2026-09-23 - Senate

Summary

Based on auto-generated captions that are sparse and poor: about 2,400 words over 2 hours 12 minutes, with many stretches where the speech (including any Samoan) was not captured. Names and figures may be misheard, and this summary covers only what could be made out.

This is a continuation of the Senate hearing on the American Samoa Telecommunications Authority.
Marketing and events spending: Senators and the authority's witnesses went over the budget line for corporate events, marketing and sponsorships, including a fireworks and drone show promotion, and the authority's use of the 250th anniversary celebration branding. One speaker raised a possible conflict because a sponsoring beverage company competes with a business tied to a person in the discussion. See Telecom Corporate Events and Marketing Spending.
Authority to spend: Speakers argued over whether the board must approve spending, with references to an executive order, board resolutions and bylaws; one senator voiced concern about large signing authority for the chief executive against a budget of roughly $28 million plus about $33 million in grants. The witness said the board reviews the prior month's expenses.
Opioid settlement funds: The captions mention the opioid settlement and a drug control program in connection with the sponsorships.
Leadership change: The hearing also touched on the chief executive and chief operating officer change and a settlement agreement and severance. See Telecom CEO Position Change.
The captions do not show any votes or a conclusion.

Issues discussed

Sources

Video: https://youtube.com/watch?v=akB0JmGRxuc

Video

Watch the video

Transcript

These are auto-generated captions; names and numbers may be misheard.

Transcript

00:11the American telecommunications

00:16authority.

00:42yeah.

00:50Fore!

00:58Foreign! Foreign!

01:38nailch.

01:58forchech.

02:28Fore speech.

02:45Amen.

02:47Yeah. [clears throat]

03:43Yeah.

04:20We there

04:28uh see

05:48Some foreign

06:30you have a yellow le for module.

07:37[clears throat]

07:40Thomas. Yeah. CEO

07:57Yeah.

08:12Yeah.

08:26Yeah.

08:38>> [clears throat]

08:46>> CEO.

09:00Yeah.

09:16Yeah.

09:30Yeah.

10:01Yeah. Lake

10:26allegiance.

10:39I'm a winner.

10:50Peppa

11:14speech.

11:17Foreign

11:21speech. Foreign speech. Foreign speech.

11:32forino.

11:44[clears throat]

12:20A250.

12:36appropriation.

12:53Fore!

13:02Foreign! Foreign!

13:16A250.

13:34Yeah.

14:22to provide a statement.

14:26[clears throat]

14:35Yeah. Foreign

14:41speech. Foreign foreign foreign speech.

14:41[clears throat]

14:51Yeah.

15:01Yeah.

15:22sure.

16:01Foreign

16:04speech. Foreign speech. Foreign speech.

16:48CEO company.

17:00Yeah,

17:29knife.

17:42Yeah.

17:56Speech. Speech.

18:03Yeah.

18:19Yeah.

18:31Yeah.

19:09handsets and accessories.

19:19Corporate events. Corporate events.

19:31marketing.

19:43Executive order

20:04Fireworks.

20:27Alex,

20:30corporate event.

20:44corporate events. It's specifically

20:46listed in the budget for FY26,

20:57the appropriation that was granted by

20:59the legislature.

21:13accounting for Asta itself. It's not a

21:16cash basis. It's under the acral basis

21:23accounting

21:34operations.

21:37The general ledger accounts,

21:46corporate events, marketing and

21:48sponsorship

21:52expenditure from the marketing GL. Help.

22:16foreign

22:40speech.

22:50Agreement

22:59include revenue

23:08drug control program.

23:21Fireworks. Drone show.

23:34Yeah.

24:02Events

24:09control

24:14drug control.

24:34SAMA is the

24:37substance abuse and mental health

24:38services administration

24:41opioid

24:42opioid settlement.

24:51There is an exhibit E opioid

24:54settlements.

25:01The exhibit E of the opioid settlement.

25:04opioid. The national opioid settlement

25:09control

25:22opioid settlement

25:24prevention program which is under the

25:27exhibit EO

25:29subsection G sub schedule B subsection

25:34opioid

25:42policies.

25:46We don't have institutional facilities

25:49here in American Samoa and

25:52so we argue the point

26:16community based organizations,

26:23opioid settlement.

26:34Yeah.

26:51Drug control.

27:07although it doesn't state village or you

27:10know villages but

27:17drug control.

27:28Call it the drug control program.

27:31Opioid

27:43settlement opioid.

27:51Okay.

27:58[clears throat]

27:59Yeah. Okay.

28:03Yeah.

28:15Public health for the clinical side.

28:20Prevention

28:27promotion for sponsorships.

28:30for marketing

28:36strategies.

28:55Promotions

28:58promotions

29:10strategy.

29:17events explicitly listed.

29:45Read group. GHC read.

29:48>> The read group.

30:08Yeah.

30:18Yeah.

30:25Foreio

30:45product folk.

31:04the ultra

31:07it's a beverage I believe.

31:21Yeah.

31:35uh drug prevention,

31:38drug uh control.

32:14promot

32:20control.

32:39Drug Control Office.

32:48Fireworks.

32:50Yeah.

33:12Promote drug control.

33:28How do you reconcile that inconsistency

33:32or contradiction?

33:57Drug control program.

34:14Okay.

34:45Executive order.

35:04She has a business in uh beverages

35:15because Reed Group is a competitor of

35:17her business. So

35:36It's a conflict.

35:47foreign

36:14port.

36:19potential conflict.

36:42Executive Order

36:46Operations

37:01decisions operations.

37:08I see

37:10executive order

37:27package.

37:33Yeah.

37:51Executive

38:00Executive order.

38:26Executive order

38:41executive

38:53Okay.

39:11Executive order review

39:23plan.

39:32office seat

39:47report

39:49strategic plan.

39:52Reviewing

39:54review

40:04Executive order

40:55Okay.

41:26internship.

41:38Yeah.

42:13We winner

42:19[clears throat]

42:43Board of Directors.

42:45Alasta

42:56Foreign

43:09speech. Foreign speech.

43:17report.

43:29forch.

43:58Anti-defic

44:35A250 celebration,

44:50corporate events,

44:54marketing.

45:07corporate event marketing.

45:36We use the brand, the name for the

45:39Julymotion.

45:54Mother's Day promotions,

46:05but it's under the corporate events,

46:11legal review.

46:41Executive order.

46:52Opinion

47:07concern.

47:49promotion. You like

48:30Fore,

48:51very broad.

49:12>> [clears throat]

49:13>> Yeah.

49:28Mike.

49:45No. What? No.

49:55Yeah.

49:57[clears throat]

50:17authority.

50:27Sales and marketing,

50:29corporate events

50:45approve.

50:57William,

50:59executive order 2018,

52:11category

52:19events

52:21marketing

52:36authority.

52:40Monitor compliance.

52:57monitor.

53:24Approve.

53:26Approve. Board.

53:52spending

54:07marketing and

54:10corporate events.

54:12>> Yeah. Okay.

54:57Yeah.

55:08Board resolutions.

55:20Revise

55:24executive order.

55:27authority

55:35spending operation um within

55:40approved budget.

55:42Yeah.

55:54foring

56:14[clears throat]

56:18semi autonomous. for

57:00operate as a semi autonomous agency

57:04legitimately

57:07operation

57:09still a department

57:28child support

58:02semi-autonomous agency.

58:13foreign.

58:20Yeah.

58:30Okay.

58:53Management

58:57foreign

59:25speech.

59:34The board has no authority to do

59:36anything.

59:38It's all yours.

59:42>> So what is it?

59:45Which is it? Do they have the right or

59:48don't they have the right?

59:49>> Sir, they do have the right to review to

59:52review all the expenses that was spent

59:55the month prior. For what purpose?

59:57>> It's in the executive order.

1:00:54management.

1:01:03Is that

1:01:05executive order?

1:01:10Yes, sir.

1:02:35executive order. All reports have to be

1:02:44>> So the CEO is a member of the governor's

1:02:47cabinet.

1:02:53Well, more reason why what I just said,

1:02:56you're a department and not an

1:02:59autonomous agency

1:03:01because you're a cabinet member.

1:03:11Who has who really has the authority to

1:03:15decide those issues?

1:03:31Executive order

1:03:44submit.

1:03:53Executive order

1:04:15resolutions.

1:04:24Executive order

1:04:31resolution.

1:04:36>> Resolutions.

1:04:38Resolutions.

1:05:39Yeah. Yes,

1:05:51>> the board or the governor.

1:05:57>> I was hired by the board.

1:06:00>> The board appoint you?

1:06:01>> Yes. Yes, sir.

1:06:04>> But that's not what I heard.

1:06:07He personally went on the radio station

1:06:10and he say she want you to work for him

1:06:13in his office

1:06:18but because he want you to be in that

1:06:21category. So that's why you let her let

1:06:26because

1:06:29the board establishes chemical

1:06:34and the board meet every month. It is

1:06:38the board responsibility to pick whoever

1:06:41apply for it and make a decision.

1:06:57for it. I f of

1:07:01do you have any bylaw used? We used to

1:07:04have bylaw for the board.

1:07:20>> [clears throat]

1:07:42advertise

1:07:50So you hire her. How many people apply?

1:07:55Then she come up the best

1:08:26short list

1:08:36as CEO.

1:08:45[clears throat]

1:09:01I hope related

1:09:08was watching me.

1:09:28I hope it's not related.

1:09:37And she told me $115.

1:09:43California

1:09:56record.

1:09:58[clears throat]

1:10:18[clears throat and cough]

1:10:36Facebook,

1:10:38Facebook.

1:10:57State of war.

1:11:02Secretary of War.

1:11:15I think this

1:12:32Loyal customers.

1:12:40Billing and collections.

1:13:13dismantle.

1:13:23Why confidential?

1:13:30These are public information.

1:14:00human resources

1:14:10Forement

1:14:47settlement

1:14:50severance pay

1:14:55down the road.

1:15:18speech.

1:15:36Executive order

1:15:56Yeah. The staffing operations. Yeah.

1:16:23It wasn't until later.

1:16:30Maybe a couple days later.

1:16:50District Court.

1:17:48court. Yes, let me let me intervene.

1:18:02Your seance, you go take care of your

1:18:04problem.

1:18:09because he sign the check unless he go

1:18:16that's a record

1:18:22just give him his check

1:18:24if you want if you want to hire him back

1:18:27that's a process

1:18:45Go slow down.

1:18:51Too fast.

1:19:23budget. questioning

1:19:36question.

1:20:06Executive order.

1:20:15Executive order.

1:20:31Executive order

1:20:58communication.

1:21:39executive orders.

1:21:50Memorandum of for record.

1:22:32Hello to board.

1:23:27resolution

1:23:31resolution.

1:23:41Yeah. [clears throat]

1:23:46foreign.

1:24:08Resolution

1:24:20bylaws.

1:25:28Foreign

1:25:32speech. Foreign speech. Foreign speech.

1:25:49expenses.

1:25:58[laughter]

1:26:11Read group. Yeah,

1:26:16but they're all under the read group.

1:26:33Drug control

1:27:15executive

1:27:51dedicated authority.

1:28:01Final decisioned

1:28:06authority.

1:28:42Executive order.

1:28:58Executive order.

1:29:46Foreign

1:29:55speech. Foreign speech. Foreign speech.

1:30:34set support and for

1:30:39CEO. I have

1:31:50something.

1:32:33foreign

1:33:01committee. We feel Authorization

1:33:29authorization from the board.

1:33:38marketation.

1:33:58marketing strategies.

1:34:28know you like

1:34:37around $900,000

1:34:40marketing close to a million for detail

1:34:45submitting paperwork

1:34:51market.

1:35:35group. Okay.

1:35:38You're talking about marketing. So

1:35:43return,

1:35:47how much money you going to spend, how

1:35:48much money you getting back from it if

1:35:50you using marketing to do this.

1:35:51>> Yeah.

1:35:53marketing, community based uh

1:35:56sponsorships,

1:36:03corporate event

1:36:07promotions

1:36:16report.

1:36:35foreign

1:37:14Executive order

1:37:32CEO chairman for foreign

1:37:43land more.

1:37:52[clears throat]

1:38:13spending.

1:38:42there was approved by law, right? It's

1:38:44included in that

1:38:46>> I believe. So, um there is a bylaws I

1:38:50think was 2.2

1:38:56spending the authorization the CEO.

1:39:00Yeah, I'm I'm kind of worried about it

1:39:02because

1:39:04free signature

1:39:07a CEO without any um any authorization

1:39:09from the board and that shows that is uh

1:39:13I don't think that's as that shouldn't

1:39:14happen. The budget for the for the for

1:39:17the estaaka is $28 million or more

1:39:21between 26 and something that's a lot of

1:39:23money for no for or no limitation of

1:39:26signatures in the authorization.

1:39:45every month.

1:39:50So there. anytime

1:40:02it's a it's a big money. It's not a

1:40:05small money small event

1:40:10is a good event

1:40:20all over the United States.

1:40:35Executive order.

1:40:57It's not a big problem, but it seems

1:41:00[clears throat] like well it's a it is a

1:41:02problem right now.

1:41:38$33 million more on grants. That's a lot

1:41:40of money. The phone is worry. But I hope

1:41:54So kind of sugar.

1:42:29It's a full family.

1:43:20family.

1:45:34CEO. foreign.

1:46:13Yeah,ch.

1:46:55Foreign

1:47:08speech. Foreign speech. Foreign speech.

1:47:50>> [clears throat]

1:47:56>> Foreign

1:48:01speech. Foreign speech. Foreign speech.

1:48:47central level.

1:49:17Andrew. Andrew.

1:49:34board secretary Andrew Burquist

1:49:42Andrew. Okay.

1:49:57Foreign! Foreign!

1:51:00>> [clears throat]

1:51:43writer.

1:52:20recording

1:52:29[clears throat]

1:52:35information fork

1:52:41information.

1:52:52portfol

1:53:06information.

1:53:18Port Secretary

1:53:23Karen Satelli.

1:53:25>> Karen Sat.

1:53:25>> Karen Satelli.

1:53:33[clears throat]

1:54:01Expired till now.

1:55:58>> [clears throat]

1:56:05>> CEO.

1:56:21>> [clears throat]

1:56:24>> CEO,

1:56:28Chief Operating Officer, COO,

1:56:37Settlement Agreement, Draft,

1:56:41William,

1:56:55Uh like for cause

1:56:58other than cause

1:57:22terminated board

1:57:28down Chuck to to be the CEO

1:58:08settlement.

1:58:31just [clears throat] one

1:58:34year of his uh CEO salary.

1:59:06report.

1:59:33Facility

1:59:54after the fact.

1:59:59Pay out.

2:00:24foreign.

2:00:49Yeah. [sighs]

2:01:01>> [clears throat]

2:01:02>> Settlement

2:01:19family not for a

2:01:48If I say

2:02:01is a personal matter.

2:02:12We're too late.

2:02:48support

2:02:52regardless

2:03:05severance pay was still active. However,

2:03:07>> that comes from an executive decision

2:03:11that is not based on law.

2:03:24foreign.

2:04:02serviceive

2:04:10executive order

2:04:13and not only CEO

2:04:30for the remainder.

2:04:45Career service.

2:04:52Settlement or settlement of salary.

2:05:04Child support.

2:05:12salary wage.

2:06:05a fool. Fore!

2:06:14Foreign! Foreign!

2:06:44Transcript

2:06:58transcript

2:07:04have tight

2:07:12>> [cough and clears throat]

2:07:34Foreign

2:07:45[clears throat]

2:07:56forchech.

2:08:36foreign.

2:09:50Foreign

2:09:52speech. Foreign speech. Foreign speech.

2:10:22>> [clears throat]

2:10:22>> Foreign

2:10:30speech. Foreign foreign foreign speech.

2:11:35Settlement agreement. Transcripts.

2:11:46for your resolutions.

2:12:15>> [clears throat]