Cruz alleges corruption in village renaming campaign, asks status of Telo Taitague ethics complaint
The following is a complete reprint of a letter Joe Cruz emailed to Speaker Therese Terlaje regarding the alleged inaction of the Guam Legislature on Mr. Cruz's ethics complaint against Republican Sen. Telo Taitague. In it, Mr. Cruz alleges Ms. Taitague has been engaging in a corruption scheme surrounding the renaming of villages:
Hafa Adai Speaker Terlaje;
More than 4 months ago, on April 1, 2021, specifically, I submitted an official Ethics Complaint against Senator Telo Taitague. The complaint listed several questionable actions by the Senator, inclusive of her tenure as the Deputy General Manager of the Guam Visitors Bureau. The Guam Legislature has been absolutely silent on this complaint. Was the complaint even taken seriously, or are Senators protecting one of their own? Or, as a known bully, is Senator Taitague bullying the rest of the Senators to the point where a blind eye is being placed on an official complaint submitted by a member of the public? Something is not right here.
Since the complaint was submitted, Senator Taitague voted on a bill to create the independence of the Guam Ethics Commission. How ironic is it that someone who has violated ethics on many occasions in her capacity as a public servant is helping to dictate how ethics should be practiced in the government of Guam? Shouldn’t she have excused herself from voting on the bill?
The Senator also introduced a bill to change the composition of the board membership of the Guam Visitors Bureau. It is understand that her intent is merely to go after the very members who requested former Governor Eddie Calvo to remove Telo as the Deputy General Manager for her ineptness, incompetence, lack of ethics, laziness, and the theft of a purse (this was noted in my original complaint letter, and the minutes of that executive meeting are available at GVB). Basically, she is using her authority to strip away individuals who recognized she was merely a political hire and not qualified at all for that position.
As a matter of fact, recent developments have surfaced on another one of her unethical actions as the Deputy General Manager. Telo apparently used her authority to procure village signs at an astronomical $70,000 each. The contract for these overpaid signs was awarded to a friend of hers. The development in this issue is whether she received a commission off this contract, which would not only be unethical, but also illegal. If this legislature is indeed serious about investigating the ethics complaint submitted in April, I recommend you investigate this sign issue as well.
It also makes you wonder why she is so adamant about changing the village names. New names would result in new signs, which means another procurement with possibly the same vendor for uniformity purposes.
It is also interesting that this recent session was all about the changing of the names of 5 villages. Not about the Rise Act. Not about the drug problems in Guam. Not about the concerns with the PUA ending next month. Nope. It was all about changing the names of 5 villages, which were Telo’s priority measures. How did Telo manage to make this session about her, and more importantly, how did the Senators allow this woman, who lacks ethics, to succeed. Sadly, instead of discussing changes to the Rise Act, it seems that Telo managed to get a glota added to the name ‘Santa Rita’, therefore another $70,000 sign can be procured.
Is it true that Telo prevented the legislature from deliberating the Rise Act? If so, a public statement is needed.
Speaker, I do hope that the ethics complaint submitted in April is not being flushed down the toilet, and if it is, then this legislature has indeed disappointed the people of Guam. A crime involving moral turpitude by an elected official should not be taken lightly. Telo’s gambling issues have been a known problem for years and the legislature should not turn a blind eye to it. All we ask is that the complaint receive its fair share of a review, and that the public be provided an update. Thank you.
I would also like to state for the record that the concerns being presented are not because individuals like myself find Telo a threat, as she thinks she is a fighter for truth and justice, cause we really don't (including the whole truth and justice issue). Instead these are concerns that an elected official who lacks ethics should not be holding public office, as they can advocate for self serving measures. For example, Telo is currently lobbying for the malpractice bill, because she is seeking a simpler avenue to sue a medical professional in the millions for a treatment she received years ago.
Joe Cruz
