Pago Pago, AMERICAN SAMOA — In an update about the ‘middlemen’ Governor Pulaali’i N. Pula is employing as executive directors and advisors, the subpoena from the Senate to the Governor’s Office asking for a list identifying these people has been confirmed as sent, while in the House of Representatives, a request to appear for the Attorney General and the Governor’s Chief of Staff on essentially the same issue, has been declined.

The House request was declined before the Senate had its hearing on Wednesday, Mar. 19, 2025, to examine the status of government payouts. It also was a broader request, asking not only about the Executive Advisors in the Governor’s Office including their pay, but also about new hires, contract and political appointees and the salaries of career and contract employees of the Governor’s Office.

During a Senate hearing held on Wednesday, Mar. 19, 2025, to examine the status of government payouts, it was Senator Togiola Tulafono who requested the subpoena after it was confirmed by the Human Resources director, Tiaoalii Dr Asenati Saau-Umi, that his request for information on the 303 employment forms — names and job descriptions — could not be obtained without an official request, in this case, in the form of a subpoena.

According to the HR director, when queried by Senator Magalei Logavii during the same hearing about how many executive directors (EDs) are up at the Governor’s Office, she revealed that there were two (2) Executive Directors (ED) and six (6) Executive Advisors (EA). The two EDs, according to Saau-Umi, earn $80,000, while 5 of the EAs earn $75,000 and one of them earns $100,000.

Unconfirmed list showing a government organizational chart, which according to the Treasurer was given only to the Fono after they, Treasury, were subpoenaed for the information by the Fono. On Wednesday, Mar. 19, 2025, he expressed his disappointment at its leak to “le aufai news” before a hearing was done on the matter, like what was held on Wednesday by the Senate [SN archives]

The $100,000 salary was immediately noted by Magalei, who asked if paying the EA more than what the Lt. Governor earns is right? She replied that she had queried the Governor’s Office about the salary, especially as they are in the same office, but she was told it was what the governor wanted, and she answers to the Governor.

Samoa News should point out that during the discussion of the issue, Saau-Umi would not name who the 8 people were, however, she inadvertently identified the $100K salary as belonging to the Finance Advisor.

An ASG unconfirmed organization chart has Brett Butler, listed as the Finance Executive Director/ Advisor, with the following departments and offices falling under him: Treasury, Budget, Procurement, Audit, Property Management, ASEDA, OFI, ARPA and CIP/ SP.

Brett Butler was confirmed as a member of the Board of Directors of the American Samoa Economic Development Authority last week, days before the Senate hearing on the pay status was held.

Butler was acknowledged as the Financial Officer in the Governor’s Office.

Samoa News should further note that during the same Senate hearing, Treasurer Donald Kruse remarked about a list of political appointees leaked to the media and admonished ‘le fai news’ — as it was from Treasurer that the Fono got the list after being subpoenaed, and somehow the list was leaked.

Kruse said he was very sad about the leak because it is only now that a “full process’ was being done by the Fono and Treasury on this matter and the media should have waited until it was discussed like this — in this hearing.

He asked, “Who is benefitting from this?” And replied to his own question: “Only the devil is!”

Samoa News points out that the Governor’s Office has traditionally had ‘advisors’ who were paid out of the Governor’s Office budget. Their names and job descriptions have also been basically ‘unknown’. The difference seems to be that this time around is their role as ‘“middlemen” — with directors and heads of officers and agencies having to go to these people first with their issues, before maybe getting an appointment with the governor.  Some senators have referred to these people as “unconfirmed’ directors, and the governor’s real Cabinet.