Common Cause
seeks assistance from House leaders to impeach the lieutenant
governor
by La Poasa
Samoa News Staff
Watch dog group
Common Cause distributed to leaders of the House standing committees
this week a letter seeking assistance for impeachment of Lt.
Gov. Ipulasi A. Sunia.
The letter included
copies of the federal indictment against Ipulasi and Sen. Tulifua
T.P. Lam Yuen.
Common Cause
President Ben Te'o said in the letter that due to the public
nature of the indictments, it makes having these individuals
continue to serve in a public position of authority "more
than a bit paradoxical".
"By the
Lieutenant Governor not voluntarily stepping down until the matter
is resolved, we as a group feel that local action is required,"
he wrote. "We humbly ask our honorable Fono to look at this
issue with regard to the entire population, and how it makes
American Samoa look to the rest of the world, having an indicted
man be one of their highest leaders."
Asked whether
he has received any feedback about his letter, Te'o told Samoa
News yesterday that he has spoken to several House members and
they have indicated that they would like to first focus on the
issues on the agenda for the special session of the Fono. He
said they have told him to give them "a little time".
Te'o said he
will be visiting the House members again after next week.
Under the law,
the governor and lieutenant governor are subject to impeachment,
and the Fono is to provide for the manner, procedure, and causes
for impeachment.
The law (ASAC
Section 4.0109) also states that the House of Representatives
has the sole power to bring articles of impeachment upon a vote
of at least two-thirds of the entire membership. It also provides
that the Senate has the sole power to try impeachment, with the
Chief Justice presiding, and, may not convict unless at least
two-thirds of the entire membership concur.
Common Cause
is also behind a request to the DOI Secretary Dirk Kempthorne
questioning why DOI, as the oversight agency for American Samoa,
is allowing the lieutenant governor to remain in office when
a federal indictment has been filed against him.
The letter, sent
to Interior in early March, is still being reviewed by the Interior's
Solicitor's Office, which handles legal matters for the federal
department.
Both Ipulasi
and Tulifua have denied the allegations against them, which relate
to awarding Department of Education contracts to their family
companies. They face several federal crimes including fraud and
bribery.
Gov. Togiola
Tulafono has defended Ipulasi's status, saying that anyone charged
with a crime is innocent until proven guilty and this same right
under the Constitution applies to every person, including the
lieutenant governor.
He said the public
should not be looking at a person's title or job to make quick
judgment but should consider rights of the accused individual,
and await the outcome of the court.
Ipulasi and Tulifua
are scheduled to face a trial on January 2009 at the federal
court in Washington D.C.
Reach the
reporter at la@samoanews.com.
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