by Mindy Aguon, KUAM News Thursday, July 08, 2004 Subscribe to Mindy's newsfeed   E-mail this article Printable version KUAM Toolbar Web Widgets Get RSS headlines

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It's no secret there's a serious battle brewing between Governor Felix Camacho and Attorney General Douglas Moylan. From the former saying the latter acts like he's the new sheriff in town with a pistol shooting at everyone, to the AG's latest comments, the clash of the island's top legal officer with the island's Chief Executive appears to have turned into the Wild West.

From the AG's "put up or shut up" challenge to the Governor to the Governor telling the AG he should behave and stop being the thorn in the side of the government, it's apparent an investigation into the Attorney General's procurement of a teleprompter has only added fuel to the ongoing fire between the two public sector leaders. Explained the AG, "The Governor of Guam should be the man that he says he is and come out and face exactly what his office initiated.

"He made allegations of unethical and unprofessional conduct and I would just turn that right back on him and say that he has smeared the names of those people that work in this office that put together those procurement documents and requested from the General Services Agency, and he should clear their names."

After the AG purchased a teleprompter for his office from an off-island vendor, the Camacho Administration requested a criminal investigation be conducted by the Guam Police Department after concerns were raised that the law had been violated during the procurement. AG Moylan demanded the results of the investigation, but on Monday Governor Camacho told KUAM News that wasn't going to happen.

Moylan said he wanted the results because if it was determined the procurement was legal, he wanted a public apology to his staff. "We believe there was clearly nothing wrong that this office did," said Moylan, "and the whole focus was that we want the Governor to come forward and either publicly disclose the results of what he initiated - what his office initiated - or to apologize. And I think that I don't need the apology, but the people in my office, I am advocating that they do require that apology because they had nothing because their not part of this political election process that the people put us into office to represent them on."

In a letter to the AG today, Governor Camacho said he is precluded from disclosing the results of the ongoing investigation to Moylan since the inquiry pertains to possible wrongful actions by the Attorney Genera's Office. The Governor added that it would be a breach of the public's confidence in his office's ability to faithfully execute the laws of Guam.

As for the AG's challenge to put up or shut up, the Governor wasn't surprised with Moylan's comments, saying they were indicative of Moylan's unprofessionalism. "It was very unethical for him to behave in such a manner," surmised Governor Camacho. "It's time that people of Guam, the Legislature, the Judiciary start to call into question the Attorney General, his behavior, his mannerisms, and the abuse of his authority in office and how he conducts himself. I think he has done great harm to this community and continues to do so...it's time that this man behave and conduct himself as all attorney generals in the past."

AG Moylan then fired back, saying he's proud he's not like his predecessors. The AG added that he doesn't have to answer to the Governor or to lawmakers - only to the people who elected him into office. "The issue that I'm not following attorneys general in the past in Guam is exactly right. In 1998, [former governor Carl Gutierrez's] administration prompted Congress to change the law and make this an independent and autonomous position and elected position," the AG told KUAM News, adding, "and part of that autonomy is that the Attorney General does not follow the orders and instructions of the Governor.

"My accountability is directly to the people and they voted me in on a certain platform that I had and that was my promise to the community, and I will continue doing that."

It's evident the AG's stance on his authority as the island's chief legal officer differs with the Governor. Camacho earlier this week said its time someone hold the AG accountable for his actions, adding Moylan has been running amuck with his mouth. "He runs around like the new sheriff in town with a pistol in his hand shooting everyone saying, 'Stop me if you can.' I think that's terrible for this territory. He must conduct himself in a more professional manner."

Moylan dramatically concluded, "That's exactly right - there IS a new sheriff in town. The people elected that sheriff to be in this town, and my response would be 'YIPEE-KI-YAY GOVERNOR!'"

In response, Governor's legal counsel Shannon Taitano says the AG is wrong, asserting that the Administration has not received the findings from the investigation at GPD. Taitano says the AG is attempting to use his office to intervene in an investigation that directly involves him. She adds it is frightening that he displays such arrogance and brings fear and intimidation back into our community.

As for the AG's "Yipee-ki-Yay" comments, the Administration says Moylan's childish response speaks for itself. As for allegations that the Governor is part of a conspiracy to recall the Attorney General, Taitano says Governor Camacho does not know Mr. Andrew Zawalinski (the author of the petition filed this week with the Guam Election Commission to recall the AG), adding the conspiracy is an old excuse.

Taitano says Moylan needs to start taking responsibility for his actions.