by John Davis

Guam - Earlier this week, Attorney General Alicia Limtiaco was officially sworn in as the U.S. Attorney for the U.S. Unincorporated territory of Guam and the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana's Islands. The former Attorney General was the first female AG elected by the people of Guam and only the second elected Attorney General behind Guam's first AG Douglas Moylan. Now one Senator wants to take those rights away from all voters.

Maybe it was the powers Governor Felix Camacho used to appoint the former Public Guardian for Guam, John Weisenberger to serve as acing AG until the term is up that got Senator Cruz to use his critical thinking. The reason being the next General Election was less than eight months away. Maybe Senator Cruz didn't know that according to language contained in the Guam Code Annotated the governor was granted that power to fill the vacant seat.

Speaking of vacant seats, we must not forget that when Former Speaker and Senior Senator Tony Unpingco passed on, it was B.J. Cruz who filled the vacant seat in the Guam Legislature via a special election, after an unsuccessful bid was made for Adelup with former Governor Carl T.C. Gutierrez. Lets not forget that when Matt Rector resigned from his seat in the 30th Guam Legislature it was freshman Senator Tony Ada who filled the vacant seat in the legislature after being elected by the people during the last and most recent Special Election.

I bet you're wondering how this all happened right? Well, it was the work of the Guam Legislature amending the GCA that provided the avenue for Guam voters to elect him via a special election. They gave the power to the people and now that Carl Gutierrez is in the clear to be a gubernatorial candidate, Senator B.J. Cruz is attempting to stack the cards in the Democrats favor. Don't forget, it was Gutierrez who appointed Cruz to serve as Superior Court Judge. It was Gutierrez who appointed Cruz to serve as Guam Supreme Court Chief Justice and it was Cruz who ran and lost to the Republican Gubernatorial team of Camacho/Cruz in 2006.

Maybe it was because B.J. already knew the former U.S. Attorney for Guam and the CNMI Lenny Rapadas was going to make a bid for the AG's Office that B.J. came out with these two bills a day before Limtiaco was sworn in as the U.S. Attorney and a day before Rapadas announced his candidacy, coincidence? I think not!

Now that we've gotten some background information out of the way, lets look at what Bills 424 and 425 propose. Last weekend, the 30th Guam Legislature's Vice-Speaker, Senator B.J. Cruz introduced legislation that would essentially strip the people of Guam from their power to elect Guam's Attorney General. Cruz also hopes to strip the voters of their right to elect those who wish to sit on the Guam Education Policy Board.

Through Cruz's two pieces of legislation, it is a clear indication Cruz does not have faith in the majority of Guam's voting population to elect the right person for the job of Guam Attorney General and GEPB members. I thought we were the voters and the voters should be trusted by our elected leaders to elect the right candidates for these jobs. After all, it's the same voters that Cruz is trying to strip of their rights to elect the AG and GEPB members, not to mention the certified legitimate voting population of Guam elected this Cat into office.

Now I may agree that the GEPB should be abolished for its lack of applying "cumulative pressure" on GDOE central to ensure schools are open, kids have books and are fed properly, but it was lawmakers that gave the people of Guam the ability to elect GEPB members so why does one dude want to take it away? B.J. Cruz is a "Gutierricrat" if you know what I mean and during this election season Cruz and other "Guiterricrats" will begin to introduce legislation that would benefit one person should he even be elected and that person is Carl T.C. Gutierrez.

There is one Democrat senator that can do something about these two bills that will strip voters of their right to elect the AG and GEPB members. That one senator is Rory Respicio.

I used to work for the Committee on Rules, Regulations, Government Reform and Federal Affairs in the 24th and 25th Guam Legislature. My former boss was a man loved by all who goes by the name of Mark Forbes, man I miss this dude being in the legislature. If the good senator and chairman of the 30th Guam Legislature's Rules committee were anything like my former boss, the good senator would kill this bill on the rules committee and never refer it to its proper oversight committee, it's all been done before just ask GEDA Administrator and former republican senator, Tony Blaz he would know about his bills being held and killed in the Rules committee after the likes of former senators Joann Brown, Tony Lamorena and Carlotta Leon Guerrero amongst others found out Blaz was making "closed door deals" with the Gutierrez/ Bordallo Administration that served from 1998-2002.

Maybe the good Rules Chairman's conscience will get to him and make him put Bills 424 and 425 right next to bill 190 and 185 considering neither will ever make it to session floor for fair deliberation. So good senator put these bills together and recycle them, at least we'll cave a tree or two. Then have a press conference and just tell the people of Guam they'll be able to practice indigenous fishing and our island will allow same-sex civil unions when pigs fly!!

Readers, I strongly urge you to visit the legislature or log on to the Guam Legislatures website, print it out, analyze it and make plans to testify against this bill because through this piece of legislation, the previously appointed Guam superior court judge and previously appointed Guam Supreme Court Chief Justice is also saying he does not have confidence that Guam's legally registered, legally alive to include absentee ballot voting population, can not make an educated decision for themselves on which Guam Election Commission certified, legally alive resident of Guam is the Attorney General candidate and the best GEPB candidates to elect.

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