By Dave Davis
For Variety

KUDOS to KUAM’s Mindy Fothergill, who has exposed, in a three-part documentary series, the nuts and bolts of the extensive and expensive power struggle between the Guam Superior and Supreme Courts: one that spanned several years, and clandestinely diverted hundreds of thousands of dollars of public funds for political purposes.
The complete story, contained in 367 pages of documents retrieved through the Freedom of Information process, unfolds as a shabby and shameful chapter in the annals of Guam jurisprudence. Guam Superior Court Presiding Judge Alberto Lamorena is reportedly a major player in this taxpayer-funded battle to preserve his Guam Superior Court fiefdom, while promoting the gubernatorial campaign of Felix Camacho and working to sabotage the Underwood campaign.
Approximately a half-million dollars in public funds went down the proverbial drain in the process, and Judge Lamorena’s bag-man, Tony Sanchez — now a highly-paid special assistant to the governor — was recently indicted on several counts, including unlawful influence, conspiracy, theft of property held in trust, and official misconduct, along with California attorney Howard Hills. Hills’ attorney has released documents implicating the presiding judge as a principal in negotiations and dealings with jailed lobbyist Jack Abramoff, and issued statements to the effect that attorney Hills, in funneling public money to Abramoff, acted in response to explicit directions from Judge Lamorena transmitted through Sanchez.
Attorney Hills, scheduled to appear next month as a co-defendant in the case against Sanchez, is unlikely to do or say anything to contradict those statements. He owes no familial or political loyalty to any of the principals in the case, and will most likely be intent upon negotiating a plea agreement that will allow him to retain his standing with the California bar. Tony Sanchez may accept the role of local scapegoat — or may not. In any case, things will soon become more interesting as new information becomes available to the public.
News reports to date imply little distinction between the roles of Lamorena and Sanchez in this monumental scam. In fact, it appears that the judge was calling all the shots. Superior Court Judge Elizabeth Barrett Anderson was reportedly also privy to the scheme to circumvent Guam procurement law by paying Abramoff, through Hills, with multiple $9,000 checks.
We now wait to see whether our attorney general draws the appropriate conclusion, or favors selective prosecution to avoid confrontation with the local political power base. Her actions here will provide us with a clearer picture of what she’s made of, and what to expect from her over the next four years. Should she drop the ball, would the feds perhaps pick it up?