Senate delays Wiseman’s confirmation

It was an upbeat atmosphere at the Senate with the session hall gallery filled with spectators — which has not been the usual case — hoping to witness history unfold late Friday morning.

An announcement from Senate President Paul A. Manglona minutes after the session was officially called to order transformed the upbeat mood into waves of frustrations and disappointments, as it rendered the gallery literally empty.

The Senate has decided to delay the confirmation of lawyer David S. Wiseman’s nomination as Superior Court associate judge, pending the conduct of a public hearing by the he powerful Senate Committee on Executive Appointments and Governmental Investigations.

A public hearing will be conducted on Feb. 28, which delays Mr. Wiseman’s confirmation as associate judge for at least another two weeks.

Outside the session hall, where he was flanked by supporters minutes his confirmation hearing was canceled, Mr. Wiseman readily said he is ready to answer all allegations against him and that he is prepared for the scheduled public hearing.

He also said he completely understands the senators who, he added, were just doing their best to look after the interests of their constituents.

EAGI has expressed plans to carefully look into the allegations hurled against Mr. Wiseman before it acts on his nomination. The powerful senate body is also open to the idea that the associate judge-appointee should be afforded the opportunity to respond to the accusations.

In a last ditch effort to block Mr. Wiseman’s confirmation, Rep. Stanley Torres distributed a signed statement which contained serious allegations that attack the lawyer’s personal and professional values.

Mr. Torres also challenged the upper chamber to open the envelope containing the cases hurled against Mr. Wiseman before the CNMI Bar Disciplinary Committee.

The congressman was contesting earlier statement issued by EAGI Chair Sen. Joaquin Adriano who said the body will move to confirm Mr. Wiseman as associate judge on grounds that the hearing made by the Public Auditor five years ago was already enough.

“Special judge appointment is temporary and what you found in his earlier public hearing is entirely different for the permanent appointment and should be conducted before making a lifetime decision,” said Mr. Torres in a letter to the EAGI chief.

“The earlier public hearing gets Mr. Wiseman to first base and not necessarily gives him third and home base. It is entirely different angles and should have a clean blanket of ethical conduct,” he added.

In his previous statements, Mr. Adriano mentioned that he is confident on Mr. Wiseman’s capability to become a judge although he also mentioned the need to be fair by looking at the standing accusations against the lawyer.

Mr. Wiseman was named by Gov. Pedro P. Tenorio early last month to fill a seat vacated by former judge John A. Manglona when he was confirmed as Supreme Court associate justice in June 2000.

But the attorney, who’s a long-time resident in the CNMI, has come under close scrutiny over his actions committed in the past, including charges that he was involved in prostitution business.

Mr. Torres has written to the governor to deplore his choice for the next judge, expressing concern that his appointment may taint the integrity and credibility of the judiciary.

War veteran Guy Gabaldon has also opposed the nomination, calling Mr. Wiseman the “most infamous and disreputable Saipan attorney.

A long-time contender to the post, Mr. Wiseman’s name was bypassed when the governor appointed lawyer Eric Smith in April last year along with former Judge Manglona. Mr. Smith was never confirmed by the Senate up until his nomination expired three months later.