Defending their role in upholding Guam's laws to the last, the Attorney General’s office was questioned by senators during this morning’s informational briefing at the Guam Congress building.

Off top, addressing Governor Lou Leon Guerrero’s March 5th letter requesting the appointment of a Special Assistant Attorney General and a Special Prosecutor to investigate the hiring of AG Douglas Moylan’s brother, Scott Moylan, and the placement and payment of the AG’s fiancée, Sheenalyn Hawkins.

His team reiterated that Moylan recused himself from the hiring processes.

“The attorney general recused himself from taking any role in the hiring of his brother,” said Norman Lee Miller, Attorney at the Office of the Attorney General. “When it comes to the hiring of the Chief of Staff…”

“Because the AG was aware that Ms. Hawkins..was interested in the position, similar to Mr. Moylan, the AG recused himself from all decisions involved in that hiring,” added Miller.

The OAG also stands by its authority to hire unclassified employees to build an effective legal team.

“They’re saying that we cannot hire unclassified employees. Basically, they're targeting my prosecutors. The paralegals that I've hired, most of them are recent UOG graduates,” said Moylan.

Staff also emphasized the need for autonomy in personnel matters to operate effectively, a direct response to the Governor's challenge.

Thomas Paulino, General Accounting Supervisor, cited Public Law 31-155.

“That law gave the AG's office three things: personal autonomy, administration over personal matters, and it allowed the AG to hire and to fix the duties of the employees,” said Paulino.

Finally, in discussing the structure and role of the office, AG Douglas Moylan stresses its constitutional foundation and dual role.

“It's a constitutional existence. The Organic Act has two things: there shall be an attorney general and the legislature cannot eliminate it…Until such time as you separate the roles, the attorney general is the chief legal officer on all civil matters and the chief prosecutor, the chief law enforcement officer,” said Moylan.