Amata Radewagen

lands on her feet

Amata Coleman Radewagen, the

Republican candidate, was defeated by incumbent Democrat Eni Faleomavaega for American Samoa’s seat in Congress, but has since landed on her feet. (See “Samoa elects Tauese and Eni” Jan, 97.) She has become the special adviser to Congressman Philip M Crane (R- Illinois) and she will remain as a member of the Republican National Committee for American Samoa.

During her first weeks on the job with Crane, she was instrumental in arranging for, and participated in, a meeting between the speaker of the House, Newt

Gingrich (R-Georgia), and New

Zealand’s foreign minister, Don McKinnon. (US Republicans are very interested in learning more about how New Zealand deregulated its economy a few years back.) Two related items: • Crane chairs a House sub committee that presides over, among other things, the tax break that helps keep the tuna factories in American Samoa; and • the news of her appointment arrived in an unusual fashion. Crane, her new employer, and Faleomavaega, her former opponent, jointly announced it at

Faleomavaega’s reception on Capital

Hill for American Samoa’s new gover nor, Tauese Sunia, a Democrat. It was a

very bi-partisan evening.

By David

North