Government Scandal in Puerto Rico
/Gov. Ricardo A. Rosselló says he will not resign despite protests about private messages that included personal attacks and crude language. With 11 of his top aides, Rosselló participated in chats via the messaging app Telegram. Almost 900 pages of text are now public, and we see insults about other officials with references to people’s sexual orientation, gender, and weight.
The news comes after government corruption chargers earlier this week. The governor admitted, “I committed inappropriate acts,” but also said, “I have not committed illegal acts.”
In a news conference, Rosselló used the words “improper” and “shameful,” but didn’t agree with the reporter that the chats were unethical.
Discussion:
Should the governor resign? Why or why not?
What’s your view of the private chats? Should government officials be able to message each other freely? Why or why not?
How well did the governor respond to the reporter’s questions? Did he convince you?
