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What session days? It’s calendar days
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Posted on Jan 27 2005
This is with reference to comments made by assistant attorney general Clyde Lemons that attorney general Pamela Brown was wrong on her earlier nomination opinion when, as Senate legal counsel, she said the Senate has 90 days to deny or confirm a nominee. Assistant attorney general Lemons is trying to dictate how many sessions the CNMI Legislature should be holding.
He states that the Senate was within the 90 session days when the senators confirmed nominee Brown as the CNMI attorney general. The legal opinion only states 90 days, not 90 session days. How many session days does the Senate schedule? I’m not sure myself. Now, most people would assume that when someone says 90 days, it means 90 calendar days, unless otherwise specified, such as session days, business days, work days, holidays. Session days do not have to equal calendar days. Who is he to dictate when and what items should be addressed by the CNMI Senate? I don’t recall his name being on the list of current CNMI senators. And who is he to second-guess a years-old opinion of a Senate legal counsel? It has always worked. What, now that it doesn’t fit the situation, he says the opinion is wrong? I think the situation is wrong. I think the 90-day deadline is just fine as it is. I think it should be 90 calendar days. It’s much easier to figure out.
With that in mind, the Senate had run out of time by a month or more when some members confirmed her nomination, and Pamela Brown’s confirmation was illegal. Now, about the other cases after May 2003, it’s the AGO’s mess, let them clean it up. That’s job security for them.
Duane R.T. Sablan
I Denni, Saipan
