THE parallel societies of the mainland and the CNMI are literally facing the very SAME challenge of “what to do WITH and what to do ABOUT a corrupt executive (President & Governor) in our Government. The U.S. Congress has already impeached Trump’s “fig-leaf defenses” for a second time and rightfully so as he has literally killed tens and even hundreds of thousands in this pandemic with his negligence and his incited insurrection is just unforgivable — for REAL! And while it is not my intent to put un-due pressure on the new Speaker and Floor Leader, it should be noted that the Governor still has a BIG BLACK CLOUD hanging over him & his administration that needs to be disbursed so the sunshine can come through. To that end, it is all important to first and foremost FINISH the business of the last Legislature in “holding the Governor ACCOUNTABLE for his actions” as the Ambrosio Pardon Gate Scheme is just MORE proof that Governor Torres is going to keep committing alleged crimes until someone puts a STOP to him.
The head-rest of George Washington’s “Rising Sun” chair.
File photo
The people of the CNMI are watching to see exactly what this House of Representatives are going to do and if the Speaker and Floor Leader are going to continue “protecting the Governor” it’s just going to be another embarrassing two years because NOTHING will have changed. It’s truly time for Governor Torres to GO given all the embarrassment he has caused the CNMI, especially when FBI Indictments are looming eminent. Kandit News and even our Local Newspapers have exposed MORE than enough to impeach the Governor and many voters are already asking me “WHAT are they (the Legislature) waiting on to impeach the Governor as that should be the FIRST thing they do.” My answer to them was “the Democrats will do their part but will the Speaker, the Floor Leader and the Senate do their part when put to the test”, as they are not Democrats.” EVERYBODY in the Legislature is going to be held accountable for holding the Governor accountable, as the fig-leaf defense WE the People have been witnessing from the Governor figuratively won’t fool a first-grader, as WE just need the Democrats to prepare the Articles and administer the test!
But I was actually shocked to see the Democrats “called-out about their promises” putting ALL-the-earnest on Democrats alone to make promises and deliver on virtually fixing EVERYTHING even though they haven’t even been in office a month. It should be DULY NOTED that “the buck still goes through the Senate before it stops at Torres’ Desk,” so the earnest to “DELIVER” is still on Republicans, which is why I keep saying “2022” is the finish line to “re-tool our entire Government with Democrats.” In all fairness to Democrats, the only thing Democrats can do at this point in time is “PROMISE to work to improve our government and to diversify our economy and to support more investment in our healthcare system and the growth of our locally owned businesses.” Promising to “work & support” is actually saying a lot about the character of Democrats because the Republicans haven’t been promising, working nor supporting much of anything, just protecting the Governor & IPI. The defense for Democrats is they can’t PROMISE much of anything now as they can’t even pass a Bill without the support of a Republican & Independent and EVERY Bill the House Passes will still have to go through the “Republican Senate and the Republican Governor.” So, let’s get REAL before casting any shadows-of-doubt over Democrats ability to perform and putting the Democrats on “front street.” It’s not FAIR nor RIGHT when the Senate and Governor still literally hold the other two keys to passing Legislative Action to become laws and getting things DONE — for TRUE!
But there is ONE THING the Democrats can do without any help is “draft the Articles of Impeachment” and put the burden on Republicans and Independents to vote FOR Impeachment. Democrats only need to continue the same game plan of “accountability FOR the People FIRST” until Republicans admit the Governor was wrong or he goes to jail and just keep fighting until 2022, when voters can send you more help to fight this corrupt Governor and HIS Party. It should be noted with a real sense of sincerity and devotion too voters, that all those who voted FOR the Democrats voted for them with some expectation that “they would indeed FIGHT to put the Governor & IPI in check and held accountable” first and foremost. In fact, the Democrats actually have no choice but to draft the Articles of Impeachment or lose the confidence of many voters because the entire CNMI, including the Governor who tried everything to get Angel Demapan to be the speaker, is concerned about WHAT the Democrats will do now that they have SOME Power. But it will still be up to the Independent Speaker and the Republican Floor Leader to make an impeachment happen. But I will be the first to say Democrat must also do their part as anything less will surely be a big disappointment to their voters. No disrespect intended, but I’m sure the Speaker and Floor Leader know that acquiring the leadership roles DOES NOT come FREE without compromises of real commitments, responsibilities and accountability to the Democrats’ agenda, which they had to know is the rightful and long over-due “check on the Executive” that ONLY the Speaker and Floor Leader can put in motion. So if the impeachment doesn’t happen after the Articles are Drafted don’t blame Democrats, as it will be a movie we have been seeing EVER SINCE, as locals say! But if the Republicans & Independents fail to impeach, they will literally be putting dirt on the burial of their political careers because VOTERS are watching and WE the People are not stupid!
I know the House has a lot of work to do but just like the Legislature at the National Level, I believe our Speaker, Floor Leader and entire Legislature can also “walk & chew-gum at the same time” — meaning “they can do more than one thing at a time.” There is also the concern that the Rep. Ralph Yumul “may or may not have already committed political hara-kiri.” But no-one should be worried about their political fate when they are working FOR the People and doing the RIGHT THING to impeach a Governor who had already crossed the line so much the FBI had to step. Now the Governor has clearly gone too far with his alleged “political bribe of elected officials & extortion of a private citizen,” and I’m sure avoiding an impeachment was part of the Governor’s plan with Angel Demapan as Speaker. I can’t thank the Speaker and the Floor Leader enough but the reality is “it’s time for the Governor to GO” so the entire CNMI can move pass his Godfather schemes.
The Governor has been using “the be quiet fig-leaf defense” ever since he got caught “misusing OUR money” and he is still hiding behind a fig-leaf with the recent Ambrosio Pardon Gate scheme and there hasn’t been so much as a “whisper” in his defense by his office or anyone of his cronies. He is totally quiet again and I think the Governor is afraid of “his words being used against him in a court of law” just like they warn you when you get arrested and “Mirandized” — he’s acting more like an accused career criminal than a Governor with his fig-leaf silence. Just FYI Governor on the real-side, the fig-leaf defense didn’t work for Adam and Eve and it won’t work for you as innocent people are ADAMANT about their innocence even screaming for a DNA Test, a Lie Detector Test and any other Test that can prove their innocence = for TRUE!
I do know that if our Republicans let the Governor get away with the “BRIBE of Democrat Officials and EXTORTING Ambrosio to make a deal” then us-folks-in-the-cheap-seats may as well just throw up our hands and PRAY 2022 gets here fast or the FBI will lock-him-up soon before Governor Torres can do too much more damage. But I’m very sure the Democrats can and will “walk-their-talk” and finally hold the Governor FULLY Accountable after years of “oversight & investigations appeals being pushed aside as the minority” and it won’t be revenge, as us-folks-in-the-cheap-seats call it JUSTICE! There is no doubt that Impeachment Articles are clearly justifiable now more than ever after the “Trump-style” Ambrosio Pardon Gate (quid pro quo) scheme to alter the power in our Legislature, as what more does he have to do to get impeached — OMG! However, the real and most important unanswered question still remains “WILL voters walk-their-talk to end all corruption come 2022” by getting rid of this group of Republicans and electing a Democrat Majority in the Senate, House of Representatives and in the Executive Branch. So, when voters give Democrats a real chance, THEN and only THEN when Democrats are the majority in both Houses and the Executive Office can ALL the earnest be put on Democrats to deliver. No one should get upset at Democrats yet, just pay attention to what the Republicans & Independents do — for TRUE. But until then (2022), the Governor’s fate is like it says in the Bible, “the hand-writing is on the wall” to impeach the Governor with his fig-leaf defense.
To be continued: One People One Direction.
The writer is a 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.
