Senator At-large Angel Bolques Jr. entered a no contest plea Thursday to a charge of violating his oath of office, concluding a monthslong inquiry by the Legislature’s Committee on Ethical Conduct into a complaint filed by a legislative employee. Now the Senate must vote by Aug. 14, a press release announced.
The committee formally launched the investigation on March 28, following Senate President Milton E. Potter’s directive. The complaint, submitted two days earlier, met all procedural requirements and was accepted for review. What followed was an extensive investigation involving subpoenas, document requests, interviews, and legal deliberations, according to the press release.
On June 17, the committee issued a Statement of Alleged Charges to Bolques and his representative, who responded on July 7, raising objections based on Rule 810(e) of the Legislature’s Rules. That rule prohibits complaints filed more than 60 days after the alleged violation. The committee concurred that many of the charges fell outside that time frame and could not be considered, the press release stated.
Despite that, the committee proceeded with a hearing scheduled for July 24 on St. Croix. Ahead of the hearing, the Legislature’s legal counsel and Bolques’s attorney reached a Stipulated Settlement Agreement. Bolques agreed to enter a no contest (nolo contendere) plea to the single remaining charge that fell within the valid reporting window. While not an admission of guilt, the plea means Bolques will not dispute the charge, the release stated.
During the formal hearing Thursday, Bolques entered the plea, which the committee accepted. The CEC will now forward its findings and recommendations to the full Senate, which must vote within 15 business days – no later than Aug. 14, it said.
The committee stressed that its proceedings are administrative and do not limit the complainant’s ability to seek civil or legal remedies elsewhere. To protect the privacy of the complainant and witnesses, the CEC said it will not make further public statements at this time.
