Administration: Blas is a special assistant

Governor Eddie Calvo’s chief of staff sent a memo to Civil Service Commission Director Pete Calvo attempting to clarify the title of Republican senatorial candidate Amanda Blas.

In a memo obtained by KUAM News, Governor’s Chief of Staff Mark Calvo advises CSC head Pete Calvo, saying “I assure you that Ms. Blas is a Special Assistant assigned to the Commission on Decolonization serving as the Executive Director.”

Blas is listed as an “executive director” on Adelup staffing patterns - meaning she should have had to resign from her position since she is running for senator.

Special assistants and staff assistants to the Governor, elected officials and  persons appointed by the Governor and confirmed by the Legislature do not have to resign when running for political office.

CSC Director Pete Calvo has told KUAM News Blas was advised that she “would have to resign” if she was not a special assistant.

The tersely-worded Adelup memo will not stop the CSC from moving forward with an official complaint filed regarding The candidacy of Blas.

 “We’re going to assess the complaint and present it to the board and they’ll decide if we move forward with an investigation to determine if she has violated the Mini Hatch Act,” Pete Calvo said.

Calvo confirmed he has been contacted by Adelup on the matter. Although the memo sought to provide clarification on the title of Blas, Calvo said if an investigation is conducted, the CSC will then ask for personnel documents from the Department of Administration pertaining to Blas.

“It really comes down to the personnel action forms and what they say,” Calvo said.

A source has told KUAM personnel action forms label Blas as an “executive director” not a “special assistant.” Blas has signed off on election documents as an “executive director.”

Blas costs taxpayers $104,000 a year in salary and benefits.

Adelup has drawn controversy after it transferred two GEDA employees to Adelup. The two - Julius Santos and Telo Taitague - are Republican senatorial candidates. Since they were transferred and reclassified as staff assistants, they do not have to resign from their jobs - something many have labeled as abusing a “loophole” in the law.

The controversy regarding Blas and her candidacy could be resolved if the Governor officially reclassified her as a special assistant, according to Pete Calvo.