Posts Tagged ‘New Mexico’
AG King – The ‘Gatekeeper’ to New Mexico’s Political Machine
Last Updated on Wednesday, 29 September 2010 11:46 Written by rslcpol Monday, 2 August 2010 01:15
From nmpolitics.net:
After reviewing Attorney General Gary King’s record over the last four years a quote comes to mind: “Don’t mistake activity for achievement.” Attorney General Gary King has acted as the gatekeeper to a political machine that will go down in the books as perhaps the most scandalous in our history. Accordingly, one would think every corruption headline would have been followed by an accountability headline. Not the case – not even close.
Let’s examine the record and see if it warrants re-election for the gatekeeper.
First case up involves former state treasurer Michael Montoya, whose indictment was obtained by Attorney General Patricia Madrid before she left office. The indictment charged Montoya with orchestrating a campaign of bribes and kickbacks that rocked the state treasurer’s office. In 2007, King resolved this case by entering into an agreement with Montoya to plead guilty to one felony count of racketeering in exchange for dismissing 15 others. Following this deal, King stated he was “pleased” with the results and that his office had “sent a message that they will pursue whatever actions are necessary to protect the public trust.”
Tags: New Mexico | Posted under Attorney General News, Dems Behaving Badly | No Comments
Republicans Make History in New Mexico
Last Updated on Wednesday, 29 September 2010 12:53 Written by rslcpol Wednesday, 2 June 2010 12:59
From the Wall Street Journal:
Lots of people want to talk about the historic nature of yesterday’s primary results for New Mexico governor. By easily winning their respective nominations last night, Democratic Lt. Gov Diane Denish and GOP prosecutor Susana Martinez have set up only the third woman-against-woman general election race for governor in history. Republicans also made history by nominating an all-Hispanic ticket, with John Sanchez, the party’s 2002 candidate for governor, joining Ms. Martinez as her running-mate for lieutenant governor.
But Ms. Martinez says she isn’t interested in talking about the historic nature of her bid, but rather in cleaning up a corrupt state. New Mexico’s image has only gotten worse in recent following the federal investigations of outgoing Governor Bill Richardson, who last year was forced to step aside as President Obama’s choice for commerce secretary over ethics controversies.
Tags: New Mexico | Posted under Lieutenant Governor News | No Comments
NM: Republican Adds Cash to his Lt. Governor Campaign
Last Updated on Wednesday, 29 September 2010 01:19 Written by rslcpol Wednesday, 12 May 2010 01:13
From SantaFeNewmexican.com:
Republican John Sanchez is bankrolling his campaign in a three-way primary election race for the GOP nomination for lieutenant governor, according to the latest fundraising reports.
Sanchez, an Albuquerque roofing company owner, lent his campaign $75,000 during the past month, bringing to $348,800 the personal money he’s put into the race for lieutenant governor. He was the GOP gubernatorial nominee in 2002, but lost to Democrat Bill Richardson in the general election.
Sanchez reported cash-on-hand of $153,732 in his campaign account as of last week. Former state Rep. Brian Moore of Clayton had $128,086 and state Sen. Kent Cravens of Albuquerque had a campaign balance of $74,586, according to fundraising disclosures filed Monday with the secretary of state’s office.
In the five-way race for the Democratic nomination, former state party chairman Brian Colon had the largest campaign reserves — $114,050. Lawrence Rael reported cash-on-hand of $68,356; state Rep. Jose Campos of Santa Rosa, $65,723; state Sen. Gerald Ortiz y Pino, $7,105; and state Sen. Linda Lopez, $2,116.
Winners of the lieutenant governor races in the June 1 primary become the running mates of their gubernatorial nominees.
Tags: New Mexico | Posted under Lieutenant Governor News | No Comments
NM: Dem AG Loans His Campaign $60,000
Last Updated on Wednesday, 29 September 2010 01:45 Written by rslcpol Thursday, 15 April 2010 01:30
From kob.com:
Democratic Attorney General Gary King has raised about $166,000 since last fall for his re-election campaign.
King’s Republican opponent in the general election, Matthew Chandler of Clovis, collected nearly $68,000 for his campaign.
Included in King’s fundraising is a $60,000 loan from the candidate.
King had a campaign balance of $93,000, as of last week. Chandler had nearly $63,000 in his campaign fund.
Tags: New Mexico | Posted under Attorney General News | No Comments
NM: GOP Asks AG to Sue over Obamacare
Last Updated on Wednesday, 29 September 2010 01:45 Written by rslcpol Thursday, 15 April 2010 01:29
From New Mexico Independent:
Republican members of the New Mexico House of Representatives have asked Attorney General Gary King to join a lawsuit that would repeal the health care reform bill. The move mirrors a national trend by some Republican attorneys general who are suing to stop the reforms.
“The United States Constitution specifically reserves powers to the states, and that was done for a reason,” House Minority Leader Tom Taylor, R-Farmington, said in a statement. “Congress should take another look at this legislation because it violates the Constitution.”
Tags: New Mexico | Posted under Attorney General News | No Comments
NM: GOP Targets More Seats in Legislature
Last Updated on Wednesday, 29 September 2010 01:49 Written by rslcpol Monday, 12 April 2010 01:38
From SantaFeNewMexican.com:
Democrats have maintained a majority in the state House of Representatives for nearly 60 years, but Republicans hope to chip away at that this year.
Democratic incumbents face GOP candidates in 25 legislative races — the most Republican challengers in a decade.
“What we’re doing is looking at how many seats have been targeted in the past and realizing that we need to start fielding more candidates and winning where we can,” said state GOP spokeswoman Janel Causey.
Tags: New Mexico | Posted under State Legislature News | No Comments
NM: Federal Suit Says AG’s Office Bases Salary on Gender
Last Updated on Wednesday, 29 September 2010 01:52 Written by rslcpol Wednesday, 7 April 2010 01:12
From SantaFeNewMexican.com:
Three female lawyers who work for the state Attorney General’s Office are suing Attorney General Gary King, claiming they aren’t paid as much as male lawyers even though they have similar jobs and experience.
The lawyers filing the suit — Lesley Lowe, Melanie Carver and Mary Smith — have filed a federal civil-rights lawsuit that claims that for at least 23 years, the office has based pay on a system of discrimination. This, they allege, has resulted in a pay disparity between genders.
A spokesman for King, who was elected to the job in 2006, said Tuesday that the attorney general categorically denies any gender discrimination.
Tags: New Mexico | Posted under Attorney General News | No Comments
NM: Secretary of State Playing Fast and Loose with public Records
Last Updated on Wednesday, 29 September 2010 02:13 Written by rslcpol Thursday, 25 March 2010 01:25
From nmpolitics.net:
Now we learn that Secretary of State Mary Herrera’s office thinks it has a right to conceal from the public an e-mail from a county official requesting additional voter registration forms and another from a nonprofit inquiring about a possible endorsement of a piece of legislation.
This appears to be either a flagrant disregard for the New Mexico Inspection of Public Records Act or a sign of incompetence. Such e-mails are, without question, public records.
I’m talking about the more than 400 pages of e-mails the Secretary of State’s Office released last week that were full of redactions. KOB-TV in Albuquerque and The Santa Fe New Mexican reported Tuesday that at least some of the information that was redacted appears to be, in the words of The New Mexican, “innocuous.”
One of the e-mails that was almost entirely redacted before being provided to the news outlets turned out to be an e-mail exchange in which the Santa Fe County elections director requested more Spanish-language voter registration forms from Herrera’s office.
Tags: New Mexico | Posted under Secretaries of State | No Comments
New Mexico: Concerns over SOS Soliciting Donations
Last Updated on Wednesday, 29 September 2010 02:14 Written by rslcpol Wednesday, 24 March 2010 12:39
From The New Mexico Independent:
KUNM has learned the state Attorney General’s office has concerns over what the Secretary of State may be doing with regard to seeking donations from contractors. In documents obtained this week, the AG’s office seems to back up the claims of one of Herrera’s former employees.
Elections Director A.J. Salazar, in his February 26 resignation letter to Secretary of State Mary Herrera, alleged, among other things, that she ordered all of her exempt employees to each gather 1,000 petition signatures for her re-election campaign. Salazar also said Herrera insisted employees “obtain sponsorships or donations” from contractors with business with the Secretary of State’s office. Shortly after Salazar’s letter became public, Herrera told the Albuquerque Journal that his allegations were unfounded, and based on “twisted information.” In his resignation letter, Salazar says e-mails prove otherwise.
KUNM has obtained some of those e-mails. In one, dated February 10, an assistant attorney general writes to Herrera: “I believe that the office or some employees in the office may be soliciting donations from contractors.” The subject line of the e-mail: “Admonition regarding solicitations.”
Tags: New Mexico | Posted under Secretaries of State | No Comments
NM: Resignation Letter Rips Democrat Secretary of State
Last Updated on Wednesday, 29 September 2010 02:44 Written by rslcpol Friday, 5 March 2010 10:43
From SantaFeNewMexican.com:
The state Attorney General’s Office is reviewing a scathing letter of resignation from the recently resigned state Bureau of Elections director that accuses the Secretary of State’s Office of violating New Mexico’s Governmental Conduct Act and election laws.
The letter in question is from A.J. Salazar, who resigned Friday. It reportedly accuses Secretary of State Mary Herrera of soliciting donations from companies that contract with her office and ordering some of her employees to gather signatures on petitions for her re-election campaign.
Phil Sisneros, a spokesman for Attorney General Gary King, said in an e-mail to The New Mexican that “we never discuss ongoing investigations, including whether or not there is one.” But, he added, “I can tell you that the letter is being reviewed by our folks.”
Tags: New Mexico | Posted under Dems Behaving Badly, Secretaries of State | No Comments