Senate Committee on Ethical Conduct Wrapping Up Blyden Covid-19 Matter in Hopes of Public Hearing During Thursday Session

Lawmakers who make up the Senate Committee on Ethical Conduct, formed by Senate President Donna Frett-Gregory to address allegations that Senator Marvin Blyden acted inappropriately after testing positive for the Covid-19 virus by failing to quarantine, is aiming to wrap up their investigation and bring the matter before the Senate publicly during a session scheduled for Thursday.

Members of the Committee on Ethical Conduct (CEC) include Senators Milton Potter, Kennet Gittens, Kurt Vialet, Carla Joseph, and Dwayne M. DeGraff. Mr. Potter, who is leading the inquiry as CEC chairman, said in the Oct. 11 release announcing the charges that the allegations were being taken very seriously. Attempts to reach Mr. Potter for comment Thursday were unsuccessful.

Mr. Vialet told the Consortium Thursday that an announcement by the Ethics Committee could come as early as Monday next week. He said the committee is scheduled to hold one more meeting on the matter before it is brought to the full body.

Part of the job of the ethics committee is determining a penalty for the charges brought against Mr. Blyden, then drafting a resolution which must be voted on by the full Senate. A Senate session is scheduled for Thursday, and lawmakers are hoping to have the matter up for debate at that time, the Consortium has learned.

The CEC has charged Mr. Blyden with breaking the Legislature’s rules for decorum and ethical conduct, as well as with violating the oath of office, in which elected officials swear to uphold the Constitution and the laws of the Virgin Islands. See the charging document here.

"After a preliminary examination of the evidence, to include reviewing witness testimony, the 34th Legislature’s Committee on Ethical Conduct has determined that grounds exist to move forward with a formal disciplinary hearing regarding the complaint that Senator Marvin A. Blyden is in violation of at least two of the rules governing the comportment of members of the body and breaking his sworn Oath of Office," stated the CEC in a release issued Oct. 11.