Records at the Guam Election Commission show that 14 out of the 15 senators in the 37th Guam Legislature reported receiving campaign donations from doctors, clinics and others with interests in the medical field, with contributions ranging from $100 to nearly $10,000.
With lawmakers expected to tackle whether a new hospital should be built at Ypao Point in Tamuning or the Mangilao-Barrigada area this week, the Pacific Daily News has reviewed just how much money each senator received from doctors, clinics, pharmacies, health insurance companies, and others involved in the healthcare field on Guam.
Only Sen. Joanne Brown’s campaign didn’t receive donations from the medical community, based on a review of GEC records.
Sen. Sabina Perez’s campaign, meanwhile, got the least amount of $100 from the medical community.
Vice Speaker Tina Muña Barnes, who backed the governor’s push for a Mangilao-Barrigada site, reported $9,500 worth of contributions from various medical interests in the 2022 election cycle, more than any other sitting senator.
Sen. Amanda Shelton recorded the second highest amount of donations from various medical interests, at $8,500.
Gov. Lou Leon Guerrero has called Sen. Chris Barnett’s legislation that would place the new hospital at Oka Point a “special interest” measure, with a number of healthcare providers pushing for the hospital to remain in Tamuning, even as some doctors back the Mangilao-Barrigada site.
There will also be those with a stake in having a hospital built along the backroad, according to political scientist and University of Guam professor Ron McNinch, especially as land values in the area would rise with the construction of a hospital there.
Amounts donated to sitting senators in the 2022 election add up to $38,100.
The final number may be higher, however, as Guam law does not require campaigns to record the names of individuals that buy “small-dollar” fundraiser tickets that are less than $100.
That means if staff at a pharmacy or insurance company bought a number of tickets for a senatorial fundraiser, campaign finance records would not reflect the purchases.
Barnett and Muña Barnes said donors that contributed to their campaigns didn’t influence their support for one of the hospital sites.
Meanwhile, Sen. Tom Fisher, who is also an attorney, said he doesn’t have any stake in a construction company he used to represent, which donated to his campaign and owns a parcel of land by the proposed hospital site.
Never had a sit down
Barnett, who received $4,500 from medical donors in his freshman senatorial bid in 2022, said that outside of public hearings, he’s never sat down one on one or in a group to talk to doctors or donors about the hospital site.
He said he’s only sat down with the administration to talk about the issue.
The senator’s Bill 185-37, which would lock the construction of a hospital into the Oka Point site in Tamuning, was introduced in October 2023.
“Following the data and the facts contained in the Matrix study is not special interest,” Barnett said, referring to a $1.48 million hospital study GovGuam paid for that ranked Ypao Point higher over the governor’s preferred site for a new hospital.
Barnett received $1,000 from Dr. Hoa Nguyen, a vocal supporter of the Tamuning site, and another $2,000 from Nguyen’s American Medical Center in the 2022 primary and general elections.
Another $1,500 came from TakeCare Insurance, which owns the Tamuning based FHP Health Center, and has also backed the Tamuning site.
Those contribution amounts were within legal limits. Barnett’s total campaign fundraising was $52,919.53, GEC records show.
Bill 185-37 could stand on its own merits, Barnett said, and there were “very few facts” backing up the administration’s preferred site.
“I met with the Governor seeking more information, and didn’t get it. I was elected to make informed decisions, not to follow Adelup’s wishes and commands,” Barnett told the Pacific Daily News.
No vote buying
Muña Barnes said she’s confident her voting record shows that “giving my campaign money does not buy my vote on any issue.”
Among contributions to her campaign were $1,000 from TakeCare, and $1,000 from Guam X Ray, which does business as Guam Radiology Consultants, and whose CEO and medical director Dr. Nathaniel Berg has been touted by the administration as a supporter of the Mangilao-Barrigada site.
Barnes’ total fundraising for the 2022 election cycle was reportedly $133,880.98.
The vice speaker said campaign donors have been among a number of people and groups she has sat down with to talk about the hospital issue, including at chance encounters and events hosted by the Office of the Governor and the Guam Medical Association.
She stated that any policy call she made would be based on the merits of the proposal and her moral compass.
No stake
Fisher, who himself has called Bill 185-37 a special interest measure, was accused by Barnett of having a “close relationship” with a company that stands to benefit from the building of a hospital in the Mangilao-Barrigada area.
Ian Corporation, which according to the testimony of government land officials last November, owns land by the proposed hospital site that could see a value increase, donated $1,000 to Fisher’s campaign. Company owner Jihyung Chong likewise contributed $1,000.
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Fisher said he had “no connection whatsoever” to the company, besides his law firm having represented the company, and their contribution. Fisher said his former partner, attorney Rachel Ayuyu, took over the client when he ran for office.
The senator denied having any stake in Ian Corporation, which he said records at the Department of Revenue and Taxation would support. The office was closed on Saturday. He said he only owned his home in Ipan, Talo’fo’fo, an abutting beachside property, and some property in Inalåhan.
Barnett told the PDN Fisher had his own “special interest” in supporting the administration’s hospital site.
Fisher responded that Barnett was “flailing.”
GEC records show Fisher reported raising $26,685 in the 2022 election cycle, though he spent much more to win, $124,185.23
‘Soft ties’ are stronger
Despite public perception, legally reported campaign contributions did not necessarily indicate that an entity had strong influence over a candidate, according to UOG’s McNinch.
The political scientist said the “hard ties” of donors were less important than “soft ties” on Guam.
“The far stronger effect is the soft tie of a business person who runs a major company, who then gets their friends and affiliates to kind of board on to the fundraising events of a particular candidate or person in office,” McNinch said.
“I come back to you and say, ‘look, I had 10 of my friends donate $2,000 to you total at your last fundraiser, and I need your help on medical stuff later on,’” he said.
He said that connection wouldn’t necessarily be spelled out on a finance report, but could be indicated by the total volume of contributions to a candidate.
On the issue of the hospital, interest was likely to accumulate around anyone who had invested in land around the hospital site—those investors would be more likely to “dump major funds” into a politician’s campaign.
Already constructed medical infrastructure in Tamuning has been a sticking point for those in the medical field during the hospital debate, with several major clinics in Tamuning lobbying for the hospital to stay there.
But McNinch said the proposed new hospital site also opened up the door to new land speculation.
Either way, the real bigger benefit derived in donor relationships was to the politician, McNinch said, not the donor.
“Politics is about politicians getting you to do favors for them. That’s what the real game is,” he said.
TakeCare is biggest contributor
Across all medical donors, various affiliate companies of TakeCare Insurance, owner of FHP Health Center, were reported contributing more to senatorial campaigns than any other clinic, individual, or company.
Donations from TakeCare affiliates donated to 11 out of the 15 sitting senators, GEC records show, and contributions from TakeCare affiliates accounted for $18,000 out of the total $38,100 in medical contributions tabulated by the PDN, about 47.2% of the total.
Although corporate contribution limits are capped at $1,000 per candidate per election, combined donations from different affiliate companies like TakeCare Insurance Brokers Inc., TakeCare Insurance Risk Management Services Inc., and Veiovis LLC exceed that amount for some candidates, records show.
The practice is legal under Guam law, as each company under a single umbrella is technically its own entity, which pays its own taxes, according to Guam Election Commission Executive Director Maria Pangelinan.
She said whether that legality was appropriate was a “political question” beyond the scope of GEC, which only weighs in on matters affecting election processes.
Federal candidates were not allowed to accept corporate contributors at all, Pangelinan noted, but since the issue of mirroring the policy locally had never come up during her time at GEC.
GEC does an annual review of election laws and makes recommendations to lawmakers, and has recommended copying certain procedural campaign finance regulations practiced by the Federal Election Commission.
But the issue of corporate contribution amounts, Pangelinan said, was left up to lawmakers, who had not addressed the matter in a number of years.
Here’s a summary of the medical community’s contributions to senators’ 2022 campaigns, based on records filed with GEC:
- Vice Speaker Tina Muña Barnes, $9,500
- Sen. Amanda Shelton, $8,500
- Sen. Chris Barnett, $4,500
- Sen. Joe San Agustin, $3,500
- Sen. Chris Duenas, $2,500
- Sen. William Parkinson, $2,000
- Sen. Telo Taitague, $2,000
- Speaker Therese Terlaje, $2,000
- Sen. Thomas Fisher, $1,000
- Sen. Jesse Lujan, $1,000
- Sen. Frank Blas Jr., $500
- Sen. Roy Quinata, $500
- Sen. Dwayne San Nicolas, $500
- Sen. Sabina Perez, $100
- Sen. Joann Brown, 0
Campaign Contributions
Here’s how much each senator received from medical donors on the 2022 campaign trail.
Sen. Chris Barnett
Total medical contributions: $4,500
Primary Election:
- Dr. Hoa Nguyễn; $1,000, primary
- American Medical Center; $1,000
- Small-dollar fundraisers; $14,833
- Total of all primary contributions; $26,778.15
- General Election:
- American Medical Center; $1,000
- TakeCare Accounts Payable; $500
- TakeCare Insurance Risk Management Services; $500
- Take Care Insurance; $500
- Small-dollar fundraisers; $17,193.38
- Total of all general election contributions; $26,141.38
Republican Minority Leader Sen. Frank Blas jr.
Voted for: voted against both bills
Total medical contributions: $500
Primary Election:
- Rene Ramos, CEO of MedPharm Group of Companies; $500
- Total primary contributions; $13,550
- Small-dollar fundraisers; 0
- General Election:
- Total of all general election contributions; $16,993
- Small-dollar fundraisers; $0
General Election:
- Total of all general election contributions; $16,993
- Small-dollar fundraisers; $0
Sen. Joanne Brown
Voted for: Bill 185, Tamuning location
Total medical contributions: $0
Primary Election:
- Total primary contributions; $1,032
- Small-dollar fundraisers $0
- General Election:
- Total of all general election contributions; $16,259.70
- Small-dollar fundraisers; $0
Sen. Chris Duenas
Voted for: Bill 185, Tamuning location
Total medical contributions: $2,500
Primary Election:
- Moylan’s Insurance, underwriter of NetCare Health Insurance; $250
- Dr. Hoa Nguyễn; $250
- Total primary contributions; $19,607
- Small-dollar fundraisers; $5,107
General Election:
- Veiovis LLC, operator of FHP Health Center; $500
- TakeCare Insurance Brokers Inc., owner of FHP Health Center; $1,000
- TakeCare Insurance Risk Management; $500
- Total of all general election contributions; $21,700
- Small-dollar fundraisers; $0
Sen. Tom Fisher
Vote: Bill 184, Mangilao-Barrigada location
Total medical contributions: $1,000
Primary Election:
Total primary contributions; $450
Small-dollar fundraisers; 0
General Election:
$1,000 TakeCare
Total of all general election contributions; $26,235
Small-dollar fundraisers; $1,830
Sen. Jesse Lujan
Vote: Bill 185, Tamuning location
Total medical contributions: $1,000
Primary Election:
- Total primary contributions; $15,878
- Small-dollar fundraisers; $3,378
General Election:
- Moylan’s Insurance Underwriters; $1,000
- TakeCare Insurance Brokers; $500
- TakeCare Accounts Payable; $500
- TakeCare Insurance Risk Management Service; $500
- Veiovis LLC; $500
- Total of all general election contributions; $33,859.98
- Small-dollar fundraisers; $0
Vice Speaker Tina Muña Barnes
Vote: Bill 184, Mangilao-Barrigada location
Total medical contributions: $9,500
Primary Election:
- Dr. Bob Leon Guerrero; $500
- Francis E. Santos, medical consultant; $500
- TakeCare; $1,000
- Pacific Cardiology Consultants; $500
- Guam X Ray, which does businesses as Guam Radiology Consultants; $500
- Guam Medical Waste Management LLC; $500
- Guam Medical Imaging Center; $500
- Moylan’s Insurance Underwriters; $500
- First Net Insurance Company, which is underwrote by Moylan’s Insurance; $500
- Total primary contributions; $38,802.99
- Small-dollar fundraisers; $13,303
General Election:
- TakeCare; $500
- JMI-Edison, medical equipment supplier; $500
- Moylan’s Insurance Underwriters; $500
- WilMar Corporation dba Minutes RX Pharmacy; $500
- Prime Care Inc. dba Perezville Pharmacy; $500
- Medpharm Operating Account; $500
- Express Med Pharmacy; $500
- Pacific Cardiology Consultant; $500
- Guam X Ray, dba Guam Radiology Consultants;
- Total of all general election contributions; $95,0779
- Small-dollar fundraisers; $20,628
Sen. Will Parkinson
Vote: Bill 184, Mangilao-Barrigada location
Total medical contributions: $2,000
Primary Election:
- Total primary contributions; $34,739
- Small-dollar fundraisers; $7,179
General Election:
- Dr. Hyo Sang Ji, medical director of Guam Surgicenter, and Stella Ji; fundraiser prize worth $580
- Dr. Hyo San ji and Stella ji; $1,420
- Total of all general election contributions; $34,476
- Small-dollar fundraisers; $13,126
Sen. Sabina Perez
Vote: Bill 185, Tamuning location
Total medical contributions: $100
Primary Election:
- Dr. Annette David; $100
- Total primary contributions; $3,821
- Small-dollar fundraisers; $470
General Election:
- Total of all general election contributions; $1,578.89
- Small-dollar fundraisers; $100
Sen. Roy Quinata
Vote: Bill 184, Mangila-Barrigada location
Total medical contributions: $500
Primary Election:
- Total primary contributions; $19,100
- Small-dollar fundraisers; $8,660
General Election:
TakeCare; $500
Total of all general election contributions; $31,944
Small-dollar fundraisers; $23,284
Sen. Joe San Agustin
Vote: Bill 184, Mangila-Barrigada location
Total Medical Contributions: $3,500
Primary Election:
Total primary contributions; $44,958.75
Small-dollar fundraisers; $32,174
General Election:
TakeCare Accounts Payable; $500
TakeCare Insurance Risk Management Services Inc.; $1,000
Veoivis LLC; $500
TakeCare Insurance Brokers Inc.; $500
JMI-Edison, healthcare equipment supplier; $1,000
Total of all general election contributions; $72,460.75
Small-dollar fundraisers; $47,926
Sen. Dwayne San Nicolas
Vote: Bill 184, Mangilao-Barrigada location
Total medical contributions: $500
Primary Election:
Total primary contributions; $0
Small-dollar fundraisers; $0
General Election:
TakeCare; $500
Total of all general election contributions; $9,071
Small-dollar fundraisers; $5,571
Democrat Majority Leader Sen. Amanda Shelton
Vote: Bill 184, Mangilao-Barrigada location
Total medical contributions: $8,500
Primary Election:
Francis Santos, medical consultant; $1,000
Dr. Tom Shieh; $500
Dr. Michael W. Cruz; $500
Total primary contributions; $81,000
Small-dollar fundraisers; $0
General Election:
JMI-Edison; $500
Moylan’s Insurance; $500
TakeCare; $1,000
Veiovis LLC; $500
Staywell Guam Inc.; $500
Asona Surgical Consultants; $500
American Medical Center LLC; $500
TakeCare Insurance Brokers; $1,000
TakeCare Insurance Risk Management Services; $500
Total of all general election contributions; $38,650
Small-dollar fundraisers; $33,650
Shelton also received $250 from Guam Economic Development Authority administrator Melanie Mendiola, a key advocate for the administration’s preferred hospital site, and $500 from Gov. Lou Leon Guerrero.
Sen. Telo Taitague
Vote: Bill 185, Tamuning location
Total Medical contributions: $2,000
Primary Election:
Total primary contributions; $14,925
Small-dollar fundraisers; $0
General Election:
TakeCare; $500
Veiovis LLC; $500
TakeCare Insurance Brokers; $500
TakeCare Insurance Risk Management Services; $500
Total of all general election contributions; $15,774.50
Small-dollar fundraisers; $0
Speaker Therese Terlaje
Vote: Bill 185, Tamuning location
Total medical contributions: $2,000
Primary Election:
Total primary contributions; $0
Small-dollar fundraisers; $0
General Election:
TakeCare Insurance Brokers; $500
TakeCare Insurance Risk Management Services; $500
TakeCare Accounts Payable; $500
Veiovis LLC; $500
Total of all general election contributions; $26,450
Small-dollar fundraisers; $25,450
By: Joe Taitano II
Source: Pacific Daily News