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Two parties reminded of campaign laws
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Posted on Nov 01 2005
At least two political parties were reported to have engaged in political and campaign activities on government premises, a violation of the government ethics law.
According to public auditor Michael S. Sablan, campaign materials on behalf of the Covenant and Republican parties were being left on the windshields of vehicles parked in a government parking lot.
This prompted the Office of the Public Auditor to write leaders of both camps, asking them to advise their staff and supporters to follow ethics rules governing political activities.
“We understand that these activities may have been out of control. However, we ask you, as chairman of the [Covenant/Republican] Party, to advise your staff and supporters of the restrictions governing political and campaign activities on government property,” Sablan said.
He sent similar letters to the Democratic Party and the Committee to Elect independent candidates Heinz Hofschneider and David Apatang, to remind them of the restrictions.
In an interview yesterday, Sablan said “government premises” include the Commonwealth Health Center, which is the only public hospital on Saipan.
He also said that the Covenant Party, after receiving a copy of the letter, asked OPA for a presentation on the Ethics Act. Sablan made the presentation before Covenant party candidates and officials on Monday.
The Democratic Party requested the same presentation, but schedule conflicts prevented it from happening.
The restrictions on political activities are indicated in the Personnel Service System Rules and Regulations and in the Government Ethics Code Act of 1992.
According to the PSSR&R, employees shall not “[s]olicit or receive political contributions from anyone while on government time or government property.”
Furthermore, the Ethics Act states that, “[a] public official or public employee shall not use public funds, time, personnel, or equipment for political or campaign activity unless the use is authorized by law or properly incidental to another activity required or authorized by law.”
