GOVERNOR Ralph DLG Torres on Friday said he has hired a law firm based in Washington, D.C. to represent him in the ongoing CNMI House Committee on Judiciary and Government Operations investigations into his public expenditures.
The principal of Garber Group LLC is Ross Garber, a legal analyst for CNN and “recognized as one of the country’s foremost impeachment attorneys, having represented Gov. Robert Bentley of Alabama, Gov. Mark Sanford of South Carolina, Gov. John Rowland of Connecticut, and Gov. Eric Greitens of Missouri.”
Garber also teaches Political Investigations and Impeachment Law at Tulane Law School.
He is a former partner at Shipman & Goodwin, where he was co-chair of the firm’s Government Investigations and White Collar Crime Group. He has written for the Los Angeles Times and the Washington Post, and he is a graduate of the University of Connecticut Law School.
Governor Torres, who has denied any wrongdoing, said he was advised by Attorney General Edward Manibusan to hire his own lawyer in case he is subpoenaed by the House JGO committee.
Led by the House Democrats, the committee recently approved subpoenas for the Republican governor, Lt. Gov. Arnold I. Palacios, Department of Public Safety Commissioner Robert A. Guerrero, First Lady Diann Torres and other individuals.
Last week, the committee chair, Rep. Celina Babauta, postponed the hearings, but added that they would likely resume this week.
Ross Garber
