Statement of the Chairman and Ranking Member of the Committee on Ethics Regarding Delegate Michael F. Q. San Nicolas

From House Ethics Committee, OCT 24, 2019

Pursuant to Committee Rule 7(g), the Chairman and Ranking Member of the Committee on Ethics (Committee) determined to release the following statement:

The Committee is aware of public allegations that Delegate Michael F. Q. San Nicolas may have engaged in a sexual relationship with an individual on his congressional staff, converted campaign funds to personal use, and/or accepted improper or excessive campaign contributions.  The Committee, pursuant to Committee Rule 18(a), has begun an investigation and will gather additional information regarding the allegations. 

 The Committee notes that the mere fact that it is investigating these allegations, and publicly disclosing its review, does not itself indicate that any violation has occurred, or reflect any judgment on behalf of the Committee.  No other public comment will be made on this matter except in accordance with Committee rules.

NYT: House Ethics Committee Opens Investigation Into Guam Delegate

WaPo: House Ethics panel investigating Guam delegate over allegations of affair with staffer

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Delegate's former aide details allegations

Guam PDN Sept 2, 2019:  For several years, John Paul Manuel stood with Del. Michael San Nicolas as the latter’s most senior aide and former chief campaigner.

As the then-senator’s chief of staff, and at one time his boss' campaign chairman, Manuel expected San Nicolas' upward career move from being a Guam senator to a freshman member of the U.S. Congress also would secure a congressional staff job for Manuel.

But the staff position that was promised to Manuel didn’t happen….

Manuel has accused his former boss of using funds raised for his congressional campaign as reimbursements for an alleged foreign trip and hotel stays with his alleged mistress.

Manuel also has accused San Nicolas of hiring the alleged mistress as part of his congressional staff.

How does Manuel know? He said he was tasked with booking some of San Nicolas' trips and hotel stays. And he kept certain records which he showed to The Guam Daily Post….

Manuel showed a booking he made on Expedia.com for three nights in February 2018 at the Nurture Wellness Village in Tagaytay City, a mountain hotel spa with proximity to the lake in Taal Volcano, in the Philippines. The booking initially cost $477.79 and listed “Michael San Nicolas” as the guest. Manuel showed an additional booking at the same resort for a fourth night, costing $145.40.

Manuel alleged San Nicolas paid the hotel at the check-in counter but later paid himself with funds from the congressional campaign. After the Tagaytay hotel stay, Manuel alleged, he also booked for San Nicolas a two-night stay at the Shangri-La hotel in Bonifacio Global City, also in the Philippines, for 25,100 Philippine pesos or about $500. Manuel said the trip was also allegedly paid for with congressional campaign funds and was justified as a trip to buy campaign materials. A Guam businessman saw San Nicolas and the woman in the Philippines during this trip, Manuel said.

Manuel said another former Guam senator's chief of staff saw San Nicolas at a Manila airport in this time frame. This other senatorial staffer confirmed with the Post anonymously Sunday he did see San Nicolas, in a tank top, with a woman who isn't San Nicolas' wife on a flight from Manila to Guam.

Manuel also has accused San Nicolas of forging his father’s signature on checks drawn from a congressional campaign bank account as the congressman’s father is a campaign official and signatory to the account.

"He forged his father's signature on all checks. He said he did so that if he was ever caught, it would be his father that got in trouble – not himself," Manuel said….

Manuel also said he was offered a job as someone else's Guam senatorial staffer but he thought it was to keep him quiet.

“He even offered to transfer his lapses – $38,000ish – to get me a job with Jim Moylan. But I did not accept. Because I saw it as hush money.” Lapses are a term for unused senatorial office funds at the end of a senator’s term. Manuel was referring to a potential job with Sen. James Moylan, at the urging of San Nicolas. 

Moylan confirmed "there was intent to hire him, but he ended up taking a position with Sen. Shelton’s Office. We wished him well and never heard from him after that, and we moved on with our own office."

Manuel has another job now as a senior legislative staffer to Sen. Amanda Shelton, who was a congressional staffer to former Del. Madeleine Bordallo….

read … Delegate's former aide details allegations

Guam History:

2017: In 2017 Rep Bardallo was investigated for receiving profit from a foreign government; excess gifts; use of official funds for personal travel; and using congressional staff for personal services. The House Committee on Ethics recommended further review.

2014: Report Exposes Scheme to Funnel Interior Department Money to Council for Native Hawaiian Advancement