Lawmakers shrug off charges that state is botching high-speed rail land acquisition

Complaints from Central Valley residents that the state has botched the acquisition of land for high-speed rail failed to convince lawmakers last week that the matter deserved further investigation.

A legislative panel nixed a request from Sen. Andy Vidak, a Fresno Republican, to run a state audit on the California High-Speed Rail Authority for its handling of the eminent domain process. The vote mostly fell along party lines, with Democrats largely opposed to the idea.

Before the vote, lawmakers…