OPA clears Karimipour on contract violation raps
Chief Public Defender Masood Karimipour was vindicated yesterday from allegations that he violated terms in his employment contract after a thorough investigation conducted by the Office of the Public Auditor revealed no evidence that he used company time and state-owned resources to engage in private activities.
The public defender, however, asserted that while he has been cleared of allegations hurled against him, his accusers should not be permitted to run free after attempting to destroy his reputation through innuendo and rumors.
“What still remains unresolved is the issue of how the Attorney General’s Office, an agency that is supported by taxpayers money, can abuse the power of their office in engaging in petty and personal attacks and maliciously throwing mud at innocent individuals,” he said.
Mr. Karimipour faced accusations that he violated his contract with the government after he reportedly helped Ramon Aldan Ayuyu, an individual with mental disability, in preparing and filing a $1 million lawsuit against the CNMI government before the U.S. District Court.
Sen. Ramon S. Guerrero then asked the Office of the Public Auditor to investigate Mr. Karimipour on grounds that the PDO chief may have violated his contract with the CNMI government or other laws and regulations.
“It was through Senator Guerrero that the facts finally came out through OPA’s objective and aggressive investigation, although I believe that AGO had instigated this whole thing,” said Mr. Karimipour, adding that Asst. Attorney Generals William Betz and James Benedetto falsely charged him with offenses without the decency of “confronting him on the record.”
“While I have been vindicated, they still have to answer to their reprehensible conducts,” said Mr. Karimipour, stressing that he was merely exercising what was required of him under the law. “I am just paying a personal price for doing my job.”
Earlier the PDO chief lambasted Mr. Betz and Mr. Benedetto for instigating the “cowardly attack” on his reputation by spreading false rumors in the community, describing their accusations as a continuing effort of the AGO “to silence their critics through personal harassment and intimidation.”
After enduring an extremely distressful experience, Mr. Karimipour has then vowed from now on to be more aggressive and vigilant in responding to “wrongs committed against people” that are brought to his attention.
