The Speaker of american samoa's House of Representatives, Matagi Ray McMoore and his wife have asked the High Court to dismiss a class action suit filed against them alleging misspending of government money.
The suit was filed by Representative Agaoleatu Charlie Tautolo, who claimed that the McMoores used more than 56 thousand dollars of House monies to purchase a car and pay for off island travel by Mrs McMoore.
In their motion for dismissal the McMoores claim the High Court does not have jurisdiction to hear the matter and that the House of representatives is the proper venue for the complainant to present his case.
According to the Speaker and his wife, the complaint to the court was made for the sole purpose of embarrassing the defendants and its filing was timed solely to gain political advantage in the upcoming vote for Speaker in the new legislature.
