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Speaker to Babauta: Where did the taxpayer’s money go?
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Posted on Aug 22 2000
Speaker Benigno R. Fitial yesterday challenged Washington Representative Juan N. Babauta to account for what contributions his office and its budget have made to the Commonwealth’s fight against proposals to federalize local immigration and minimum wage, as well as block the passage of other anti-CNMI legislation.
“The Northern Marianas community would like to hear what measures the Washington Representative has taken to protect the CNMI from further attack so we can all figure out whether we’re getting our money’s worth,” said the Speaker.
Mr. Fitial said Preston Gates had significantly helped the Commonwealth’s fight against federal takeover proposals although the cost of retaining the CNMI’s lobby firm in Washington D.C. cost the Commonwealth by only about a fraction of the $2 million budget allotted for the Office of the Washington Representative.
“While it is nice to have hospitality center for CNMI visitors in Washington, we’ve got very serious business to attend to in Washington and only Preston Gates has a track record in accomplishing it,” he stressed.
Only recently has Mr. Babauta, a candidate for governor on the Republican ticket, offered a statement of opposition to new federal controls, coinciding with the announcement of his candidacy, Mr. Fitial noted.
“I am sure that as a candidate, [Mr. Babauta] will clarify his positions and share with us what efforts he has made to oppose anti-CNMI legislation, such as that introduced by Senators Daniel Akaka and Frank Murkowski, which would impose U.S. immigration law and minimum wage and the so-called Frank’s bill, which would treat the CNMI like some foreign country for trade purposes, ” he said.
A major focus of Mr. Babauta’s long tenure in Washington has been winning “non-voting delegate” status for the CNMI. But Speaker Fitial said that official recognition and privileges on the floor won’t necessarily make the CNMI attain its goals.
Mr. Fitial stressed, “the lingering threat of a federal takeover has hampered new business development in our islands. This is a crisis of serious proportion and we deserve to know how [Mr. Babauta] plans to promote new businesses or protect the ones we’ve got.”
