As promised, Governor Eddie Calvo has vetoed election reform bill 413. The governor cited provisions in the bill that call for a recount of the 2010 election as his reason for vetoing it saying that these provisions are a continuation of “mischief” caused by the Guttierez camp during the election. Meanwhile the Democratic Party’s Executive Director Carlo Branch called it ironic that the governor would veto the measure on a day he himself has deemed as transparency day. Governor Eddie Calvo vetoed the election reform bill or bill 413 last Tuesday but the legislature has yet to receive an official veto transmittal. The governor says that he vetoed the bill because of the provisions that call for an audit of all absentee and provisional ballots cast something he says amounts to an attempted recount of an election that has already been certified.
“And I call it an attempt a hail Mary pass to try and effectuate a change in those election results and as far as I’m concerned that’s over it’s been counted twice we should start focusing on going forward it’s been a year and a half of this administration there are so many issues that are affecting this community that just to continue this battle is counter productive to what I believe is in the best interest of the people of Guam,” said Governor Calvo.
Guam Democratic Party Executive Director Carlo Branch believes otherwise. “We find it ironic that on a day where Adelup has announced that it’s transparency day making themselves available to the public they have refused help us make the actual results of the 2010 election available to the public,” said Branch. Branch says that the Guam Election Commission’s subcommittee report makes it clear to him that the Guam Election Commission did not run a fair election in which every legal vote was cast and counted correctly. He says that today the governor had a choice between using a pen to sign the bill into law or a broom. “Instead the governor appears to have chosen a broom and decided that instead of having nothing to fear that he’s gonna help sweep the election results under the rug,” said Branch.
Full Article: VIDEO: Governor Vetoes Election Reform Bill; Democrats May Try Override.