Palacios: Lt. governor is not governor’s babysitter | News

“WHY should the people of the CNMI trust you as a potential governor?”

This was a question posed by a community member to Lt. Gov. Arnold I. Palacios during a virtual gubernatorial forum hosted by local radio talk show Marianas Agupa.

“We’ve discussed this issue several times,” he replied. “One of the biggest issues that I have as a lt. governor is I don’t really babysit the governor.”

Regarding the various investigations into Gov. Ralph DLG Torres’ expenditures, Palacios said, “I think once an investigation starts, I think it behooves us to let the process take its course.”

He added, “I’m in a tenuous situation because I am the lieutenant [governor]. If I [came] out and [said], ‘Yeah, this guy, this guy violated all kinds of law. Put him in jail.’ Then what? Let’s be honest. People will say, ‘Oh, yeah, it’s because he wants to be governor.’ And that comment is still out there today.”  

Palacios said, “We’re…in this situation where sometimes it’s better not to say anything, especially when there are investigations…. Ten months to the day that we were inaugurated, the FBI went and raided the governor’s office and his home. I was disturbed by it… Was I supposed to know that he was about to get raided? No. I didn’t know what…the purpose of the FBI raid on the governor’s was, and to this day, I haven’t…