Propst: 'The people win'; IPI appeal denied
SAIPAN – The Ninth U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals has allowed the public disclosure of Imperial Pacific International’s income tax information.
Ninth Circuit Judges A. Wallace Tashima and Miland D. Smith signed the order on Aug. 26, denying IPI’s appeal of the District Court of the NMI’s Aug. 6 order denying the casino investor’s petition for a preliminary injunction against the Commonwealth Casino Commission.
In a statement on Tuesday morning, House Minority Leader Edwin Propst said:
“I am elated and most grateful to the Ninth Circuit for making the right decision. IPI lost their appeal with the Ninth Circuit and there can no longer be any delays in my (Open Government Act) request. The documents I requested...should be available for public inspection without any delay by the Commonwealth Casino Commission. I have emailed CCC Executive Director Ed Deleon Guerrero and CCC counsel Mike Ernest asking for access to all the documents I requested through my [Open Government Act] request. A huge thank you to [District Court for the NMI] Chief Judge Ramona Manglona, [Assistant Attorneys General] Mike Ernest, Ben Petersburg, and Chris Timmons, the CCC, and all who supported my [Open Government Act] request. The people win.”
In an interview, House Committee on Gaming Chairman Ralph Yumul said if IPI won the case, “there would be no point in having a gaming committee in the House.”
Read more: https://www.postguam.com/news/cnmi/propst-the-people-win-ipi-appeal-denied/article_cfb6b60e-c95a-11e9-bda1-abf552c65a34.html