The House Committee on Judiciary and Governmental Operations of the 22nd Legislature conducts a meeting in the House chamber on June 11, 2021.
IN reaction to the CNMI Supreme Court’s dismissal on Tuesday of former Gov. Ralph DLG Torres’ appeal of the Superior Court’s dismissal of his lawsuit against the 22nd Legislature’s House Committee on Judiciary & Governmental Operations, its former members issued the following statement:
“The CNMI Supreme Court… dismissed [the] appeal due to mootness. This upholds the JGO’s prior victory in the Superior Court. This marks the second dismissal in succession of a lawsuit by Torres where the JGO, with pro bono representation from the Legislative Bureau’s legal team, successfully invoked legislative immunity against Torres and his attorneys, encompassing local counsel, the Office of the Governor, and his private D.C.-based lawyers.
“The CNMI Superior Court’s ruling, which states a sitting governor is subject to legislative subpoena, remains unchallenged.”
Former Rep. Tina Sablan said the “dismissal reinforces that a CNMI governor is bound by legislative subpoena and that the JGO committee possesses legislative immunity. Though we won this in the Superior Court, we hoped the Supreme Court would further clarify these points.”
According to the joint statement, “Despite the JGO’s continued success against Torres, there’s disappointment about the case’s dismissal on procedural grounds.”
Sen. Celina R. Babauta, who chaired the 22nd Legislature’s House JGO, said, “While the Superior Court’s decision remains, it’s disheartening that the Supreme Court missed a chance to interpret the law.”
House Floor Leader Edwin Propst, a former House JGO member, said: “We hoped the Supreme Court would address the former governor’s unfounded claims about his purported legal immunity. The dismissal, to me, suggests the court wasn’t convinced by his arguments.”
The 22nd House Committee on Judiciary and Government Operations was represented by Brendan Layde and Joseph LG Taijeron Jr. while Torres’ legal team included Joseph E. Horey, Richard C. Miller, Gilbert J. Birnbrich, and Ross H. Garber.
Variety tried but failed to get a comment from the former governor or his lawyers.
