In the interest of justice

My buddy Bruce Jorgensen copies me in on his vitriolic emails. This one was addressed to the Marianas Variety, Saipan Tribune and Pacific Daily News. Since I haven't seen it in their Letters to the Editor....

21 May 2008

For Publication

Dear Editor:

Given that there is no CNMI institution singularly more responsible than the CNMI Judiciary for the CNMI's demise among investors over the past two decades, it is curious to read the groveling drivel by which several CNMI Bar Association members publicly intimate that the best and brightest have served as CNMI jurists and those presently serving should not be subjected to salary diminution as the general CNMI citizenry starves.

After all, it was the CNMI Judiciary, was it not, which in lieu of promptly disposing of baseless and greedily-motivated Article XII land claims originating in the 1980's, opted instead to needlessly create the CNMI Supreme Court to divest jurisdiction over those claims from the U.S. District Court's then-existing Appellate Division, and to thereafter perpetuate those legally baseless claims for years until final disposition by the U.S. Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals?

Which, of course, is in turn why investors from Japan and elsewhere correctly deemed the CNMI an investors' nightmare as this nonesense persisted, by CNMI Judicial ineptness, into the mid-1990's or so.

Followed, soon after, by the departure of Japanese luminaries JAL, Tokyo Marine, and others. See, e.g., Nikko Hotel.

It was the CNMI Judiciary, was it not, which thereafter, in tandem with their legislative counterparts, orchestrated the enactment of legislation compelling the CNMI Retirement Fund to loan to the CNMI Judiciary the $10 million or so used to construct the CNMI Judiciary's temple-to-itself, grandiously labeled the "Guma In Husticia", in the shadow of the nearby, decrepit, high school so desperately needing repair to educate the CNMI's most valuable gift, its youth?

And it was the CNMI Judiciary, was it not, which thereafter, in tandem with their legislative counterparts, orchestrated the unlawful enactment of legislation by which the CNMI Judiciary designed to keep for itself the many hundreds of thousands of dollars in Hillblom Estate interest income, as this CNMI Judiciary simultaneously was entrusted with the duty to protect estate assets for the claimants, until this law was successfully challenged and declared unconstitutional in the U.S. Court? This challenge, of course, emanating not from a single member of the CNMI Bar Association but, instead, by a non-member.

Fast-forward to present, and let this CNMI Judiciary disclose to the econimically suffering CNMI public, if it will, just how much of the $10 million loan from the Fund has been repaid? Why might the word "zero" come to mind? Interest payments?

Or, just why must CNMI judges/justi8ces be furnished with publicly-funded vehicles and gasoline when they are paid to be at work in the Guma In Hustician and, while there, to work at work? Why does the word "gluttonly" come to mind?

As for the CNMI Judiciary's relationship with the seemingly-soon-to-be-bankrupt CNMI Retirement Fund---well, gee golly Gomer, how many retired judges/justices are receiving how much in the way of hefty six-figure annual payments from the Fund whose assets were seemingly bilked to build the Guma In Husticia in which these judges/justices hung out?

And now we've got the specter of the Chief Justice urging the Legislator not to cut CNMI judges'/justices' salaries?

Hmmm, let's ponder: perhaps instead it might suffice to simply slash 50% of their salaries for reprogramming in payment to the CNMI Retirement Fund?

Investors want stability in tandem with functioning public institutions possessing integrity and competence. In the CNMI Judiciary they've gone wanting over the course of the 1980's and 1990's with the result now in the 21st Century readily apparent by way of the CNMI's economic collapse the result of failed investor-competence causing wholesale investor-flight.

Meanwhile that tail-between-the-legs-boonie dog---the three legged one, with one eye, deformed ear, and recently castrated??? He's the CNMI Bar Association's mascot.

Goes by the name "Lucky".

Luckily yours,
Bruce L. Jorgensen aka Chillili aka Mr. Sunshine

c/o Angeles City Wellness Center

Demapan: Don’t cut judicial salaries
SUPREME Court Chief Justice Miguel S. Demapan is urging the Legislature not to “politicize” judicial salaries in reaction to the CNMI’s economic pro read more...