CSC concerned about lawyer's possible connection to Bernadette Meno
The CSC legal counsel's alleged connection to an individual linked to a recent election controversy has commissioners concerned.
November 25, 2014Updated: November 25, 2014
By KUAM News
By KUAM News by Sabrina Salas Matanane
Guam - The Civil Service Commission and Decision 2014 really don't have anything to do with one another, but their legal counsel's alleged connection to an individual linked to a recent election controversy has commissioners concerned.
According to Civil Service Commission executive director Tony Lamorena tonight's hearing involving a terminated Port employee has been postponed and instead commissioners are meeting to discuss whether there's a conflict with their legal counsel Vanessa Williams and her connection with Bernadette Meno.
It was over the weekend Democrat precinct official Catherine Peredo withdrew her complaint that alleged she saw an ice cooler filled with pre-marked ballots for the Calvo-Tenorio gubernatorial team and some senatorial candidates at the Dededo Precinct where she was working on the day of the general election. Peredo subsequently withdrew the complaint stating she did not prepare it but rather Meno did. Meno however responded that she was in a meeting with two other people when Peredo made the allegations. Present she said were Attorney Vanessa Williams and Robert Kelley. Kelley who also issued a statement said that Attorney Williams was present at that meeting. While this matter has been forwarded to the Attorney General's Office for investigation, the Civil Service Commission wants to know more information about the extent of the link between Meno and Attorney Williams. Meno as we reported was terminated along with several other employees in December 2012 from the Port Authority of Guam where they were accused of being involved in an alleged conspiracy to defraud the government and cover it up. All of the fired employees filed appeals with the Civil Service Commission. The Port Authority of Guam's legal counsel Mike Phillips tells KUAM that he was informed by the CSC that the first day of the hearing of the merits for terminated Port employee Vivian Leon was cancelled today. While he did not know whether the hearing was cancelled due to Williams' connection to Meno, he says failure to disclose is a serious matter and most concerning. He says "I think there's been a serious compromise with the commission, until there's an investigation, we won't know the extent of the possible influence or the compromise of the integrity of the cases." Phillips tells KUAM that Williams was actually brought in as conflict's counsel after Attorney Sofia Santos voluntarily stepped down not because of a direct conflict but because a friendship that might be seen or give an appearance of impropriety. He adds other commissioners also disclosed any possible conflicts prior to the hearings. Phillips says he was not aware of any kind of relationship between Williams and Meno only until a statement was released by Meno regarding a signed affidavit with the Guam Election Commission. He says if it turns out that Williams appears to have a close working relationship with Meno, "I absolutely believe an investigation should be done on Vanessa, especially with cases as serious as this."
Guam - The Civil Service Commission and Decision 2014 really don't have anything to do with one another, but their legal counsel's alleged connection to an individual linked to a recent election controversy has commissioners concerned.
According to Civil Service Commission executive director Tony Lamorena tonight's hearing involving a terminated Port employee has been postponed and instead commissioners are meeting to discuss whether there's a conflict with their legal counsel Vanessa Williams and her connection with Bernadette Meno.
It was over the weekend Democrat precinct official Catherine Peredo withdrew her complaint that alleged she saw an ice cooler filled with pre-marked ballots for the Calvo-Tenorio gubernatorial team and some senatorial candidates at the Dededo Precinct where she was working on the day of the general election. Peredo subsequently withdrew the complaint stating she did not prepare it but rather Meno did. Meno however responded that she was in a meeting with two other people when Peredo made the allegations. Present she said were Attorney Vanessa Williams and Robert Kelley. Kelley who also issued a statement said that Attorney Williams was present at that meeting. While this matter has been forwarded to the Attorney General's Office for investigation, the Civil Service Commission wants to know more information about the extent of the link between Meno and Attorney Williams. Meno as we reported was terminated along with several other employees in December 2012 from the Port Authority of Guam where they were accused of being involved in an alleged conspiracy to defraud the government and cover it up. All of the fired employees filed appeals with the Civil Service Commission. The Port Authority of Guam's legal counsel Mike Phillips tells KUAM that he was informed by the CSC that the first day of the hearing of the merits for terminated Port employee Vivian Leon was cancelled today. While he did not know whether the hearing was cancelled due to Williams' connection to Meno, he says failure to disclose is a serious matter and most concerning. He says "I think there's been a serious compromise with the commission, until there's an investigation, we won't know the extent of the possible influence or the compromise of the integrity of the cases." Phillips tells KUAM that Williams was actually brought in as conflict's counsel after Attorney Sofia Santos voluntarily stepped down not because of a direct conflict but because a friendship that might be seen or give an appearance of impropriety. He adds other commissioners also disclosed any possible conflicts prior to the hearings. Phillips says he was not aware of any kind of relationship between Williams and Meno only until a statement was released by Meno regarding a signed affidavit with the Guam Election Commission. He says if it turns out that Williams appears to have a close working relationship with Meno, "I absolutely believe an investigation should be done on Vanessa, especially with cases as serious as this."
KUAM did call Attorney Williams for a comment, we are waiting for a response.
After meeting briefly Commissioners passed a motion to issue a press release on the matter and to forward a letter to the Guam Bar Association seeking their guidance.