A blind-eye candidate

It is ridiculous for Lt. Gov. Arnold I. Palacios and his running mate to profess they will “rebuild trust in government” when both of them have proven that they can’t be trusted. The lieutenant governor admitted to turning a blind eye to the activities of the governor and even said, “If I didn’t sign [the travel documents], someone else would.” So he turns a blind eye, making him a co-conspirator to the governor’s activities. For the lieutenant governor to say he knew some things were not legal but he “deferred to the [Finance] secretary who assured him it was OK” is asking voters to just turn a blind eye to his blind-eyed negligence.

The lieutenant governor sat up there for three years watching the governor, only to act surprised when he had to testify at the JGO hearing. I guess he thinks voters are stupid. If Lt. Gov. Palacios was so interested in the people trusting our government, why didn’t he say something and even do something like we have seen lieutenant governors do when the governor is not being responsible and accountable.

The “you-know-who” politicians are known for saying anything they think will help their cause but this “rebuilding trust” is a ridiculous whitewashing of his failures with his blind eye to what the governor was doing since he helped create the mistrust!

Yes, trust does need to be rebuilt in our government but he is the last blind-eyed person on Earth who can be trusted after all the things he saw that led to the mistrust and didn’t say anything. Now he’s trying to play the old “independent-Republican trick” that won’t fool voters again.

Kudos and thanks to Kilili for his desire to run and help the Democrats restore some real integrity and trust. No one can deny that Kilili is doing a great job in Washington, D.C. where we need him the most and where he can do the most for the people. But I was so glad to hear him on Kandit talking about how bad the CNMI is looking under this governor with a lieutenant governor who is now trying to distance himself. Kilili really blew my mind when he referred to “Basta” (enough) because I had already written the first two paragraphs of this letter when I heard him on the broadcast. He is also tired of the embarrassments he has to face in Congress because of the RICO and JGO investigations on our governor, making the CNMI look like a third-world country with a dictator.

I also hope the JGO will prosecute everyone who does not show up and testify because an affidavit can’t be asked additional related questions. Continue on JGO but “don’t let one monkey stop the show,” as we say. And please note in the final investigation report that the lieutenant governor was cooperative with his testimony. However, it was very clear the lieutenant governor failed over a three-year period to blow the whistle on the governor’s behavior as it was his fiduciary duty to the people to promote, protect, and defend our laws at all times. Kilili was right about the lieutenant governor, so please don’t let him get away free and clean of any guilt because he clearly knew better and turned a blind eye.

Ambrose M. Bennett
Kagman III, Saipan