In his response to Kandit News’ Troy Torres, Castro said the expense receipts of his office “are not public records,” but members of the public can make an appointment to inspect whatever public records he may have.
In March 2019, the House adopted House Resolution 21-4, which allows members to draw down up to $5,000 from their office allocations “to defray the cost of food, lodging, and other incidental expenses related to community events and activities and other expenses incurred by reason of attending to legislative business in any senatorial district and outside the Commonwealth.”
H.R. 21-4 requires that the funds “shall be for expenses incurred during the month in which the allowance was disbursed.”
Additionally, the funds allocated “shall be disbursed each month and none of the said funds provided in this subsection shall be advanced.”
House Floor Leader John Paul Sablan and other members of the House leadership told Variety that their doors are open to anyone who may want to check the public records of their expenditures.
Legislative Bureau Director Tony Sablan said he was asked by Kandit News to provide such documents, adding that he told Kandit News to make the request to the Department of Finance.
In his letter to Troy Torres, Castro said the receipts Torres was requesting “are neither required by law to be kept in discharge of any duties imposed by law, nor are [such] receipts, any written or printed report, book, or paper, map or plan, ‘are necessary to keep in discharge of duties imposed by law.’”
He said the Open Government Act “does not govern the receipts that you requested.”
But, Castro added, “you are welcome to call my office and make an appointment to visit and inspect whatever public records, if any, that I may have.”
Castro told Variety that the other members of the House leadership made the same response to Kandit News.
