Previous Story
Torres: No reason for me to resign
|
Posted on Sep 20 2021
Gov. Ralph DLG Torres said Friday that he absolutely is not going to resign, despite unfavorable testimony in the House of Representatives Judiciary and Governmental Operations Committee hearing that is looking into his expenditures of public funds and travels.
“There’s no reason for me to resign,” said Torres when asked during his regular radio news briefing if he ever thinks of resigning from office in the wake of the JGO investigation where committee chair Rep. Celina R. Babauta had asked Lt. Gov. Arnold I. Palacios if he believes there is sufficient reason and justification to call for the immediate resignation of Torres or move for his impeachment. Palacios had replied that doing so is a legislative prerogative. Palacios appeared before the JGO Committee last Wednesday in response to a subpoena.
When asked about Palacios’ testimony, the governor said Palacios made the comments already “so he is just going to move forward on what he needs to do.”
As to the question whether Palacios gave a truthful testimony, Torres didn’t give a direct response. “I don’t want to be the one to say whether it’s accurate or not,” the governor said.
On whether he plans to testify by himself or with counsel before the committee, Torres said they will deal with it when they get that subpoena. He said the committee had already voted to issue him a subpoena so he will just wait for that.
“I’ve told this in the beginning, I said, ‘Hey, call me in so we can hash this out and answer these questions, the concerns that you have,” the governor said.
He said it’s been several months already and the JGO never did call him. “They’re choosing to go this route. They brought in officers, they brought in other people and yet they haven’t called me,” Torres said.
This means, Torres said, that the JGO Committee already has a goal and agenda before all this process.
The House is controlled by the Democrats. Torres is the titular head of the NMI Republican Party.
