Fofō Iosefa Fiti Sunia (born March 13, 1937) was the first non-voting Delegate from American Samoa to the United States House of Representatives.
Fofō Sunia | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Delegate to the U.S. House of Representatives from American Samoa's at-large district | |
| In office January 3, 1981 – September 6, 1988 | |
| Preceded by | Himself (Delegate at-large) |
| Succeeded by | Eni Faleomavaega |
| Delegate at-large of American Samoa | |
| In office January 3, 1979 – January 3, 1981 | |
| Preceded by | A. P. Lutali |
| Succeeded by | Himself (Delegate) |
| Personal details | |
| Born | Iosefa Fiti Sunia[1] March 13, 1937 Fagasā, American Samoa |
| Political party | Democratic |
| Spouse | Aioletuna V. (Ta’amū) Sunia[2] |
| Children | Eight |
| Education | University of Hawaiʻi (BA) |
Early life and career
editFofō Iosefa Fiti Sunia was born March 13, 1937, in Fagasā. He attended the University of Hawaiʻi and earned a bachelor's degree in economics.[2] Sunia was the administrative officer for the Samoan affairs-liaison functions for the Governor of American Samoa, and served as a translator and interpreter and an election commissioner from 1961 to 1966. He founded the Samoan News newspaper in 1964 and became director of tourism for the Government of American Samoa in 1966, serving until 1970. Sunia was elected a territorial Senator in 1970 and was a member of the legislature until 1978. He also formerly served as president and chairman of the American Samoan Development Corporation.[2]
Congress
editHe was elected to Congress in 1980. He served from January 3, 1981 until his resignation on September 6, 1988, after he was indicted on federal charges of running a payroll padding scheme. He pleaded guilty and was sentenced to five to fifteen months in prison and to pay $65,000 in restitution.[3][4][5][6]
Political views
editAs a Delegate to the U.S. Congress, Sunia opposed a Constitutional amendment which would have made English the official language of the United States. He argued that English already is the language of the U.S. and the law represented few if any changes to the status quo. He was quoted for saying: "… the 35,000 American Samoans on the island use the Samoan language in government, in the court, in business and in all facets of daily living, but strive to improve their proficiency in English." He did not believe the proposed amendment would reward "linguistic differences as an asset."[7]
After Congress
editHe was released from prison after 11 months.[8] His knowledge and experience outweighed his conviction and he was hired to work as a staff member for the American Samoa Fono. By 1993, he was the highest-ranking staffer.[9] As of 2016, he is a resident of Pago Pago.[2]
See also
editReferences
edit- ^ Gup, Ted (April 25, 1982). "American Somoa's Man in Congress". Washington Post. Retrieved December 17, 2024.
- ^ a b c d Kowalewski, Albin J., ed. (December 22, 2017). "Fofó I. F. Sunia (1937–)". Asian and Pacific Islander Americans in Congress 1900–2017 (PDF). Washington, D.C.: United States House of Representatives. pp. 412–417. ISBN 9780160943683. Retrieved December 17, 2024.
- ^ Long, Kim. "The Almanac of Political Corruption, Scandals & Dirty Politics, (2008). ISBN 0307481344.
- ^ "Ex-Delegate for Samoa Faces Prison Term". The New York Times. 5 October 1988.
- ^ "Ex-Samoa Rep. In Congress Jailed in Fraud". Los Angeles Times. 4 October 1988.
- ^ "Samoan Ex-Delegate Sunia Sentenced." October 5, 1998. Washington Post: page 2.
- ^ Shumway, Norman D. and Fofō I.F. Sunia (1985). "Should English Be the Official U.S. Language? (Pro and Con)." The American Legion 118, page 13.
- ^ "Fofo Leaves Prison". Pacific Islands Monthly. November 1, 1989. p. 53. Retrieved December 24, 2024.
- ^ North, David (April 1, 1993). "The Sunia's Rise from the Ashes". Pacific Islands Monthly. pp. 36–37. Retrieved December 24, 2024.
External links
edit- United States Congress. "Fofō Iosefa Fiti Sunia (id: S001077)". Biographical Directory of the United States Congress.
- Appearances on C-SPAN