Former Puerto Rico Secretary of the Government, Francisco Domenech, rejected the ethics complaint filed against him before the Government Ethics Office (OEG), calling it a "vicious interpretation of the law" that violates his constitutional right to competent legal representation. The complaint alleges Domenech and former Deputy Secretary of the Government Itza García violated the agency’s organic law by using their positions for their own benefit and that of third parties.
It specifically claims Domenech breached Article 4.6(c) of the Government Ethics Law (Law 1-2012) by hiring former Justice secretary designee Janet Parra as his defense attorney in his pending case before the Office of the Panel on the Independent Special Prosecutor (OPFEI). That case arose from accusations made against him by former Economic Development and Commerce Secretary Sebastián Negrón Reichard.
Domenech argued the complaint contains no allegation that he exploited his office for personal benefit or misused public funds, since the service provider was paid with his own money. He noted the Secretary of the Government post reviews many Executive Branch contracts and transactions annually, and that under the complaint’s reading, anyone holding that office could not hire practically any experienced lawyer, doctor, accountant or lab in Puerto Rico.
He said he will answer the complaint and, if necessary, go to the courts, as he has done before when the OEG exceeded its statutory powers.