Useless queries for member_urn by member_urn?

[ahelsing]

A couple pages show queries to look up a list of member_urns by member_urns. Why? Is something verifying these are legal?
EG:

SELECT ma_member_attribute.value AS ma_member_attribute_value
    FROM ma_member_attribute
    WHERE ma_member_attribute.name = 'urn' AND ma_member_attribute.value IN ('urn:publicid:IDN+ch1.gpolab.bbn.com+user+sedwards', 'urn:publicid:IDN+ch1.gpolab.bbn.com+user+sedwards', 'urn:publicid:IDN+ch1.gpolab.bbn.com+user+sedwards', 'urn:publicid:IDN+ch1.gpolab.bbn.com+user+sedwards', 'urn:publicid:IDN+ch1.gpolab.bbn.com+user+sedwards', 'urn:publicid:IDN+ch1.gpolab.bbn.com+user+tmitchel', 'urn:publicid:IDN+ch1.gpolab.bbn.com+user+mbrinn', 'urn:publicid:IDN+ch1.gpolab.bbn.com+user+tmitchel', 'urn:publicid:IDN+ch1.gpolab.bbn.com+user+tmitchel', 'urn:publicid:IDN+ch1.gpolab.bbn.com+user+sedwards', 'urn:publicid:IDN+ch1.gpolab.bbn.com+user+nriga', 'urn:publicid:IDN+ch1.gpolab.bbn.com+user+tmitchel', 'urn:publicid:IDN+ch1.gpolab.bbn.com+user+nriga', 'urn:publicid:IDN+ch1.gpolab.bbn.com+user+tmitchel', 'urn:publicid:IDN+ch1.gpolab.bbn.com+user+nriga', 'urn:publicid:IDN+ch1.gpolab.bbn.com+user+nriga', 'urn:publicid:IDN+ch1.gpolab.bbn.com+user+mbrinn', 'urn:publicid:IDN+ch1.gpolab.bbn.com+user+nriga', 'urn:publicid:IDN+ch1.gpolab.bbn.com+user+nriga', 'urn:publicid:IDN+ch1.gpolab.bbn.com+user+nriga', 'urn:publicid:IDN+ch1.gpolab.bbn.com+user+mbrinn', 'urn:publicid:IDN+ch1.gpolab.bbn.com+user+hdempsey', 'urn:publicid:IDN+ch1.gpolab.bbn.com+user+sedwards', 'urn:publicid:IDN+ch1.gpolab.bbn.com+user+tmitchel', 'urn:publicid:IDN+ch1.gpolab.bbn.com+user+agosain')