THE House Special Investigating Committee on Impeachment will not rush the proceedings, its chairman, Vice Speaker Blas Jonathan Attao said.
The committee will meet on Jan. 4, Tuesday, at 1:30 p.m., in the House chamber to officially open the impeachment process.
He said they will give Gov. Ralph DLG Torres “the chance to clear his name if he believes the accusations against him are wrong.”
Attao added, “We are going to do these things the right way.”
“We will not rush this,” he said. “We will take our time and ensure we have all the proper information.”
The House investigation into the governor’s public expenditures started in July 2020.
In December 2020, the then-House leadership recommended that the Office of the Public Auditor look into the then-House minority’s concerns.
In April 2021, under a new leadership, the House announced it would reopen its investigation.
On Dec. 17, 2021, the House Committee on Judiciary and Governmental Operations prefiled a resolution calling for the governor’s impeachment.
He was accused of corruption, neglect of duty and felonies of theft. He has denied the allegations.
Fifteen of the 20 House members are expected to support the resolution.
According to the CNMI Constitution, “The legislature may impeach those executive and judicial officers of the Commonwealth subject to impeachment under this Constitution. The House of Representatives may initiate impeachment proceedings by the affirmative vote of two-thirds of its members and the [nine-seat] Senate may convict after hearing by the affirmative vote of two-thirds [or six] of its members.”
On Dec. 21, 2021, Speaker Edmund S. Villagomez appointed Attao as chairman of the impeachment committee whose other members are Reps. Angel Demapan, Joseph Flores, Joseph Leepan Guerrero, Corina Magofna, Donald Manglona, Tina Sablan, Patrick San Nicolas and Leila Staffler.
Blas Jonathan Attao
