By Bill W. Cooper
A day after his sanction by the United States government, Senate Pro-Tempore Albert Chie has vowed to utilize all legal means available in the U.S., to ensure that his name and that of his family are removed from the visa restriction list.
The Grand Kru County Senator also categorically denied his link to the allegations of soliciting, accepting, and offering bribes to manipulate legislative processes and public funding, including legislative reporting and mining sector activities.
On Monday, December 11, 2023, Pro-temp Chie, along Finance Minister, Samuel Tweah, and Margibi County Senator, Emmanuel Nuquay, were all sanctioned by the U.S Government pursuant to Section 7031(c) of the U.S. Department of Treasury.
They were sanctioned for their involvement in significant corruption by abusing their public positions through soliciting, accepting, and offering bribes to manipulate legislative processes and public funding, including legislative reporting and mining sector activity.
But Pro-temp Chie, on Tuesday, December 12, 2023, during the Senate’s extended session, in reaction to the U.S. Government’s decision, said, “The allegations are misleading and false.”
“So, in pursuance of justice and to remove our names and those of our targeted family members from the visa restriction list of the U.S. State Department, we will take advantage of the legal process available through the U.S. legal system,” he emphasized.
The Grand Kru County Senator further accused the U.S. Government of choosing the wrong time for the sanctions, especially just a few weeks before the Senate leadership elections, something, he said, is a concern worth noting.
This, Chie stressed, “The timing of the action on two senators calls for concern, especially a few weeks before the Senate elections process. The allegations against Tweah, Nuquay, and me, of taking bribes to influence legislative work, impugn on your integrity as senators, no matter how you look at it.”
“The attack is on you, whether in the ruling position, opposition, or no opposition. So, we categorically deny and refute these allegations because they are all false, misleading, untrue, and unfounded.
Because, since my stewardship as administrative head of the Senate, never have I taken a dime from any source and offered it to any of my colleagues in any of the legislative chambers or to any of our staff to manipulate legislative processes,” he maintained.
Meanwhile, Pro-temp Chie has, at the same time, also informed the U.S Government of the tremendous work and reform instituted at the Liberian Senate since his ascendancy as head of that body.
He said, “The Senate, under my watch, has instituted many procedural reforms, which have improved legislative processes, such as the elimination of yea and nay votes for crucial legislative instruments and the abolishment of Executive or closed-door sessions to erase any doubt of secrecy.”
“And everyone, including the U.S. Embassy in Monrovia and other low-key officials in the State Department, knows that the process for the elections for the President Pro-Tempore of the Senate for the 55th Legislature has started.
So, the timing of the action taken on me and Sen. Nuquay is of a concern; We always hear that the U.S. believes in a free and fair electoral process. We are therefore taken aback by the U.S.’s Visa restriction just few weeks from the Senate leadership elections,” he added.
