Spat halts House session

Rep. Patrick H. San Nicolas (R-Tinian) and Rep. Edwin K. Propst (D-Saipan)

A House of Representatives session yesterday morning was abruptly halted and resumed later in the afternoon after Rep. Patrick H. San Nicolas (R-Tinian) and Rep. Edwin K. Propst (D-Saipan) figured in an argument stemming from Propst’s critical stance against Gov. Ralph DLG Torres.

San Nicolas said that Propst, among other things, “is already too much” in criticizing Torres, yet offers no plans to develop the Commonwealth.

As their argument was escalating, House Speaker Edmund S. Villagomez (Ind-Saipan) announced he would end the discussion and called for a quick recess. Both San Nicolas and Propst continued to argue during the recess but were notably quiet when the session resumed at 1pm.

In response to Propst’s lengthy criticism against Torres, San Nicolas said the House has always been critical of the governor since the beginning. Yet where was Propst during those times when people were in need during disasters and at the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, asked San Nicolas.

“Criticism toward the governor is always customary here in the House. [But] instead of criticizing the governor, why don’t you lay out a plan to develop the Commonwealth?” the Tinian lawmaker said. San Nicolas said that Propst has no plans for to offer to fix the economy of the Commonwealth.

Before San Nicolas spoke, Propst asked Villagomez and House Ways and Means Committee chair Rep. Donald M. Manglona (Ind-Rota) and members of the committee if they were invited to attend the signing of the budget bill into law. Propst said he heard that Torres did not invite them because they do not believe in the governor’s leadership.

He said Villagomez was invited to the State of the Commonwealth Address this Friday, as Torres picks and chooses what he wants Villagomez to attend. Propst said this is strange and unprecedented.

He said they may not agree on issues, strongly disagree on policy and other things, but to ensure that certain factions or certain legislators are not invited is a slap in the face of democracy itself.

“This is unprecedented, extremely disappointing, and purely political,” the lawmaker said.

Propst said it’s not going to be a state of the Commonwealth address as it’s won’t give a true picture of the CNMI’s cash flow projections or actual financial situation and what the future looks like.

“There will be no mention of the fact that there will be furloughs. Anybody in this Commonwealth who believes that somehow miraculously after ARPA funding dries up, without the help and aid from the feds, we’re going to somehow miraculously be able to support every job, including 2,000 new hires, is fooling themselves,” Propst said.

He said he is fine with not being invited because he does not know if he could sit through and stomach “the lies that all will hear.”

In response, San Nicolas said Torres was doing things by himself since Super Typhoon Yutu and sacrificed his families and children by going on the front line during the pandemic. San Nicolas then spoke in Chamorro and stated, “Go ahead, go ahead!”

Villagomez said he is going to end the discussion and call a quick recess. After a few minutes, the speaker announced that the session would resume at 1pm.