Ralph Torres
Ralph Torres | |
|---|---|
 | |
| 9th Governor of the Northern Mariana Islands | |
| Assumed office December 29, 2015 | |
| Lieutenant | Victor Hocog Arnold Palacios |
| Preceded by | Eloy Inos |
| 10th Lieutenant Governor of the Northern Mariana Islands | |
| In office January 12, 2015 – December 29, 2015 | |
| Governor | Eloy Inos |
| Preceded by | Jude Hofschneider |
| Succeeded by | Victor Hocog |
| President of the Northern Mariana Islands Senate | |
| In office February 20, 2013 – January 12, 2015 | |
| Preceded by | Jude Hofschneider |
| Succeeded by | Victor Hocog |
| Personal details | |
| Born | Ralph Deleon Guerrero Torres August 6, 1979 Garapan, Trust Territory of the Pacific Islands (now Northern Mariana Islands) |
| Political party | Republican |
| Spouse(s) | Diann Mendiola Tudela |
| Children | 6 |
| Education | Boise State University (BA) |
Ralph Deleon Guerrero Torres (born August 6, 1979) is an American Republican politician from Saipan, Northern Mariana Islands. He has served as the ninth Governor of the Northern Mariana Islands since the death of Governor Eloy Inos on December 29, 2015 before being reelected as governor in his own right in 2018. He previously served as the tenth lieutenant governor, having been elected to that post in 2014.[1] At 42, he is the youngest incumbent governor in the United States.
Background and personal life[]
Torres graduated from Boise High School in 1996. He received a BS in political science from Boise State University in 2001.[2] In 2004, he began to work with his brother at Torres Brothers, Attorneys at Law.
Torres has six children with his wife, the former Diann Mendiola Tudela: Ralph Anthony, Vaniqa Marie, Deon Titus, Tristan Dane, Divannie and Ryan.[2] Torres is of Chamorro ancestry.
Political career[]
Commonwealth Legislature[]
In 2008, Torres won election to the Northern Mariana Islands House of Representatives. In 2010, he won election to the Northern Mariana Islands Senate, acting in a variety of roles. From 2010 to 2015 he was chairman of the Health & Welfare Committee. In February 2013, he became the president of the Senate.[2]
Lieutenant Governorship[]
As half of the winning ticket in the 2014 gubernatorial election,[1] Torres became lieutenant governor on January 12, 2015.
Governorship[]
Upon the death of incumbent governor Eloy Inos, Torres became the Governor of the Northern Mariana Islands on December 29, 2015.[3][4] In accordance with the constitution, the Senate president, Victor Hocog, became lieutenant governor.[5]
Torres approved a bill, public law 19-42, that adds a $1,000 excise tax on pistol purchases, this is the highest tax on pistols sales in the US.[6] However this excessive tax was later ruled as unconstitutional according to the United States Constitution and over turned by the United States District Court.[7]
In February 2018, Bloomberg Businessweek reported that Torres and his family have received millions of dollars in payments from Hong Kong-based Imperial Pacific casino.[8]
On September 21, 2018, Torres signed into law the Taulamwaar Sensible CNMI Cannabis Act, stating: "Today, our people made history. We took a stand to legalize marijuana in the CNMI for recreational, medical, and commercial use."[9]
In the 2018 gubernatorial election, Torres and his running mate Arnold Palacios won a full term, defeating former governor Juan Babauta and Rita Sablan ticket.
On November 7, 2019, the FBI executed a search and seizure warrant to raid Torres' office, home, and car as well as his brothers' law firm and various other businesses across Saipan for evidence of wire fraud, schemes to defraud, conspiracy, money laundering, and illegal campaign contributions.[10]
In November 2019 the Northern Mariana Islands House of Representatives called for the impeachment of Torres amid an ongoing investigation by the FBI into his businesses.[11] Torres faced further impeachment backlash with growing evidence of the misuse of local funds that violated CNMI procurement laws.[12][13]
See also[]
- Governor of the Northern Mariana Islands
- Lieutenant Governor of the Northern Mariana Islands
References[]
- ^ Jump up to: a b "Commonwealth Election Commission - Election 2014 Results". Archived from the original on November 30, 2014. Retrieved 3 May 2015.CS1 maint: unfit URL (link)
- ^ Jump up to: a b c "Ralph DLG. Torres biography". Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands Governor's Office. Archived from the original on July 28, 2016. Retrieved October 15, 2015.
- ^ Rabago, Mark (29 December 2015). "Gov. Eloy Inos Passes Away". Saipan Tribune. Archived from the original on 1 January 2016. Retrieved 29 December 2015.
- ^ Manglona, Thomas (29 December 2015). "CNMI Governor Eloy Inos Dies". Pacific News Center. Archived from the original on 1 January 2016. Retrieved 28 December 2015.
- ^ New governor, lt. governor sworn in Archived 2015-12-29 at the Wayback Machine Marianas Variety December 29, 2015
- ^ Kartch, John (April 18, 2016). "$1,000 Gun Tax Pushed as 'Role Model' for States". Americans for Tax Reform. Archived from the original on December 27, 2016. Retrieved January 7, 2017.
- ^ Dumat-ol Daleno, Gaynor. "Federal judge shoots down CNMI gun restrictions". Pacific Daily News. Retrieved November 21, 2019.
- ^ Campbell, Matthew (February 15, 2018). "A Chinese Casino Has Conquered a Piece of America". Bloomberg Businessweek. Archived from the original on February 16, 2018. Retrieved March 15, 2018.
- ^ Angell, Tom (September 21, 2018). "Governor Signs Marijuana Legalization Bill, Making History In US Territory". Forbes. Retrieved June 4, 2021.
- ^ "Feds seek evidence of wire fraud, money laundering investigation in CNMI". The Guam Daily Post. 14 November 2019. Retrieved 14 November 2019.
- ^ "Call for impeachment of CNMI governor". Radio New Zealand. 19 November 2019. Archived from the original on 19 November 2019. Retrieved 19 November 2019.
- ^ "Some CNMI lawmakers seek investigation of governor's alleged corruption, fraud". Pacific Daily News. 12 December 2019. Retrieved 12 December 2019.
- ^ "Minority Bloc to Speaker:Investigate the Governor". The Guam Daily Post. 12 December 2019. Retrieved 12 December 2019.
External links[]
| show Governors of the Northern Mariana Islands |
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Authority control  |
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- 1979 births
- 21st-century American politicians
- Boise State University alumni
- Chamorro people
- Governors of the Northern Mariana Islands
- Lieutenant Governors of the Northern Mariana Islands
- Living people
- People from Saipan
- Presidents of the Northern Mariana Islands Senate
- Republican Party (Northern Mariana Islands) politicians
- Republican Party state governors of the United States