Rep. Stanley T. Torres, R-Saipan, who was among those who earlier supported the initiative pushed by Rep. Tina Sablan, Ind.-Saipan, is now saying that it will just lead to problems.
The initiative will be on the Nov. 2009 ballot and will become law if approved by two-thirds of the votes cast.
“How could anyone be against the idea of applying the existing Open Government Act to the Legislature they ask? Here is how: First, this [law], like most others, is written to specifically curb excesses, reveal closeted deals and generally open up access to an executive branch. To assume, you can just rubber stamp it and make the same system apply to the completely different operation of a legislative branch is wrong and will not work,” said Torres in an open letter to his constituents.
He said legislatures in the U.S. are not subjected to the Open Government Act.
“The majority precedent is to not include, but rather to exclude legislative branches in OGAs. The reasons are complex, but understandable and have nothing to do with ‘hiding’ anything,” he said.
The lawmaker said if the Act’s primary goal is to track how elected leaders spend taxpayers’ money, the current system allows for that already.
“A simple trip to the Finance Department, currently subject to the OGA, will reveal where every expenditure went, to whom, when and for how much. What else is needed? If you feel your elected officials are not open and forthright, you have a remedy built right into the constitution,” said Torres.
“Recall them or don’t reelect them, but don’t hamstring them from the rightful performance of their sworn duty so you can feel good about signing a petition or voting for an initiative that is naïve and untenable on its face,” he added.
