It has come to my attention, that during the House Committee on Resources hearing on H. R. 791, that Mr. Larry Angelo of the Ottawa Tribe of Oklahoma attributed certain disparaging remarks to me in connection with the Ottawa land claim in Illinois. I did attend several meetings in 1996-1998 regarding the Ottawa claim, while serving as Assistant Legal Counsel to then Governor Jim Edgar. Never during these meetings or in any private discussion I had with Mr. Angelo or anyone else, did I ever make the remarks that Mr. Angelo attributed to myself. I can also state that I never heard any other person connected with the State Administration make any such comments to Mr. Angelo or other representative of the Ottawa Tribe. These meetings were attended by then Chief Counsel to the Governor J. William Roberts or his successor as Chief Counsel Ms. Elena Kezelis. Mr. Roberts is a former United States Attomey for the Central District of Illinois and now a partner with the Hinshaw & Culbertson law firm. Ms. Kezelis is now Executive Director of the Illinois Environmental Regulatory Review Commission. I have not contacted Mr. Roberts or Ms. Kezelis about this matter, but I encourage you or the committee staff to contact them regarding my conduct and their recollection of these meetings. Their address and phone numbers are: J. William Roberts Elena Kezelis Executive Director, IERRC (PH: 217/557-0511) A representative of the Bureau of Indian Affairs also attended many of the meetings, so you may check with that source as well. I am willing to personally appear before your committee to dispute Mr. Angelo's comment, if you deem that to be necessary. When the various Native American land claims were first brought to the attention of the Edgar Administration in 1996, the Administration went to great lengths to address the claims in a professional manner. We met with the Tribes or their representatives when requested. These meetings took place over a period of three years. We spent considerable time evaluating the various land claims by conducting our own historical and logal research on the issues raised by the Tribes. We carefully considered all of the material given to us by the Tribes in support of the claims. Our meetings with the Ottawa Tribe and their representatives were always amicable. In the end, the Ottawa Tribe was not successful in convincing the State Administration or the State Attorney General that their claim had merit. I am now Deputy Counsel in the Administration of Governor George Ryan. Anyone that has dealt with me in the 20 plus years I have been in public service, will tell you that I always conduct myself in a professional, ethical and businesslike manner. They would be as shocked, as I, that someone would attribute such a disparaging, insensitive and stupid comment to myself. I have no idea why Mr. Angelo would make such a false statement, other than to try and put the State of Illinois in a bad light before the Committee. Enclosed is a copy of my letter to Mr. Angelo. Thank you for taking the time to read my letter. Cc: Honorable James V. Hansen Honorable Timothy Johnson Sincerely; Mahr. War Mark R. Warnsing هنا نداره Deputy Counsel to the Governor [A letter and resolution submitted for the record by Annice M. Wagner, President, Conference of Chief Justices, on H.R. 521 follow:] Jeffrey L Amestoy Chief Justice Super Coun of veresont W.M. Lb Amold Chief Justice Supreme Court of A Heanses Roham & Bell Court of Appeals of Maryland Kathleen A. Blat Supreme Count of Minneso Joseph E. Lambert Supreme Court of Kennicy Kay McFarland Jean Horfer Toal Supreme Court of South Carolina Linsin Capple Tra Supreme Coun of Idaho Government Retarions Office National Center for State Courts 2425 Wilson Boulevard Arlington, VA 22201 (703) 841-0200 FAX: (703) 841-0206 The Honorable James V. Hansen Committee on Resources U.S. House of Representatives 1324 Longworth House Office Building Dear Chairman Hansen: Re: H.R. 521 May 6, 2002 On behalf of the Conference of Chief Justices (CCJ), I write to provide Thus, CCJ continues its strong support of the principles set forth in H.R. 521. Securing these fundamental principles is essential to our form of government. CONFERENCE OF CHIEF JUSTICES Resolution 17 Recognizing the Supreme Court of Guam as the Highest Court of Guam WHEREAS, the Conference of Chief Justices at its 1998 Midyear Meeting supported the efforts of Guam and the Congress to assure by legislation the independence of the judiciary and to maintain its judicial branch as a separate and co-equal branch of government; and WHEREAS, the proposed legislation clarified existing federal law and recognized the Supreme Court of Guam as the highest court of the Territory; and WHEREAS, securing these fundamental principles is essential to our form of government; and WHEREAS, H.R. 2370 was not acted upon by the Congress; and WHEREAS, Congressman Robert A. Underwood, D-Guam, intends to renew his efforts in securing the passage of similar legislation in the First Session of the 107th Congress; and WHEREAS, the Conference wishes to express its continuing support of H.R. 2370 and similar successive legislation to be reintroduced in the First Session of the 107 Congress; NOW, THEREFORE BE, IT RESOLVED that the Conference supports renewed congressional efforts to clarify federal law recognizing the Supreme Court of Guam as the highest court of Guam; and BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that the Government Relations Office of the National Center for State Courts actively assist the Supreme Court of Guarn in obtaining that objective. Adopted as proposed by the State-Federal Relations Committee of the Conference of Chief Justices in Baltimore, Maryland at the 24th Midyear Meeting on January 25, 2001. [A statement submitted for the record by The Hon. Judith T. Won Pat, Senator, 26th Guam Legislature, on H.R. 521 follows:] Statement of The Honorable Judith T. Won Pat, Senator. 26th Guam Legislature, on H.R. 521 Mr:: Chairman and Members of the Committee on Resources: I would like to thank you for affording me the opportunity to submit written. testimony on H.R. 521. My name is Judith T. Perez Won Pat, an elected representative of the people of Guam, and Assistant Minority Whip of the 26th Guam Legislature. Let me first commend you for holding this hearing on H.R. 521 which seeks to clarify Guam's judicial structure by amending the Organic. Act. I am. in full support of the Guam Judicial Endowment Act by Guam's Honorable Robert Underwood. At this time, the Judiciary of Guam is not on equal footing with the other branches of the government. The Honorable Antonio B. Won Pat was able to have the. Organic Act of Guam amended with. the passage of the Omnibus Territories Act of 1984. This authorized the Guam Legislature to establish an appellate court, but did not provide a structure for the new judicial system. The Supreme Court of Guam was established in 1993 through the Frank G: Lujan Memorial Court Reorganization Act, but the lack of administrative direction in the Omnibus Act leaves the court vulnerable to the political changes of the Guam Legislature. Since the court is the creation. of the Guam Legislature; only amending the Organic Act will: ensure permanence, parity and independence of Guam's Judicial. sys tem. The provisions of H.R. 521 would, once -and for all, clearly define the structure. of our Judicial branch within the framework of the Organic Act and establish the Supreme Court of Guam. as the judicial and administrative head of the Judiciary. I believe that H.R. 521 is long overdue and direly needed to safeguard the integrity and autonomy of the Judicial branch from political interference from the executive and legislative branches. I would urge the Committee to favorably report out this appropriate legislation to the House of Representatives. We need to ensure that the Judiciary can function as a separate but equal branch of government without the threat of the other branches having the authority to modify or strip the powers of the Supreme Court. Once; again I thank you for your kind consideration on the submission of my testi mony. О |