Regarding our Congressman Sablan (Kilili) you state: “I’m sure most people are asking why our delegate isn’t living in the Mariana House and paying the CNMI rent money he is paying someone else.” You imply that Congressman Sablan is responsible for the Mariana House not being utilized. First, the Mariana House is not at all the responsibility of the Congressman; as you, yourself stated, “it belongs to the CNMI,” which falls under the responsibility of the Governor. Second, the Congressman pays for his own small, studio apartment. This, I believe, is a first for any CNMI representative in Washington. He could waste the taxpayers’ money by staying in extravagant housing as has been done by his predecessors; rather, he is most prudent with government funds and pays for his own place. With your “logic,” it would appear that the Congressman is culpable no matter which he does. Most folks would find it admirable that a politician pays his own way.
Next, you state: “The Senate is sending a resolution to Kilili to seek compensation to offset the economic hardship placed on the CNMI as a result of the implementation of the federalization law. This is what we should have done in the first place instead of a lawsuit. My only concern is that our delegate has not done the homework to justify this compensation.” Again, you imply that Congressman Sablan is somehow at fault for this mess. The Congressman was against the lawsuit. And, as you aptly state, the Senate is forming the resolution and requesting that the Congressman bring it to the attention of the Feds. It lies within the prevue of the Senate to do the study justifying the compensation as they are the ones making the resolution, not the Congressman. Your “concern” ought to be whether or not the Senate has performed an adequate study in support of their resolution which they are giving to the Congressman to present in Washington.
You write that Congressman Sablan should use his operating expenses to do a study on the impact of federalization. Instead, he returned over $675,000 from his first two years’ operating account. And you somehow feel that this is wrong? Ambrose, my friend, can you not see that the Congressman actually returned money to the taxpayers? Other than Tina Sablan, I can think of no politician who has returned such a large percentage of his expense account back to the public. For this, he should be congratulated, not castigated. Perhaps you should request that the Senate use that returned money to fund such a study since it is their resolution. I, for one, admire someone who gets the job done AND returns unused money back to the taxpayers.
You feel that because Kilili is neither Democrat nor Republican he therefore has little influence in Congress. His first two years have already disproven that notion. The people of the CNMI apparently are becoming more wary of the promises of political parties and prefer someone with integrity, honesty, and a strong work ethic to represent them in Congress. Whether Republican, Democratic, Tea Party, Covenant, or Aliens from Outer Space League, it makes little difference what name you give, as long as the job is done. Congressman Sablan is getting the job done, working with Congressmen from both sides of the floor. I would see this as an opportunity for an independent to have more flexibility and to do what is best for ALL OF THE CNMI, rather than follow the agenda of one party (which historically ends up primarily benefitting the folks of that party).
Lastly, Ambrose, you write: “I want voters to know he (Kilili) totally ignored me because he was more against me than he was for the people. He was so arrogant and bent on making sure I didn’t get credit because I was for another candidate so now everyone suffers.”
After reading your letter several times over, I sincerely hope that you as an educator are teaching neither English nor debate. Your conclusions to statements are illogical. Your grammar is less than stellar. Overall, it is a poorly written letter: however, after reading the above quotation I do believe I understand better why this is so. You are writing this letter out of anger, not out of reason. You sound more like a bully in a school yard who didn’t get what he wanted; hence, he lashes out at others. Ambrose, my friend, you are the one coming across as arrogant. Think twice next time you write such ill conceived statements about an elected leader who has demonstrated integrity and honesty; a leader who is working hard for the benefit of the CNMI. And if you don’t get what you want from Kilili then don’t shoot the messenger or cry “foul.” No leader can satisfy everyone and money is extremely tight in this economy. You are not the only person requesting a pet project. Maybe you should re-evaluate your pet project and come up with something more acceptable. That is what reasonable people do.
Additionally, a reasonable person would apologize for making such reckless and unfounded statements in a public forum, statements based on anger, not on any fact.
BILL WEISS
Capital Hill, Saipan
