After days of speculation and months of controversy surrounding alleged ethics complaints lodged against someone at the Office of Guam Congressman James Moylan, his chief of staff Bobby Shringi has finally admitted he no longer is working for the congressional office.
Kandit on February 26 received several source reports that Mr. Shringi resigned. This, whether connected or not, followed the alleged release of a Congressional ethics report regarding conduct in the last session of the U.S. House of Representatives, according to the sources. As Kandit previously reported to you in September, two former Moylan staffers claimed they filed separate ethics complaints in 2024 along with a third person, who also used to work for the Guam delegate’s office.
The alleged complaints included forcing an employee to campaign, sexual harassment of an intern, and harassment of another employee following his accusation that the congressman’s chief of staff was like “Hitler.”
Mr. Shringi at the time, addressed each of the allegations, saying one of the sources is a disgruntled former employee with an axe to grind and is lying.
“[T]here haven’t been any ethics complaints against our office, thus these are obviously just allegations from a former disgruntled employee, who … was terminated,” Mr. Shringi said. “I wouldn’t expect him to be our number one supporter.”
The Congressional ethics committee refused to comment on the matter in September, following the election in November, and again in January. Mr. Moylan never directly answered us, despite several unanswered questions from Kandit. However, on February 26, one of the original sources and several new sources alleged the committee revealed its findings to Mr. Moylan, and that Mr. Shringi had also resigned.
Kandit immediately messaged Mr. Moylan, who again ignored the inquiry. We called his Guam office and were told to email Mr. Moylan’s communications director – Auriann Calvo – but she also did not respond to our question. We also messaged and emailed Mr. Shringi, following up four times since February 27.
Today Mr. Shringi replied, “I am no longer with the Office of Congressman James Moylan.”
No one in Mr. Moylan’s office has answered any question about the alleged ethics complaints. No one is confirming whether Mr. Shringi resigned, or was otherwise terminated.
Mr. Shringi has been the congressman’s closest aide and political advisor for years.
Background
Following the September stories Kandit broke about the ethics allegations, Ginger Cruz, the congressman’s political opponent for his seat, which was up for grabs in November, revealed in an unrelated sit-down interview with Kandit that several Washington sources told her Mr. Moylan’s office was under ethics investigation.
Following Ms. Cruz’s allegations, Kandit reached out to Mr. Moylan’s office for comment. According to District Director Trina Apatang in a news release days later, “this is an orchestration by operatives of the sitting Congressman’s opponent in this year’s election.”
Mr. Moylan commented in that release, saying “I am completely disappointed by this tactic but certainly not surprised. This is a desperate attempt from my political opponent to win at all costs.”
Ms. Apatang added. “The highest-ranking member of the United States House of Representatives, Speaker Mike Johnson just endorsed Mr. Moylan, speaking to the people of Guam of the Congressman’s performance and effectiveness. You don’t receive that if there’s a valid investigation.”
“My life has been one of service, honor and dedication to the people, my island and my country including my service in the United States military and in law enforcement. I will never dishonor this or any office of which I have been elected. I put my reputation and my work up against any scrutiny,” Mr. Moylan said.
The congressman never denied the existence of the ethics complaints and investigations into his office. He ended up winning reelection.
Victim 1
Following the Moylan news release in September, Kandit reached out to the first ex-Moylan staffer source, who said the congressman and his office are lying to the public.
The staffer, who we will identify as Victim 1 due to his wish to not be named, said he was dismissed without cause from the office earlier that year by Mr. Shringi. He said Mr. Shringi accused him of causing low morale in the office, which Victim 1 said was actually the result of the chief of staff’s poor management style and the congressman’s absence from leadership within the Washington office.
“No one there is capable … to run a congressional office,” he said, adding that Mr. Shringi often assumes the role of congressman and that the office is run by interns and not by qualified staff. Over Mr. Moylan’s first term, which began in January 2023, he alleges that a toxic work environment has grown, and that he was relieved that his ties to the office were cut. He wanted to leave his grievances at that, which is why he brought his complaints about Mr. Moylan’s office to employee counsel and not to the OCE, he said.
“[I]t wasn’t without cause,” Mr. Shringi said at the time of Victim 1’s allegations. “He was underperforming and failed on many fronts. The reality is that the termination did come in much later then (sic) it should have because he had a young family, and you always want to hope for the better. But it had to eventually took (sic) place as it affects the morale of an office. Nonetheless, it is our office policy not to expand on personnel issues, so I won’t elaborate further.”
Illegal campaigning, sexual harassment, and the Hitler comment
Victim 1 alleged that two former Moylan employees and a former Moylan intern this year filed ethics complaints against Mr. Moylan and Mr. Shringi.
The first alleged complaint was by an ex-staffer, whom Victim 1 says made the allegation that the congressional office management was forcing this ex-staffer to campaign, which would not be legal.
“We … don’t force employees to participate in campaign activity,” Mr. Shringi said at the time in response to that allegation. “It’s purely a volunteer issue.”
The second alleged complaint was by an ex-intern, whom Victim 1 says made the allegation that she was sexually harassed by a member of the staff.
“[T]his is a very strong statement, and obviously has no merit,” Mr. Shringi said at the time. “If there was an issue, I am sure the office of ethics or even the office of personnel would have raised the issue. Likewise the accused employee’s employment status would have been addressed, as we don’t tolerate such actions. It is unfortunate that this former disgruntled employee had to make such baseless accusations.”
The third alleged complaint was by another ex-staffer, whom Victim 1 says made the allegation that Mr. Shringi was harassing him after the former staffer described Mr. Shringi to other staff members as “Hitler,” a reference to Nazi dictator Adolf Hitler.
“As for the Hitler comment and complaint, once again, as as stated previously, no complaints have been filed against our office,” Mr. Shringi said. “Sounds like this disgruntled former employee is making assertions, hoping they are politically spun, and that is wrong.”
Moylan “is a nice guy, but he’s not a leader”
Victim 1 said the situation in the Guam congressional office is unfortunate because, “Jim is a great guy, he’s a nice guy. But he’s not a leader.”
He alleges that Mr. Moylan is “someone who needs to be coached on what to say,” and that that is not someone who is representing Guam well. In fact, he alleges, Mr. Moylan’s inability to understand committee work and discussions on the House floor along with Mr. Shringi’s treatment of congressional staff at committee meetings has led to a lack of respect by other House members and their staffs for Guam’s congressional office.
“No one respects the current Guam office,” Victim 1 said at the time, “not even the Republicans.”
Mr. Shringi said at the time that these allegations against himself and Mr. Moylan are absurd, and that the proof of respect for Mr. Moylan and his staff are in the high-ranking endorsements the congressman received for his reelection.
“Congressman Moylan has secured endorsements from the leadership of the House of Representatives, including the Speaker, Majority Leader, Whip, Conference chair, numerous committee chairs, and even the support of Congressman [Gregorio] “Kilili” Sablan and other territorial delegates,” Mr. Shringi said at the time in reaction to Victim 1’s allegations about waning respect for Mr. Moylan’s office. “We landed major wins in the 2024 [National Defense Authorization Act] and the 2025 version is labeled as Guam-centric. You don’t get this level of support unless your member is active, engaged, and respected. So regardless of what a former disgruntled staffer states, the results certainly showcase the real picture. You also don’t get these types of wins or respect if your office is embroiled in violations. The people of Guam are proudly represented and respected in the nations Capitol.”
“Fabrications”
Mr. Shringi insisted at the time that voters could trust Mr. Moylan and his office and that the “disgruntled employee” had “fabricated” that allegations of misconduct were made to the OCE.
“There are no matters pending with the OCE,” he said at the time. “[S]ince these fabricated assumptions have been made, we even checked with that office and they said there are none.”
He added that if there were any complaints made, House Speaker Mike Johnson would not have endorsed Mr. Moylan publicly.
“[T]he OCE is the speaker’s [and] ranking leader’s committee,” Mr. Shringi said. “[B]efore getting either’s endorsement, you get vetted.”
