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Hasselback quits as OPA counsel
Hasselback prosecuted Fitial, Buckingham, others on corruption charges
Attorney George L. Hasselback has resigned as Office of the Public Auditor legal counsel effective last Friday, Saipan Tribune learned yesterday from a source.
When contacted for comment, Hasselback confirmed that he has resigned from the position that he held for a little over three years.
George Hasselbac
Smith recently passed away.
Hasselback said he has been discussing this with both the law firm and the OPA management for quite some time now.
Hasselback started work as OPA legal counsel in February 2012. His contract was supposed to expire in February 2016. His last day was last Friday, but he went on administrative leave after Typhoon Soudelor.
“I am extremely proud of everything that we accomplished in OPA in the over three years that I worked there,” he said.
Hasselback said the investigators, support staff, Public Auditor Mike Pai, and everyone in that office “deserve the highest compliments that we can give them.”
He said OPA did quite a lot of good work.
“I don’t regret any of the work that we did. I think that we did a very good job during that time,” the lawyer said.
Hasselback was designated as special prosecutor in the criminal cases against former governor Benigno R. Fitial, former attorney general Edward Buckingham, and co-defendants.
Fitial subsequently pleaded guilty, while Buckingham was convicted.
He said it’s certainly the case that got the most public attention but they did a lot of other things at OPA.
He emphasized that his change in job has nothing to do with any dissatisfaction with his job at OPA.
“I enjoyed that job. If I had to do all over again, I would certainly do it the same way,” he said.
Hasselback said his departure from OPA is no reflection upon anybody in that office or anything that is happening with their practice.
“This is just simply an opportunity that I thought was a good one for me to develop myself as an attorney,” he added. “This is a resignation to take another position.”
