“There is no law passed that would legally and officially prevent me from doing that. Right now, there is no restriction,” the governor told the media during a news conference on Thursday.
Both houses of the Legislature rejected the governor’s request for the appropriation of $50,000 every month or $400,000 in eight months to pay the Washington-based law firm of Jenner & Block.
“The Legislature has expressed they don’t want the governor to use public funds to support the lawsuit. That’s only an expression,” Fitial said.
He will again try to convince lawmakers to appropriate funds for the lawsuit.
“I need to talk to the Legislature to reconsider their position or decision. This is for the people. That’s the reason why I embarked on this. It is important for the people to understand that my issue is not immigration. My issue is labor,” the governor said.
He said the provisions of U.S. Public Law 110-229 that he is challenging abrogate the commonwealth’s right to self-government by denying it the right to regulate its local workforce and economy.
Fitial said lawmakers should not be concerned about the projected legal expenses because at stake is the CNMI’s economy.
“$400,000 compared to what we will get after we lose our economy [is cheap],” he said.
Acting Attorney General Gregory Baka has told Rep. Tina Sablan, Ind.-Saipan, that “documentation identifying funding sources and contracts between the CNMI and outside litigation counsel…are exempt from disclosure under the [Open Government Act] because they are not discoverable…under the attorney-client privilege….”
He did admit that the governor’s operating account was used to finance the litigation fee.
No further details were provided by Baka.
