Plaskett pledges ethics overhaul on Day 1 as governor

Gov.-elect Stacey Plaskett announced Monday that ethics legislation will be among her first acts after taking office in January, seeking to restore confidence in territorial government following federal convictions of senior officials on corruption charges.

"I absolutely recognize that many in our community have been and continue to be traumatized by the indictments, convictions, corruption that is perceived in our government and may be actual," Plaskett said during a press call.

When asked whether a criminal history involving public corruption should bar someone from government employment, Plaskett did not provide a direct answer. She was pressed specifically about three former officials now imprisoned for bribery and fraud: former Police Commissioner Ray Martinez, former Office of Management and Budget Director Jenifer O'Neal, and former Commissioner of Sports, Parks, and Recreation Calvert White. O'Neal's sentencing included a provision barring her from positions "in a position of trust or financial control of finances other than her own or her family's."

Plaskett's choice of her cousin Dean Plaskett as transition team chief of staff drew scrutiny. Dean Plaskett was convicted in 2008 of demanding and accepting bribes and kickbacks tied to a $650,000 government contract, along with two counts of obstruction of justice. He served nine years in prison and was ordered to pay $1.09 million.

After his release, he returned to government work at the V.I. Port Authority as Territorial Director of Facilities Management. According to reporting, he was placed on administrative leave after a subordinate accused him of taking employees to work on his St. Croix home.

"This is the role that Dean has played and performed successfully during the campaign, but it is not my permanent chief of staff," Plaskett said, emphasizing that transition positions are temporary.

When pressed on why bribery convictions do not disqualify people from government service, Plaskett responded: "I think your question is under the premise that Dean Plaskett is in a permanent position in government. He is not."

Plaskett outlined her ethics framework, which will include mandatory training, financial disclosure requirements for senior officials, establishing the white collar division at the Justice Department as an independent entity, and requiring Senate approval for both hiring and firing the Attorney General.

"I intend to, on Day 1, issue ethics laws and bring them down, which have been sitting under preemption in the Legislature for many years," Plaskett said. She plans to convene the Legislature in Committee of the Whole to review and pass the measures.

The push for reform follows last year's convictions of multiple high-ranking officials. Marc Biggs, former Property and Procurement Commissioner, also returned to government work after his release, now serving as assistant director of Human Resources at the V.I. Water and Power Authority.

Outgoing Governor Albert Bryan Jr. dismissed former Attorney General Denise George in late December 2022, days after she filed a federal lawsuit against JPMorgan Chase regarding Jeffrey Epstein. Current Attorney General Gordon Rhea, who previously represented Epstein's accountant, told the Legislature in July that eight to 10 corruption cases were under development. Four months later, no updates have been provided and Rhea has not responded to inquiries about those investigations.