KUAM reported that Rector had failed to disclose his 1983 criminal case in a violation of local election law. The report said Rector pleaded guilty to burglary and was sentenced to serve a 24-month probation period.
“This shameful attack full of lies and deceit will not go unnoticed by Guam’s families,” Rector said, adding that the case in question was a misdemeanor.
Legal advise
Speaker Judi Won Pat said she will seek advice from legal counsel on how to deal with Rector’s case.
Public law requires candidates for public offices to disclose any criminal record involving a felony conviction and misdemeanors involving a crime of moral turpitude or criminal sexual conduct.
When filing for his legislative candidacy with the Guam Election Commission, Rector submitted a Guam police clearance.
In an earlier interview with Variety, GEC executive director John Blas said the agency relies on the honor system when candidates file and submit their records prior to candidacy.
The real story’
Rector, who is also the president of Guam’s only labor union, readily admitted his folly as a teen. “It is not a secret,” he said. “But with their boy running for office in 2010 and many special interests, this story just shows how some of this island’s rich and powerful will do whatever they can to stop anyone who will stand up for the average man and woman who must work hard just to make ends meet,” the senator said.
“The truth is not as exciting or nebulous as KUAM and the Calvos have tried to make it,” he said of the incident which happened when he was 18 or 19, home for a Christmas break.
“We had been drinking at my house prior to strolling over to a mall located behind my parents’ home,” Rector explained about the two decade-old incident.
“We climbed onto the building to hang out and goof off like kids often do. Unfortunately, we found an open door and stupidly chose to go inside. After a couple of minutes we decided that it was a pretty dumb thing to be there and bounced. But as we were climbing down from the roof local police were already there and arrested all of us,” the senator recounted.
“Eventually we pled guilty to a misdemeanor and got informal probation and a few hours of community service,” Rector detailed to Variety. “Was it a stupid thing to do? Yes, of course!”
Leaks and threats
A source told Variety that the information was leaked by the Guam Police Department.
The source said Rector applied for a gun permit last week. “He apparently has some concern for his safety and that of his family following some threats,” the source explained. “It is a part of the process to get an FBI background check for carrying a weapon. We will have an investigation about how this information got out to KUAM so quickly. They are only a few people with access to that,” confided the GPD source.
When asked why he felt the need to carry a weapon, Rector admitted to having received numerous threats. “They have increased lately,” the besieged lawmaker confessed.
“I have been warned in phone calls, when I have been at a bar and even at public events. I was told I am making a lot of people mad and will cost them a lot of money. In no uncertain terms I have been threatened and told to ‘watch my back’ because they would ‘get me,’ ” Rector said.
