La Fortaleza says it knows nothing of an FBI probe of Domenech

Public Affairs Secretary Jean Peña Payano

By THE STAR STAFF

La Fortaleza said Thursday in response to public remarks made by Senate President Thomas Rivera Schatz that it has no indication of any investigation by the FBI of La Fortaleza Chief of Staff Francisco Domenech Fernández.

Public Affairs Secretary Jean Peña Payano said the administration has not received any notice, request or communication from federal authorities regarding Domenech.

“At the moment, we have no knowledge of any investigation involving the chief of staff,” Peña Payano said during a press conference.

Asked directly about Rivera Schatz’s televised claim that the FBI is looking into matters related to Domenech, he replied: “That, you have to ask them. We have no indication of anything like that.”

Peña Payano added that the administration will not engage in responding to “every speculation, every attack, every allegation,” noting that no federal entity has issued a request for documents, a subpoena, or any other form of inquiry to La Fortaleza.

Gov’t defends DDEC’s $80,000 fine against Politank Corp.

Peña Payano also addressed questions about the $80,000 administrative fine imposed by the Department of Economic Development and Commerce (DDEC by its acronym in Spanish) on Politank Corp., the lobbying firm founded by Domenech before entering government (see related story on page 3).

He said the sanction demonstrates that “there will be no impunity,” emphasizing that the DDEC secretary acted within the law and followed the audit findings.

“The fine was established by the government of Puerto Rico, by the DDEC secretary, and it was quite forceful,” Peña Payano said.

Politank, he noted, has the right to challenge the sanction through the administrative process.

Peña Payano reiterated that Domenech is no longer linked to the company and that the deficiencies cited by DDEC do not relate to his functions as chief of staff. Domenech previously spent more than eight hours testifying before the Senate’s Committee of the Whole on matters involving Politank and his former clients. DDEC issued the fine against Politank because of multiple non-compliance failures required as part of a tax decree.

Claim that employee transfer sought to ‘buy silence’ is rejected

The public affairs secretary also dismissed Rivera Schatz’s suggestion that the transfer of former DDEC official Norberto Almodóvar Vélez to the Department of Housing was intended to “buy his silence.” Peña Payano said the employee is performing administrative duties and is not handling federal funds or permits.

“There is an administrative process underway,” he said. “People have labor rights, a presumption of innocence, and acquired rights in an investigation that is currently sub judice,” he said.

Peña Payano added that he has not yet received an update on the internal human resources process at DDEC related to Almodóvar but will follow up personally.

Almodovar is under public scrutiny following a complaint filed by Sebastián Negrón Reichard, the former DDEC secretary, who accused former Permits Management Office officials of improper interference in agency operations. The Department of Justice, through its Public Integrity and Comptroller Affairs Division (DIPAC), conducted a preliminary investigation and recommended appointing a special independent prosecutor. An SIP was subsequently appointed.

According to DIPAC’s findings, there is sufficient cause to believe that Almodóvar may have violated Article 254 of the Puerto Rico Penal Code, which addresses undue intervention in governmental operations, as well as Article 261, which concerns undue influence. The agency also cited potential violations of Articles 4.2(b), 4.2(f), and 4.2(s) of the Government Ethics Office Organic Act.