“Perhaps the governor is inclined to say that the voice of Rota and Tinian is unimportant in the composition of commonwealth-wide boards and commissions,” Cruz said in an interview.
Fitial earlier “advised” the Tinian Republican to read the Constitution, which gives the governor the sole power to appoint individuals to boards and commissions.
Cruz said “it is not nonsense to insist on equal representation among all the senatorial districts.”
He agrees that the governor is the appointing authority, but he said Fitial is “ignoring his responsibility” to appoint representatives from Tinian and Rota, which is also mandated by the Constitution.
Cruz said Fitial “is taking this appointment issue out of proportion.”
“We are not telling him what to do but merely asking him a courtesy consideration for the recommendations of Tinian and Rota,” the senator added.
He said lawmakers “do read the Constitution and understand the fundamental principles that guide government policies.”
But he said the Constitution cannot be used as a way to “push around” the Legislature.
Cruz said he is not telling the governor what to do.
He said he is just “asking” Fitial to appoint somebody from Tinian and Rota.
Asking, he added, is different from telling.
According to Cruz, he never wrote the governor a letter telling him what to do.
He said his letter stating that the Senate Committee on Executive Appointments and Government Investigation will not entertain any executive appointment was addressed to the Senate president and not to the governor.
Cruz chairs the committee.
