves lopping off the top of a ridge or mountain to expose a seam of coal. The debris just tumbles down into the valley and clogs streams.
Richardson, a native of Kentucky, is offended by this practice, which is his right. It sounds like a practice that's designed to offend everyone but the companies that have found it to be a relatively cheap way of mining coal.
Environmentally speaking, a rookie
And about a year ago, Richardson formed an environmental foundation, Just Within Reach, and has been quoted in the Kentucky Herald-Leader with this insightful commentary: "The quality of that water out there is unacceptable and sad." A spokesman points out that he's flown over denuded mountaintops and didn't like what he saw.
That's all very well and noble. And it's a good thing for celebrities to adopt causes and fight for them and spend their money on them.
But that doesn't make those celebrities experts who can tell U.S. senators things they don't already know, which is what witnesses are supposed to do.
Open hearings also help educate the public. But the Senate shouldn't have to turn its hearings into a Washington version of "Hollywood Squares" to get coverage.
There will always be politically active celebrities, and after a number of years espousing their causes, a few of them may evolve into legitimate Capitol Hill witnesses.
More senators should join Voinovich in his effort to keep hearings from denigrating into sideshows and publicity stunts.