I’M pretty sure the majority of citizens who have followed the Governor’s Corruption History don’t want to see the Governor get “a slap on the wrist, fined a few thousand and told not to do it anymore,” as it’s truly time for him to go to jail. A commenter said something very interesting to my Op-ed on the Bell Tolling for the Governor, as he raised the concern of “who will be the judge for the Governor’s case” as they all recused themselves in the Lawsuit and it seems the same pattern has followed with the Governors criminal case. But nonetheless, Judge Castro expeditiously found a Judge in Guam — thanks Judge. The concern now by many citizens is the Governor getting “preferential treatment” of being allowed to run-around FREE after being charged. I don’t know of any of “us-regular-folks-in-the-cheap-seats” getting this kind of treatment, as the Governor should have been arrested fingerprinted & mug-shot and then given a Court Date.
I have often seen Judges say to a defendant: “I’m going to make an example out-of-you” and the Judge prosecutes this person “case & punishment to the highest extent of the Law.” But the Governor is still getting special or preferential treatment because he is the Governor, but I submit that once he is charge that he should be treated like any other person. The Governor has already gotten his Court Date extended, which is clearly preferential treatment when the jail is FULL of people who weren’t allowed this opportunity to run-around FREE before they were formally charged and entered a plea. PLEASE, no more of this preferential treatment for the Governor, as he is the PERFECT example of the fact that “no-one is above the Law” and not an example of how the Governor can get preferential treatment. This is why I keep saying, OUR Children ARE WATCHING and the examples set-forth for the Governor should be the same as they are for regular-folks!
This is one time where there needs to be an “expeditious trial” that will be over BEFORE the election, as I’m sure the Governor is doing all he can to buy-time for three possible scenarios. First, the Senate Trial that he will surely be acquitted given the Senate President’s ridiculous desire to go forward with “no Impeachment Documents and no Prosecutors” — some trial. 2nd, the possibility of being found guilty for the recent charges after the election that will open the door for Arnold to “pardon the Governor” and finally, the election itself provides odds of 2 to 1 in favor of Republicans which means the Governor will still be pardoned. So, there are scenarios for the Governor to escape punishment & jail even if convicted. But regardless of the Governor’s “escape-plans,” the Governor more than deserves to be made an example of Equal Justice for ALL and that corrupt leadership will not be tolerated and punished to the fullest extent of the Law.
There is also a concern among citizens that “what is the Bar Association going to do about the Governor’s Lawyer who was caught Red-Handed writing the Senate Rules for the Governor’s Trial.” She shouldn’t even be allowed to practice Law, as the Bar Association has dis-barred people for far LESS. This entire fiasco with the Governor is smelling more and more like preferential treatment for the Governor and his Lawyer who clearly violated “the Ethics Code and the Rules of the American Bar Association that is figuratively stinking so bad you can smell it on the Kagman Peninsular coming from Capital Hill. The Bar Association’s silence offers NO Accountability for the violations by the Governor’s Lawyer — preferential treatment that has many in the Community wondering about the Judicial Branch being INFECTED too!
I actually called the Bar and was directed to their Internet Page to file a complaint, but NONE of the Tabs to connect with the Bar Association worked as I only got errors, so they need to fix their Internet Page.
It is truly the wish and desire of many, if the not the majority, of citizens in our Commonwealth to see EVERYTHING associated with this Governor and his corruption allegations come to an END — so WE the People can move ON!!! It has been one stalling and delaying tactic after another for almost two-years and he is still running around FREE and even thinking he can be re-elected, which is truly a “slap in the face” to those who have common sense and are not a Loyalist of the Governor. A lot of us also wish the Court could do something about the Senate President and the REAL Kangaroo Trial he plans to put on but I guess it will be up to the voters on Tinian to oust Senators Hofschneider & Cruz. I know neither one of them have done anything worthwhile to get re-elected, as they did NOTHING to stop the Economic and Quality-of-life being destroyed on Tinian and Rota as their Island & People deserve to be much better OFF. So please stop giving your FAILING Senators preferential treatment that is costing ALL of us as they are proving they care MORE about the Governor than they do about the Economy and Quality of Life on Tinian & Luta. Preferential Treatment with investors is HOW our Commonwealth got into this Economic & Social catastrophe which is why all the “family & preferential treatment” needs to come to an END!
To be continued: One people, One Direction.
The writer is an Economist, Political Scientist, retired teacher, former CNMI Board of Education Member, James Madison Fellow (U.S. Constitutional Scholar), a Fulbright-Hays & Humanities Scholar who resides in Kagman III.
Ambrose M. Bennett
