by Sabrina Salas Matanane

Guam - The Legislature's Ethics Committee has released the summary of its Legal Counsel's Preliminary Findings involving the complaint filed by Port Authority of Guam Board Chairperson Monte Mesa against Senator Matt Rector. According to a media release the findings were released to the public and to Committee members to ensure transparency and so that parties have ample time to review and consider it prior to the Committee's hearing scheduled for January 6.

The summary is not the Committee's final disposition of this matter. At the January 6 meeting, the Committee's Legal Counsel must complete his Preliminary Findings by providing the Committee with: (1) His final determination of whether the alleged facts that, if true, would constitute a violation of the Ethics Code, as required by Rule 9(a), Rules of Procedure; and (2) His presentation of the substance of Respondent's position on the allegations contained in the Complaint in this matter if Respondent presents the same to Legal Counsel pursuant to Rule 11(a), Rules of Procedure; and (3) Legal Counsel's final Preliminary Recommendation concerning the disposition of this matter pursuant to Rule 11a, and Rule 12, Rules of Procedure.

The Committee will then vote on whether to conduct a full investigation and hearing regarding any of the issues contained in the Complaint. If the Committee decides to conduct an investigation and hold a hearing in this matter, it must complete the investigation and hold the hearing within 30 days.

The Committee will not render its final disposition in this matter until after hearing and considering all the evidence presented in this matter, and not until after the Committee has given the Respondent the opportunity to exercise all the rights he is afforded under the Committee's Rules of Procedure.