Previous Story
Pete A. defends hiring of Owen Associates
|
Posted on Mar 24 2005
Notwithstanding negative reports, Washington Rep. Pete A. Tenorio is keeping his contract with Washington D.C.-based consultants, saying they been productive in getting federal funds for the CNMI.
He said that he is “very pleased with the performance” of Daryl Owen Associates, which gets paid $15,000 for a month’s work.
When asked about Daryl Owen’s role in the CNMI’s involvement in the commemorative coin controversy last year, Tenorio said, “I don’t know anything about that.”
“I don’t want to talk about that. What I’m interested is that he is serving my office in getting us water funds so that we can improve our water system here,” said Tenorio.
The official said his consultants helped the CNMI receive a total of $2 million in federal appropriation in two years for water projects.
“He [Owen] is been very productive in getting us funds,” he said.
Tenorio said his office only gets to hire consultants when funds are available. He said Owen’s services are “on and off, depending if I have funds available.”
Tenorio earlier asked the CNMI Legislature for some $500,000 in additional funds for consultancy services. “We really need the help of consultants in D.C.”
Owen and his associate, Jim Berne, a former U.S. Senate staff, are currently on island in time for the fact-finding visit of U.S. Senate Energy Committee staff members Allen Stayman and Josh Johnson.
Owen’s firm ranked No. 3 among 44 registered and most popular congressional lobby firms in 2003 with the highest payment received from clients. It has 14 major clients, including the CNMI.
The firm just completed two contracts, amounting to nearly $200,000 with Gov. Juan N. Babauta. The governor executed the contracts in 2003 and 2004 for the recovery of over $100 million in “cover-over funds” or prior income taxes due the CNMI. The funds remain unrecovered up to now.
But the governor said that due to Owen’s work, the CNMI was able to get $1.2 million in “current” cover-over funds. This amount is not part of the $100 million in prior payment.
The administration said it is working on a third contract with Owen for the recovery of the prior cover-over funds.
