Politics resolution as early as January 2013 once most pro-impeachment candidates for the House win the Nov. 6 mid-term elections, movers of the impeachment said. Fitial said removing him from office “is not the solution to CNMI’s problems,” including a crumbling pension system, a disappointing health care system, skyrocketing power rates and a dismal economy. House minority leader Guerrero, the main author of the impeachment resolution, said a lot of CNMI’s problems are because of the governor. Private citizen Glen Hunter said removing the governor is “a step in the right direction.”
NORTHERN MARIANA ISLANDS on the eve of a surprise House session. Guerrero said he’s “disappointed” with the outcome of the vote. He, however, said the governor’s impeachment now rests with CNMI voters who would decide on the composition of the next House of Representatives. If pro-impeachment candidates win and form an alliance to form a new majority in the House that is not aligned with the governor, it would be easy to pass an impeachment resolution as early as January 2013. Representative Tony Sablan, one of those who supported impeaching the governor, said all hope is not lost. He said as a consolation, “the mere fact that the impeachment resolution has reached this stage should be an undeniable testimony and a clear warning to those who blatantly abuse and
Impeachment vote By a vote of 10-9 with one absence, the impeachment resolution was defeated in the House of Representatives during a tension-filled session that lasted through the night on Oct. 17. The impeachment measure, House Resolution 17-111, needed at least 14 “yes” votes from the 20-member House to move to the Senate. At least six affirmative votes from the ninemember Senate are needed to convict the governor. Guerrero said the House leadership chose to suppress evidence backing the allegations against the governor. He said the “ulti- In support...there were also banners in support of Governor Fitial. mate cover up” was perpetrated by the House leadership disregard the rule of law, that there are those in when it decided to vote on the impeachment the community who are willing to stand up and resolution ahead of a special committee’s compledefend the idea that we are a society of law, and tion of a report and recommendation on the that those who think or act otherwise might not resolution. be so lucky the next time.” The House majority is aligned with the govDespite the impeachment resolution’s defeat, ernor and his Republican Party. other legislative investigations and review of the House Speaker Eli Cabrera, a governor’s ally, same impeachment issues press on. said he did not allow for an extension of time The House Committee on Judiciary and Govfor the special committee to complete its work ernmental Operations, for example, continues to because he said the panel has “wasted so much review the $190.8 million power purchase agreetime” by engaging in a “fishing expedition” that ment that the governor and his former attorneyin the end didn’t convince him the governor did general signed without a full economic analysis something wrong. recommended by the CNMI government’s own Guerrero told the speaker and his colleagues utilities experts. that had the House leadership waited for a few more days to get hold of a completed report ‘Move on’ based on evidence and testimony under oath, it A day after the defeat of the impeachment would be hard for House members to vote against resolution, the governor called on lawmakers to impeaching the governor. “move on” and “stop the practice of accusations “I can only conclude that this is an attempt without solutions”. to prevent the materials from being put on the “Over the past few months, the issue of imfloor to prevent each member from being able to peachment achieved nothing more than to create objectively review and make a decision. an unnecessary division amongst our people and “I think it is in the governor’s interest not to a hindrance in our ability as elected leaders to have these materials appear before the members work together,” Fitial told the House speaker and because it would be very hard for the members to Senate president. vote ‘no’ on each article if they were to base their The governor’s appeal is receiving lukewarm decisions on the materials before them so yes, response from many lawmakers. anyone, any reasonable person, would come to Senate President Paul Manglona said if the that conclusion,” Guerrero said in a news briefing Islands Business, November 2012
governor is serious about lowering utility rates, he should “invalidate” a $190.8 million diesel power agreement he signed with a company and redirect efforts to developing renewable energy sources. The existing diesel power plants, according to experts, still have a lifespan of over 10 years which should be ample time to reduce dependence on fossil fuel and develop a sustainable renewably energy system using the sun, wind, or geothermal sources. Other lawmakers supporting the impeachment said the governor should have issued a request for proposal instead of awarding a “sole-sourced” contract and make the procurement process as transparent as possible. The impeachment hearings, according to the authors of the impeachment resolution, showed a “pattern of abuse of power and corruption” involving the governor, uncovered missing prison log books, nonfunctioning prison surveillance videos, law enforcement of officers not upholding the very same law they’re supposed to uphold, violations of ethics and election laws by an attorney-general that were not addressed by the governor, and sole-source contract awards, among other things. It’s now up to voters Private citizens supporting the impeachment said the nine House members did the right thing voting to impeach the governor, while 10 of their colleagues “chose to turn a blind eye on the evidence of corruption, neglect of duty and felony against the governor.” “Voters will never forget the stance taken by these House members,” said Glen Hunter who, along with other private citizens, organized an anti-corruption rally on Oct. 21. The rally also drummed up support to proimpeachment lawmakers. “I’d be very surprised if any of those people (anti-impeachment lawmakers) make it back to the office because the overwhelming majority of people firmly believe the governor deserves to be impeached,” said Jeff Race, one of the participants in the anti-corruption rally. Sylvan Rangamar, a retired police officer, said some current police officers are “being silenced.” He said it is “not right” that police officers are ordered by their superiors to provide escort and shield anyone, especially an attorney-general, from being served a penal summons. The placards and slogans on display at the day of the anti-corruption rally said it all: “End corruption.” “Stand up against corruption,” “Voters against corruption.” “Impeach Fitial.” “Stop corruption on Nov. 6.” “United We Stand, with Fitial we Fall.”