Esteves believes he was in the right

Legislative Ethics Committee chairman Fernando Esteves has recused himself, following a complaint filed against him on Friday. His conduct in joining a protest that briefly blocked traffic at the Andersen front gate is being called into question.  But the Senator believes he was doing the right thing.

The protest was over a controversial live fire training range to be built inside the gates at northwest field. Senator Esteves says he joined the rally because he believes in the cause. But complainant Barry Mead telling KUAM News on Friday that he believes the senator's actions were an embarrassment to the legislature, saying, "You don't stand in the middle of the road and call out the base commander who had nothing to do with this. Who has no control over these issues?"

Esteves was overheard calling out the commander who he claimed was playing golf. He says if he had to do things all over again, saying, "Maybe the comments might have been different, I probably could've used a lot more tact. And I do understand that."

But otherwise, he believes supporting the original Ritidian landowners and others in their fight to block construction of the live fire training range was a just cause, and he's willing to accept whatever consequences may come.

"The goal really was just to bring this to the forefront, it's an important topic, and it was really to send a message, and that was accomplished. Whatever comes of it, and whatever sacrifice may result from what I did, and whatever happens to me, I can live with it," he said.

Esteves' conduct at the protest is also under review by the Guam National Guard.