By Troy Torres
(Tumon, Guam) Governor's deputy chief of staff Jon Junior Calvo is the acting chief of staff in the wake of Anthony Babauta's resignation today.
Mr. Babauta resigned for "personal reasons," according to a statement from Gov. Lou Leon Guerrero. She thanked him "for all his hard work and support of the Administration," and wished him well.
His resignation coincides with a brewing corruption scandal that began with Kandit News's story on his stay at the Pacific Star Hotel at taxpayer expense. Mr. Babauta was one of two people who coordinated the procurement of that and other hotels for quarantine of travelers to Guam during the COVID-19 crisis.
This is the second time Mr. Babauta has resigned amid a corruption scandal. On January 24, 2013, he resigned as Assistant Secretary of the U.S. Department of the Interior under the Obama Administration over allegations of the misuse of federal funding for political reasons and to carry on an alleged affair with a staffer in Washington, D.C.
The governor's statement only reads that Mr. Babauta has resigned his position as chief of staff, but does not make clear whether he no longer is a government of Guam employee.
Richard Ybanez, the former director of the Department of Parks and Recreation, resigned amid his own controversy, but is again working in the administration despite his resignation from the governor's cabinet.
