Report: Stayman’s involved in on-job politics, too

Investigators for the House Resources Committee have dug up more evidence which strongly indicated that former Office of Insular Affairs Director Allen Stayman has engaged in illegal political activities to pursue Washington’s federal takeover of the Northern Marianas, according to a news report.

The US-based Roll Call Newspaper reported in its Monday issue that Styaman had wrote a memo to Matt Angle, former executive director of the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee (DCCC), suggesting that Democrats “repudiate” Froilan C. Tenorio, who was then governor of the CNMI.

Tenorio, who was the island’s chief executive when Stayman sent a memo in 1997, had successfully thwarted the Clinton’s administration’s attempt to strip the local government of control over labor and immigration policies.

“Largely out of sight, there is a nominal Democrat, a Governor running for reelection, who scorns our President, who is in Washington this week playing footsie with the Republican House leadership, and who should be repudiated — in writing — by the Nation’s Democrats,” the Roll Call quoted Stayman as writing in his Oct. 6, 1997 memo.

According to the report, Stayman, who now works at the State Department, further suggested that the Democratic National Committee “should repudiate these scoundrels,” referring to Tenorio and other island officials.

The former governor had opposed President Clinton’s plan to federalize minimum wage and immigration because such move would lead to the collapse of the island’s economy largely dependent on garment and tourism.

Earlier, the Washington Times reported that Stayman had knowledge of the on-the-job political campaign of Interior official David North to unseat House Republican leaders in the 1998 election.

It was reported that North drafted press releases for Democratic candidates, provided derogatory information about Republican members to campaigns and reporterss, and wrote letters to the editor for constituents to submit to local newspapers.

It also alleged that Stayman received a copy of North’s memos.

Stayman, North and other federal employees are under investigation by the Committee for using official equipment and time in an unsuccessful attempt to unseat at least four House Republicans namely Majority Whip Tom DeLay, Majority Leader Richard Armey and a GOP senator.

North has already resigned as policy director of Insular Affairs 10 days after his office computer hard drive was subpoenaed by the House Resources Committee on July 13.

“This is a serious matter and we are working aggressively with the committee to get them this information as quickly as possible. The matter is being investigated by the inspector general here at the Interior Department and the Office of Special Counsel,” said John Wright, an Interior Department spokesman, who was quoted in the report.

Members of the Legislature have supported Young’s move to investigate into the alleged on-the-job political campaign by some Interior officials, but wanted the House committee to include Stayman in the probe.