Hugo Patt: Public Outrage in Dermen/Saldivar Scandal is of Concern to U.D.P.
Hugo Patt
Ahead of Hugo Patt’s swearing-in this afternoon, we caught up with him following today’s cabinet meeting, the first gathering of the Barrow administration since the U.D.P. convention on Sunday. We quizzed the Minister of Natural Resources on his thoughts about the Lev Dermen scandal, in the context of newly elected party leader John Saldivar being the subject of much public outrage. Patt admits that the optics is bad and worrisome to the United Democratic Party and alluded to a press conference that was initially scheduled for Wednesday. While that media brief has since been postponed until further notice, here’s what Patt shared with us.
Isani Cayetano
“Your new party leader, however, remains under fire. How do you feel as a member of that slate and as someone who is prepared to work with him closely?”
Hugo Patt, Deputy Prime Minister
“As I indicated, it is of concern what is happening, I will have to admit. But I think that John will provide a press conference tomorrow, but if any question might arise then I think that is the occasion for us to answer that.”
Reporter
“Would you agree that it’s politically risky, to say the least, to go into a general election with John Saldivar as your leader because of all these things that are being said in the Utah court? Now they are saying that a February 11th text exchange, he accepted, he said that I need X amount of money, fifty thousand dollars.”
Hugo Patt
“Well I haven’t seen any text messages and until then I can just say that everything is only speculation and there is a circus in all of this. Let us wait it out and see what actually transpires.”
Reporter
“But you will see the text in a few hours, I mean…”
Hugo Patt
“Until then, I will be able to tell you.”
