Legislature moves to oust OIA’s rep in NMI

Because of his alleged role in partisan political activities and smear campaign against the CNMI while in office, the Office of Insular Affairs liaison officer here is facing condemnation by both the House of Representatives and the Senate.

Jeffrey Schorr could be declared persona non grata who must be removed from the Commonwealth under a resolution that the lower house is expected to approve today or in the next few weeks.

The Senate, on the other hand, is ready to adopt a separate resolution urging OIA Director Ferdinand Aranza to replace him with a new representative that the island government can trust, according to Senate Floor Leader Pete P. Reyes.

The twin measures stemmed from the disclosure made by U.S. House Resources Committee Chair Don Young (R-Alaska) accusing Mr. Schorr and other OIA officials, including former director Allen P. Stayman, of engaging in political activities using government time and resources.

Their actions violated the Hatch Act prohibitions against partisan campaigning by federal officials and employees and represent possible government theft.

According to Mr. Young, confidential documents, such as those memoranda between the CNMI government and its lobbyist Preston Gates, were illegally obtained by OIA officials and used as weapon to push the Clinton administration’s agenda of federal takeover of the Commonwealth and to unseat Republican members in Congress who are supportive of the island’s economic set-up.

Mr. Schorr has declined to comment on the allegations that were a result of months of investigation conducted by the House Resources Committee which has oversight of all insular areas like the CNMI.

But the House resolution will point out that Mr. Schorr engaged in conduct “unbecoming of a federal official; participated in activities if not illegal were in violation of the [OIA’s] mission to promote economic and political development; undermined the trust of the people” of the CNMI.

He “fully deserves, by his conduct brought upon himself, the censure and condemnation” of the CNMI and the American people, and should be removed as the field representative here, it said.

Mr. Reyes, meanwhile, maintained that Mr. Aranza should assign a new liaison officer here to show that he is serious in his promise to correct OIA’s treatment of the island.

“If we cannot trust this person, how can he be effective in the position that he is holding,” he said, noting that such post is necessary to strengthen the link with the federal government.

He said, however, that the Senate does not plan to hold oversight on the issue, unlike the House where Judiciary and Government Operations Committee Chair Rep. Dino M. Jones has vowed to find out who in the CNMI might be feeding confidential information to Mr. Schorr.