Ralph Deleon Guerrero Torres (born August 6, 1979) is a Northern Marianan politician, who served as the ninth governor of the Northern Mariana Islands, from December 29, 2015, to January 9, 2023. He is a Republican from Saipan, Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands (CNMI). The third longest-serving governor in CNMI history, Torres took office upon the death of Governor Eloy Inos on December 29, 2015, before being reelected as governor in his own right in 2018. He previously served as the tenth lieutenant governor, having been elected to that post in 2014.[1]
Early life and education
Torres was born on August 6, 1979, to a Chamorro family in Garapan, then part of the Trust Territory of the Pacific Islands. Torres's father was a government field officer and Commonwealth Utilities Corporation (CUC) dispatcher, while his mother was a teacher at William S. Reyes Elementary School. Growing up, Torres lived with his parents and five siblings in a one-story house in Koblerville built by the family.[2]
Torres's family would later move to Boise, Idaho, where he would attend Boise High School, graduating in 1996. He received a B.S. in political science from Boise State University in 2001.[3] In 2004, he began to work with his brothers at Torres Brothers, Attorneys at Law.
As governor, Torres approved a bill, public law 19-42, that adds a $1,000 excise tax on pistol purchases, this is the highest tax on pistols sales in the US.[7] However, this excessive tax was later ruled as unconstitutional according to the United States Constitution and overturned by the United States District Court.[8]
On September 21, 2018, Torres signed into law the Taulamwaar Sensible CNMI Cannabis Act, stating: "Today, our people made history. We took a stand to legalize marijuana in the CNMI for recreational, medical, and commercial use."[9]
Torres and his wife, First Lady Diann Torres, were criticized for costing the government $24,297 on a trip to Montana. The trip, conducted from June 23 to July 2, 2017, involved stops in both Oregon and Idaho.[11] In February 2018, Bloomberg Businessweek reported that Torres and his family have received millions of dollars in payments from Hong Kong-based Imperial Pacific casino.[12]
Alternate portrait of Torres
On November 7, 2019, the FBI executed a search and seizure warrant to raid Torres's office, home, and car as well as his brothers' law firm and various other businesses across Saipan for evidence of wire fraud, schemes to defraud, conspiracy, money laundering, and illegal campaign contributions.[13]
In November 2019, the Northern Mariana Islands House of Representatives called for the impeachment of Torres amid an ongoing investigation by the FBI into his businesses.[14] Torres faced further impeachment backlash with growing evidence of the misuse of local funds that violated CNMI procurement laws.[15][16]
As of 12 January 2022, Ralph Torres is the second governor to have been impeached in the CNMI's history. [17]
In May 2022, Torres was acquitted of all charges by the Senate in his impeachment trial.[18]
Following the victory of Democrat Joe Biden in the 2020 presidential election, Torres congratulated the president-elect, while also praising Trump for his "commitment and support for the people of the Northern Mariana Islands". He added that the outgoing president "delivered time and time again for our people" through measures such as NMI U.S. Workforce Act of 2018, and praised Trump's response to the Super Typhoon Yutu.
Personal life
Torres has six children with his wife, the former Diann Mendiola Tudela: Ralph Anthony, Vaniqa Marie, Deon Titus, Tristan Dane, Divannie and Ryan.[3] Torres is of Chamorro ancestry.