Evangelista files candidacy for AG

Michael “Mike” Evangelista filed his candidacy for attorney general at the Commonwealth Election Commission in Susupe on Thursday, making him the second candidate to officially signify his intention to run for the position.

Evangelista was joined by his family, friends, and supporters when he submitted his papers to the commission.

Mike Evangelista, right, files his candidacy along with his supporters and family members last week at the CNMI Commission on Elections office in Susupe. He is running for attorney general of the Commonwealth. At left is his committee-to-elect chairman, former senator Thomas Kiyu Villagomez. (Contributed Photo)

Another candidate for attorney general is former Superior Court judge Edward Manibusan.

Evangelista said this would be the first time for the Commonwealth to elect an attorney general.

“The most significant factor about this upcoming election is that it represents the will of the people who voted two years ago to change the way we choose our attorney general and ensure that he or she is answerable to them,” he said.

Evangelista said the CNMI is his home and that he wants to make the community safe for children, residents, visitors, and businesses.

“I want to ensure that our laws our respected and enforced equally and fairly to everyone, regardless of race, gender, religion, economic affluence or political affiliations,” he said.

Evangelista’s committee-to-elect chairman, former senator Thomas “Kiyu” Villagomez, said the CNMI needs an attorney general who is young, energetic, vibrant, and innovative to meet “the ever complex and demanding legal issues of today’s world.”

“Michael possesses these traits on top of the fact that he is competent, approachable, responsive, energetic, and sensible. He cares about the people and care about doing what is right for the community,” Villagomez said.

He said Evangelista has the legal aptitude, the skill-set, and the right temperament of an effective leader and will make an effective attorney general.

Commitment

Evangelista said that he will work toward keeping the community a lot safer and “aggressively fight and clean up corruption” at all levels of the government.

“I pledge to remove politics from, and restore integrity and public trust to, the Office of the Attorney General, aggressively fight the ‘ice’ epidemic that is plaguing our islands, and protect our consumers to make sure that they receive the full value of their purchases of goods and services from their hard earned dollars,” Evangelista said.

He also pledged to change the OAG into one that is service oriented and “effective, efficient, and responsive to the public’s needs.”

“These are crucial and challenging times for our islands and our people. That is why it is so important that we elect the attorney general who has the integrity to enforce and adhere to the letters of the law and the courage to maintain the independence of the AG’s office,” Evangelista said.

“We need one who has the humility and ability to work harmoniously with the three branches of our government and our leaders, in order that we can move forward and progress in our economy so that we can improve the lives of our people,” he added.

Evangelista, an honor student from the Northern Marianas College, Washington State University, and University of Idaho College of Law, is a former assistant attorney general of the CNMI, a chief of staff and senior policy adviser for the Speaker of the House during the 15th Legislature, a law clerk at the CNMI Superior Court, and a Senate legislative assistant and assistant Youth Congress coordinator at the CNMI Legislature.

He currently is in private practice, appearing before both the local courts and in federal court and is the son of the late Carlos Evangelista and Ramona N. Evangelista.