Buckingham fires Ernest

Attorney General Edward T. Buckingham terminated “without cause” assistant attorney general Michael L. Ernest on Thursday, the same day that Gov. Benigno R. Fitial asked former Department of Public Lands secretary Oscar M. Babauta and former Department of Public Works secretary Martin Sablan to turn in their resignation letters.

Neither OAG nor the Office of the Governor could say whether Ernest’s termination was linked to Fitial’s removal of Babauta and Sablan.

Buckingham’s March 29 “notice of termination” was signed and acknowledged by Ernest yesterday, April 2, based on a copy of the termination letter obtained by Saipan Tribune yesterday.

Ernest, when asked for comment yesterday, said, “I appreciate the opportunity I had to serve the Commonwealth and I wish my fellow assistant attorneys general nothing but the best. Beyond that, I have no further comment at this time.”

Buckingham said that in accordance with Ernest’s contract, his employment will be terminated 30 days from receipt of the letter.

“This termination is not considered to be for reason of cause. Your last day will be Saturday, April 28, 2012,” Buckingham told Ernest.

Effective immediately, Ernest was placed on annual leave. Buckingham said that Ernest will be granted supplemental administrative leave “so that you may have continuous leave from now through April 28, 2012.”

The AG’s one-page letter to Ernest started with, “Your services with the Commonwealth Government during your period of employment as an assistant attorney general has been greatly appreciated. However, the Office of the Attorney General has elected not to continue your employment.”

The conditions of Ernest’s employment “provide for early termination of employment.”

Ernest was a former chief prosecutor at the Office of the Attorney General’s Criminal Division. Late last year, sources from the legal community and OAG said that Ernest submitted his resignation letter to Buckingham. He has since been replaced by Peter Prestley as chief prosecutor.

Buckingham appointed Ernest as chief prosecutor in June 2010 after Rosemond B. Santos resigned from the post.

Prior to joining the OAG, Ernest served as Senate legal counsel for five years.

At the same time, Fitial designated yesterday DPL deputy secretary Pedro I. Itibus as acting DPL secretary.

Vicente B. Castro, the special assistant for operations at DPW, is the acting DPW secretary effective immediately.

Press secretary Angel Demapan said these temporary designations will be in effect “until such time that a new nomination is rendered.”

“The governor is now in the process of selecting nominees to fill the two Cabinet vacancies,” he said.

The governor’s appointees to these posts need the advice and consent of the Senate.

Babauta and Sablan did not follow the governor to the Republican Party and have instead remained with the Covenant Party, which the governor formed 11 years ago to support his gubernatorial bid. He won in his second try.

The press secretary said the governor is currently assessing his Cabinet organization as part of his midterm review of his second term in office. He said in this regard, Fitial “strongly believes that in order for any chief executive to effectively carry out his administration’s goals and objectives, it is important to ensure that executive appointees of his Cabinet also share the same principles. The same Cabinet assessment is widely practiced by the United States president and other state governors.”