Charissa Tenorio reportedly phoned the offices of several Guam senators today to lobby against their confirmation of Governor Lou Leon Guerrero’s appointment of Conchita Taitano to continue serving on the Port Authority of Guam board of directors. This is according to several senators who spoke to Kandit on condition of anonymity, and Senator Chris Duenas, who confirmed on the record that Ms. Tenorio personally lobbied members of his staff to vote against Ms. Taitano.
Ms. Taitano was confirmed by a supermajority of senators tonight, despite the alleged lobbying by Ms. Tenorio – the sister of Lieutenant Governor Joshua Tenorio – against the Yigo native.
The campaign against the governor’s nominee has raised questions among senators as to whether Ms. Leon Guerrero either no longer supported her nominee, or whether she continued to support her while her lieutenant governor had gone rogue.
According to governor’s chief of staff Jon Junior Calvo, Adelup is undivided in its support of the governor’s nominee.
“She [Tenorio] doesn’t have influence on the official business of the government and has no authority speaking on behalf of the administration,” Mr. Calvo said prior to the legislature’s vote to confirm her. “Conchita Taitano remains both the governor and lieutenant governor’s nominee to continue serving on the Port Authority of Guam board.”
Mr. Tenorio’s chief of staff, Stephanie Flores, also confirmed to Kandit that she spoke directly with the lieutenant governor and that his support for Ms. Taitano has not changed.
Mr. Calvo said he would not comment without personally verifying that Ms. Tenorio was lobbying senators and senatorial staff to vote against Ms. Taitano’s confirmation.
Lobbying Activities
Guam law prohibits any person (with a financial interest connected to the matter) from lobbying senators to “influence the passage, defeat, or content of” legislation or legislative actions without that person being a registered lobbyist. A member of Ms. Tenorio’s household derives income from the seaport, and recently was the subject of administrative action by port management that led to a demotion and major reduction in pay. Ms. Taitano is on the five-member board that evaluates the general manager and determines whether he will continue to serve in that role. The law, ironically, was authored by then-Senator Rory Respicio, who now is the general manager of the Port Authority of Guam and recently filed a criminal complaint against Ms. Tenorio’s boyfriend following a workplace violence incident.
According to the Guam Legislature’s website, Ms. Tenorio is not a registered lobbyist. The website is updated through the second quarter of the current fiscal year only, so Kandit asked Speaker Frank Blas, Jr. whether Ms. Tenorio is a registered lobbyist. Mr. Blas was awaiting information from the legislative secretary, whose duty it is to maintain a current list of registered lobbyists.
Kandit also reached out to Ms. Tenorio, who has not replied to our questions to her about the matter as of the publication of this story. Neither has the lieutenant governor’s sister replied to the dozens of questions we sent her months ago regarding the federal investigation allegedly involving her alleged misuse of federal funds.
