Still Waiting: “Chucky” Hansen’s Fate Uncertain

A ruling on Senator Alicia “Chucky” Hansen’s eligibility to be on the November 4 General Election ballot was supposed to be made yesterday, but as of early Friday morning, no new information had been released. The ballots are scheduled to go out to print today.

The VI Consortium has repeatedly checked with the District Court of the Virgin Islands and multiple visits to the Court’s website found no ruling or opinion on the case at press time today.

On Wednesday, Chief Justice of the District Court of the Virgin Islands, Wilma Lewis, gave Hansen’s attorneys until 5 p.m. that day to present new evidence that would back up their claim that Governor de Jongh’s pardoning of Hansen was “broad and unlimited,” and therefore should be applied retroactively. Hansen’s legal team had argued that the pardon had “cured” all of their client’s past convictions, including those of moral turpitude–the basis on which the Supreme Court of the Virgin Islands barred Hansen’s name from appearing on the November 4 ballot.

Attorney Lee Rohn, who represents Hansen, said on Wednesday that if her case was unsuccessful, she would request additional time to file an appeal with the Third Circuit Court of Appeals located in Pennsylvania, as said court has appellate jurisdiction over the District Court of the Virgin Islands.

On Aug. 28, the U.S. Virgin Islands Supreme Court ordered the U.S. Virgin Islands Superior Court to remove Hansen’s name from the November 4 ballot because the court found that her three previous convictions of failing to pay taxes were “willful,” and therefore fell under the “moral turpitude” umbrella.

Everything changed when Governor de Jongh came to the veteran senator’s rescue and pardoned her of her crimes, a move that sought to ensure Hansen’s name appeared on the November 4 ballot. The governor said in a statement he believes it should be up to the voters of St. Croix to determine Hansen’s fate.

“I am fully aware that this is a controversial decision that will provoke much emotion and discussion. However, after much soul searching, I have concluded that the best decision I can make is the one I have made because I know that that decision will be immediately put to the test of ratification by the electorate of St. Croix,” the statement read in part.

To avoid being held in contempt of court, Elections Supervisor Caroline Fawkes did not follow the Attorney General’s opinion that Hansen be placed back on the ballot, prompting Rohn to file a Temporary Restraining Order (TRO) against Fawkes and the Board of Elections.

A verdict on whether Hansen’s name should be returned to the ballot is expected to be announced today, in order to give the Board of Elections enough time to submit the ballots to its printers with all the candidates’ names included before the 2 p.m. deadline.