Watch Out CSPAN

Ok, it's common knowledge that Attorney General Patricia Madrid is very reluctant to debate Congresswoman Heather Wilson in the contest for the 1st Congressional seat:

If the 1st Congressional District race were about who has confirmed the most televised debates, U.S. Rep. Heather Wilson would be winning - at least right now.

Wilson, an Albuquerque Republican, has confirmed she will appear at five debates, four of which will be broadcast on TV.

Of those five, Madrid plans to attend one with Wilson, a Sept. 17 debate at Congregation Albert. She's expected to confirm Monday for an Oct. 24 debate on KOB-Channel 4, her campaign said.

Now it seems that Madrid is attempting to do an about face on the Congregation Albert debate. Apparently, KRQE frustrated with Patricia Madrid's reluctance to commit to a televised debate on their network, has been working to get permission to broadcast the Congregation Albert debate. The Madrid camp is in hysterics over this prospect and have threatened to pull out of the debate.

Which leaves one to wonder...

If Patricia Madrid were successful in her bid, what would she do once she learned that CSPAN broadcasts the debates on the floor of the House of Representatives. Would she refuse to debate her esteemed colleagues on the floor unless CSPAN shut off its cameras?

Do As I Say Not As I Do

In an interesting turn of events, Albuquerque's Mayor Marty Chavez has gained front page headline news by zinging members of the Democratic gubernatorial ticket twice in the past two weeks.

On August 18th, the leading headline in the Albuquerque Journal was "Mayor Lashes Out at Lt. Gov." (subscription). The Mayor was upset that Lt. Governor Diane Denish weighed in with City Councilors regarding Kendra's Law:

Chavez said there is enough support to win approval of the ordinance "if we can get the lieutenant governor to keep her nose out of our business."

Ok, fair enough. Mayor Chavez thinks that the Lt. Governor should focus on state issues and let him worry about the affairs of the city.

There is only one problem...

Yesterday's Albuquerque Journal headline screamed, "Chavez Tells Gov. to Ban Cockfights" (subscription):

Memo from Albuquerque Mayor Martin Chavez to Gov. Bill Richardson: Save the roosters or give up the White House.

Chavez told an animal welfare conference Monday that Richardson's stance on cockfighting could be a deal-killer when it comes to the governor's presidential aspirations.

"You can't be president of the United States if you think cockfighting is a good thing," Chavez said.

So, the Mayor is not only telling the Governor what state laws he should push, he is also moonlighting as a political consultant. What happened to keeping your nose out of other people's business?

It's All About the Politics

I'm trying to understand Governor Richardson's positions regarding the allegations against now resigned Democratic State Auditor candidate, Jeff Armijo.

Yesterday...

... Richardson said he was "extremely troubled" by the accusations against Armijo by two women. Armijo insisted on Monday that he planned to stay in the race, saying, "I'm on the path to victory."

Today (subscription)...

Richardson, who is seeking re-election, said, "I appreciate Jeff Armijo's action. He has acted in the best interest of his family and the Democratic Party.''

That's it? The guy steps out of running for office, and now you "appreciate his actions." Why? Because he put the interests of the Democratic Party above his own.

Governor Richardson, what happened to being "extremely troubled" by the accusations against Mr. Armijo? Apparently, your concern was limited to how it might impact the party ticket.

Same Old Story

How about a stroll down memory lane? It was the summer of 2004. The Democratic polls for New Mexico's 1st Congressional district were out, and...

State Senate President Pro Tem Richard Romero (D) is in a statistical dead heat in his quest to unseat four-term Republican Rep. Heather Wilson in the Albuquerque-based 1st Congressional district, according to a poll released by the Democratic challenger’s campaign last week.

The 600-sample survey, conducted July 22-26 by Bob Meadow and Steven Van Tassell of Decision Research, showed Wilson leading Romero 49 percent to 45 percent among likely general election voters. The poll had a 4 percent margin of error.

The findings also showed Wilson’s re-elect numbers declining slightly from 44 percent in June to 42 percent in July, while Romero’s favorables had increased by 4 points to 42 percent.

Now compare that to the analysis of Madrid's latest poll by Democracy for New Mexico:

The district-wide phone survey of 400 likely voters conducted by Lake Research Partners between August 17-20, 2006 shows Madrid at 44% and Wilson at 46% -- within the poll's margin of error. It's a political rule of thumb that incumbent candidates are in deep trouble if their support is under 50%, as Wilson's is in this poll.

Let's consider that "political rule of thumb," shall we? At this same time in 2004, Heather Wilson was under that "deep trouble" marker of 50%. Worse yet, this was the news of the day a month before election day:

[Richard Romero's] new-found strategy is working, too-a new Albequerque Journal Poll has the race a dead heat: Wilson 45, Romero 44. This is a closer margin than last month, when Wilson led by a 49-43 margin. As a result, Romero now has a great shot at winning this seat.

Think about that. With less than four weeks until the election, Richard Romero was within one point of Heather Wilson, and Heather had supposedly lost another four points in just thirty days.

You do remember how that election turned out, don't you? Heather won with a comfortable 10 point lead. The same thing that had happened two years earlier. Will these people never learn?

If I were in Patricia Madrid's camp, I don't think I'd be touting results that show me in the same position as Richard Romero. Nope, I'd be pretty darn worried. In a few weeks, the Albuquerque Journal is going to release their poll, and if Madrid is not leading Heather, you can bet on a repeat of the 2004 and 2002 elections to occur in 2006.

Seek Help Not Elected Office

According to recent reports, Jeff Armijo, the Democratic candidate for state auditor, has now twice made unwanted sexual advances towards young female campaign volunteers:

In October 2003, an 18-year-old woman told Albuquerque police she was working with Armijo at his home office when he grabbed her around the waist with his right arm and tried to "pull her face to him" with his left hand to kiss her, according to a police report.

At the time of this first unwanted advance, Jeff Armijo was 33 years old - a full 15 years older than the young campaign worker. Now, three years later, Armijo is accused of repeating the same actions. Again, the young female campaign worker is 15 years his junior. What is truly troubling is that this time his behavior has allegedly become more brazen:

In the Aug. 3 incident, a 21-year-old woman told police she was doing volunteer work for Armijo's campaign at his house on the evening of Aug. 3. The woman said they were working at his computer when Armijo grabbed her face and kissed her repeatedly, despite her saying they "shouldn't be doing this," according to the police report.

The woman told police Armijo moved her off her chair, removed some of her clothing, held her down on the floor and touched her inappropriately, despite her telling him to stop, according to the report.

The woman said Armijo let her go after she twisted her body away and again told him to stop, according to the report. She then left, drove herself home and called police.

At worst, Mr. Armijo is becoming a progressively more aggressive sexual predator. At best, he is a man with very poor judgment. Either way, he needs to seek help, not elected office.

Family Fun on Sunday Night

On Sunday night at 6:00 p.m. there will be a fundraising event held for Congresswoman Heather Wilson at the Hinkle Family Fun Center that promises to be a good time for the whole family.

The cost is $100 per family. Your contribution will get your family (up to 2 adults and 4 children) 2 hours of unlimited play on the main attractions. You can:

Play 18-holes of miniature golf
drive the go karts
enjoy the bumper boats
and much more.
(Paintball, nickel city and arcade games not included.)

Call 505-323-9017 to RSVP or e-mail heatherwade@qwest.net. I hope to see you there.

Some Things Money Can't Buy

Apparently, common sense is one of those things. How do I know? Well, I've been watching Patricia Madrid's campaign ads.

For example, Madrid's got this ad attacking Congresswoman Heather Wilson and the oil and gas industry. Ok, there are a couple of glaring problems with this. First, let's start with the obvious. A look at the industry that Patricia Madrid is attacking:

The industry provides New Mexico schools, roads and public facilities with more than $1.3 billion in funding each year. It is the state's largest civilian employer. Each night, 23,000 New Mexicans come home to their families from jobs related to the oil and gas industry.

It is the state's leading educational supporter and provides over 90% of all school capital investment through the Permanent Fund, saving New Mexico's taxpayers an excess of $800 annually. The oil and gas industry also makes up 15-20% of New Mexico's General Fund revenues. These are distributed to public schools and state colleges, fund the construction of public roads, buildings and state parks, and help keep New Mexico's government operational.

What is the Madrid camp thinking? What do they think would happen to the New Mexico economy if there was no oil and gas industry? You think gas prices going up over $3.00 is bad? Imagine if Patricia Madrid got her way and put an end to the oil and gas industry tomorrow...

• Overnight we would lose 20% of New Mexico's general funds
• 90% of all school capital investment funds would disappear
• 23,000 New Mexicans would lose their jobs
  

Okay, now let's look at the other ridiculous part of campaign ad. You know, that part about the billions of dollars in subsidies to the oil and gas industry. She's talking about the Energy Policy Act of 2005. Before she launched this ad, maybe she should have checked in with what Senator Jeff Bingaman had to say about the Energy Policy Act:

Senate Energy Committee ranking member Jeff Bingaman (D-N.M.) beamed that the post-conference bill has "many more bright spots than flaws and deserves passage by the Senate and signature by the president."

That's right, Senator Jeff Bingaman actually "beamed." In fact, Senator Bingaman was present when the bill was signed by President Bush in New Mexico, and gladly accepted these kind words of appreciation from the President:

And as Pete mentioned, Senator Jeff Bingaman gets a lot of credit, as well. (Applause.) He knows the subject matter in the bill, and he's a proven leader on issues such as conservation and efficiency and renewable fuels and research and development. And, Jeff, I, like Pete, I want to congratulate you for a job well done, and thank you for being here -- (applause.)

Now try as I may, I just can't seem to locate the article where Patricia Madrid was leading a protest against the signing of this bill. I don't remember hearing about the letter she sent to Senator Bingaman chastising him for "giving away billions to the oil and gas industry."

With campaign commercials like this, it's no wonder that Patricia Madrid and her campaign team are concerned about debating Congresswoman Heather Wilson.

Vindictive Veto Causes School Disaster

Back in March a lot of legislators on both sides of the aisle were crying foul over the Governor's choice of line item vetoes during The Year of the Child. Jump ahead to the present, and it becomes clear that the Governor's punishing vetoes were not just ruthless - they were fiscally irresponsible:

Two years ago a similar flood in the [Sandia High School] gym, caused by the school's reoccurring drainage problems, required an entirely new floor, at a cost of $200,000.

Ok, so $200,000 in taxpayer money goes to fix the floor, but the recurring drainage problem remains. Didn't anyone think it would be wise to fix the drainage problem, so the high school gym floor wouldn't be lost again? Apparently, Republican legislators representing the area served by the school thought that would be a good move. Unfortunately, Governor Richardson is not particularly fond of capital outlay for New Mexico children (subscription) living in Republican districts:

But some local Republican legislators are charging that Democratic Gov. Bill Richardson is responsible for the fiasco, because for purely political reasons he line-item vetoed money in the recent state school capital outlay budget to fix the drainage problem at Sandia.

That has Richardson's press secretary Pahl Shipley crying foul for lots of reasons, mainly because the flooded gym was being politicized by legislators who had put the Sandia drainage fix in this year's budget, even though it had not been prioritized in either the state Public School Capital Outlay review process or APS'.

Read that last sentence carefully. It seems to me that based on the results, the Republican legislators did the exact opposite of what Pahl Shipley is claiming. They took politics out of the process and listened to the needs of their constituents. The Republican legislators didn't worry about the hidden political agenda which drives the state's or APS' capital outlay process.

Instead, they used good old fashioned common sense to respond to the needs of a school in their district. In case you think this is much ado about nothing, take a moment to think about the type of funding requests that the Governor DID NOT choose to veto:

State Education Secretary Veronica Garcia has taken over financial operations for West Las Vegas Public Schools, citing the school board's inability to manage finances.

"Very serious concerns have arisen and continue to be raised regarding the fiscal management and accountability of the West Las Vegas Schools," Garcia said in a news release.

Garcia's office has been investigating allegations that the district misappropriated $71,250 in state funds that were meant for a bilingual education program. That includes a nearly $10,000 spent by former bilingual education coordinator Roberta Vigil [wife of Rep. Richard Vigil, D-Ribera and sister-in-law to indicted State Treasurer Robert Vigil] on a party in April that included a catered meal and a Spanish-music band.

Nice, huh? I hope the children, parents and educators at Sandia High School get in line behind the folks from Hatch and Soccoro to talk to the Governor about his priorities.

Taking Responsibility for Failure

When it comes to student performance, our education system in New Mexico continues to underperform on just about every measurable standard. So, I find it interesting to read how Governor Richardson's spin doctors quantify success:

But [Richardson spokesman Gilbert] Gallegos says, progress is being made, and teachers are better compensated than ever.

Let me point out just how ridiculous a statement this is by changing the context. Despite the recent rainfall, everyone agrees water issues need to be to addressed. Can you imagine after four years of drought Mr. Gallegos saying, "progress is being made, and the staff in the state engineers office are better compensated than ever."

On second thought, I'm going to have to go back through the news archives. Mr. Gallegos may have actually said something like that.

Well, how about this:

Richardson on Wednesday will be at an education-related news conference, one that gives schools a report card. He hasn't attended events such as the one about student proficiency last week, because that kind of information should be presented by department officials, Gallegos said.

What kind of hogwash is this? Governor Richardson avoids press conferences about student proficiency "because that kind of information should be presented by department officials?"

Give me a break.

The Governor launched education press conferences here, here and here. The only ones he doesn't attend are the ones about his continued failure to improve student performance.

Am I being too hard on Governor Bill Richardson? I don't think so. After all, I'm just agreeing with the assessment made by our Secretary of Education:

[Secretary of Education Veronica] Garcia admitted the scores should be better.

Now if only Governor Richardson would step up and take responsibility. You know, like he promised.

Just Not Smart Enough

Joe Monahan, New Mexico's Democratic political blogger, posts this gem today:

You would think that a challenger to an incumbent U.S. House member would be itching for as many debates as possible. But think again when it comes to the Heather Wilson-Patricia Madrid duel. The Madrid camp is already lowering expectations for any televised confrontations, pointing out that the GOP's Wilson, seeking her fifth two year term, is a Rhodes Scholar and polished Air Force veteran who is quick on her feet and deeply schooled in the issues of the day.

Am I reading this correctly? Is Patricia Madrid's own campaign worried she is not smart enough to be placed in a debate setting with Congresswoman Heather Wilson? Isn't debating the issues on behalf of one's constituents one of the key skills needed to fulfill the job?

Maybe I'm reading this all wrong. Maybe the problem is that Patricia Madrid's campaign staff is worried that she is going to be called to the carpet on her lack of interest in indicting corrupt politicians during her tenure as attorney general. Or maybe she is worried that truth will come out regarding her relationship with big oil and gas.

What relationship you ask?

Well, in 2004, despite the fact that she was not up for re-election, Patricia Madrid pocketed $27,500 from oil and gas heavyweights Valero Energy and Conoco Philips. Now some might argue that is chump change; however, that amount constituted 88% of all contributions received that year.

Personally, I don't think there is any problem with a candidate receiving support from a particular business cluster. Then again, I'm not a candidate for Congress who is decrying the influence of the oil and gas industry on the one hand and pocketing their money with the other hand.

Semantics Don't Change the Facts

Former New Mexico Insurance Superintendent, Eric Serna, got forced to resign after years of allegedly shaking down those that came under his authority:

Serna indicated to Madison that he favored "good corporate citizens" making contributions to legitimate charitable organizations.

Ruiz said Serna sometimes "looked the other way" on fines when insurance companies agreed to make contributions to favored charities. Ruiz said Serna would choose Con Alma and $35,000 would be sufficient.

At first glance, some might argue that he is just trying to help out some needy charities. Of course we later learned that Serna used at least one of those charities as his own personal slush fund.

Now it appears that during her tenure as Co-Chair of Con Alma with Eric Serna our Attorney General, Patricia Madrid, picked up a trick or two on how to defraud New Mexicans for personal gain:

Madrid spokesman Paul Nixon denied the mailers are political and said they were not sent to help Madrid's campaign.

Nixon said the recent mailer cost $61,257 to produce, paid for out of a settlement fund from a class-action suit against Microsoft. He said the funds do not represent "taxpayer money" because they came from the settlement. However, the settlement money did go into a state fund.

The brochure was mailed to homes statewide, not just in Wilson's congressional district.

Let's look at three points here.

1. Taxpayer money funds the Attorney General's office. So, that settlement money is in fact "taxpayer money." It is not intended to be a campaign slush fund for use by the attorney general.
2. Why should we be surprised that the taxpayer money is being used to mail the campaign brochures statewide? Attorney General Patricia Madrid is campaigning throughout the state, not just in the first congressional district, and she needs to get the word out.
3. How can anyone say that mailers are not designed to help the campaign? How many times over the last eight years has the Attorney General sent out similar mailings? How many times have they been sent in waves like this?
   

What's troubling is that despite the outcry in the press following the first mailer, the Madrid campaign continues to send out campaign mailers on the taxpayer dime.

I finally understand why she never prosecuted any of the corrupt politicians currently under indictment by the U.S. Attorney's office. She was too busy learning from them.

A Look at the Governor's Priorities

Nothing illustrates New Mexico's ranking on Governor Bill Richardson's list of priorities better than this:

While Gov. Bill Richardson is out of state doing the anti-Wal-Mart thing, there's a lot happening locally.

Lt. Gov. Diane Denish, serving as acting governor, declared a disaster today in Hatch and Socorro, which have been pummeled (and in the case of Hatch, devastated) by recent rains.

Think about it. A community is devastated, DEVASTATED, and the Governor feels that attending an out of state protest is more important than attending to the needs of the people of Hatch and Socorro. What adds insult to injury is that this protest is coming to New Mexico next week. That's right, if Governor Richardson felt so strongly about the need to show his support of the anti-Walmart movement he could of done it without ever having left our state.

Did the Governor of Louisiana have a more important political function to attend during Katrina? How about the Governor of Mississippi? Does the Governor of Florida put personal politics first when his state is hit by a crisis?

No, these Governors know that they were elected by the people of their state, and when devastation hits, they put the needs of those people before their own personal agenda.

Come election time this November, I hope the good folks of Hatch and Socorro remember where they fell on Governor Bill Richardson list of priorities.

Only in New Mexico

Jim Baca, the Democratic Candidate for Commissioner of Public Lands, has a blog. I've discussed it once or twice in the past. What I find really interesting is that although he has been actively posting this week, he has failed to mention how terrible he feels about accepting $10,000 from a man indicted on felony charges of soliciting teenage prostitutes.

I guess he doesn't think it's such a big deal. After all, his first response to news was that he needed to check with his Treasurer as to whether or not he should return the money. Apparently, Mr. Baca's treasurer serves in additional capacity as his advisor on ethical behavior.

Of Course I'll Take Your Money

Governor Richardson is joining the activists:

Activists are turning to Iowa this week as they drive a bus across the state to put pressure on Wal-Mart, which has been criticized for offering workers low wages and few benefits.

New Mexico Gov. Bill Richardson is among four potential Democratic presidential candidates participating in events organized by Wake Up Wal-Mart, a union-based group formed last year.

What I want to know is if any of those activists are going to ask Governor Richardson if he feels conflicted about taking part in the anti-Wal-Mart campaign?

You see it turns out that Governor Richardson was the largest recipient of campaign contributions from Wal-Mart in 2004. According to followthemoney.org, Wal-Mart donated $11,750 in 2004 to New Mexico politicians, and $10,000 of that went to none other than Governor Bill Richardson. He also took $1,500 in the 2002.

Oops.

Never Mind the Details

The Governor's latest campaign ad is about the healthcare of New Mexicans. It features Mrs. Bill Richardson singing his praises, but forgets to mention some important details:

However, that same report ranked New Mexico 38th in terms of general health care. The state was in last place for prenatal health care. Less than 60 percent of pregnant women in New Mexico have access to adequate care, the report said, compared to the national average of 75 percent.

The commercial overlooks some other not-so-rosy statistics concerning health care in New Mexico. In January, the American College of Emergency Physicians, ranking states for emergency health care, rated New Mexico 43rd in the nation. The ACEP study gave the state a grade of D-plus.

Morgan Quitno Press, a Kansas-based research company, ranked New Mexico 49th in its 2006 list of "Most Healthy States.''

But gee, I guess the Governor would prefer we don't think about STILL being ranked 49th in the nation when it comes to health. Kind of like he prefers we ignore the details of his latest taxpayer gift to the billionaire owner (that is Billionaire with a "B") of Virgin Galactic:

State officials have repeatedly insisted that Virgin Galactic is committed to the project and will put up something like $20 million of its own money in the lease, which they say will be for no more than $1 million per year for 20 years.

What they have failed to mention is that the state wants to invest $20 million in Virgin Galactic. That detail was finally reported this weekend in the Journal article.

Though no investment has been formalized, that's a big chunk of change about which we weren't told. A Richardson spokesman told me earlier this year, when the governor was promising money for another investment before the State Investment Council voted to approve it, that the council would do what he wanted because he appoints the majority of its members and controls the council.

If the state invests $20 million in a company that agrees to pay the state $20 million to lease a facility the state builds, who's paying the lease after all?

Well, I guess it could be worse... although I'm not really sure how.

Practicing Ethical Disclosure

A couple of months ago, I expressed my dismay that the Secretary of State has failed to provide New Mexicans with a campaign finance reporting website that is easy to use and more importantly easy to search. I've also found it quite troubling that time and time again our Governor conveniently prefers task forces to action when it comes to solving the biggest problems facing New Mexico.

Since I've never been one to sit around and just gripe about problems without trying to solve them, I've gone ahead and launched EthicalReporting.com - the campaign finance reporting blog for politicians with nothing to hide.

I didn't have the benefit of a task force to come up with the idea. Nor has it required me three years of development time and hundreds of thousands of taxpayer dollars to launch the site. Truth be told, from concept to execution, the whole thing took me a little under 20 hours over three weeks time and cost less than $200. And no, I'm not a programmer.

Check out the site and you'll see that a member of the Governor's ethics task force, State Representative Kathy McCoy (R) - my representative, is the first politician to take advantage of real time reporting. She is reporting her information now, despite the fact that she is not legally required to do so until October.

Representative McCoy is demonstrating that which we all know to be true: Ethical behavior begins with a personal commitment, not a legislative action. It is my sincere hope that many others on both sides of the aisle will follow suit and do the right thing. The technology is there for real-time reporting. Let's see who takes advantage of it.

Please help me spread the word by encouraging those who represent or are seeking to represent you to take the first step in restoring public confidence in our campaign system. A step that is not legally required, but that is simply the right thing to do.

Emerging Pattern Very Troubling

First, the "dynamic duo" tried to circumvent the impeachment process:

State GOP chairman Allen Weh sharply criticized Richardson and Attorney General Patricia Madrid, both Democrats, for proposing the state Supreme Court allow Vigil to temporarily step aside with pay. He said the treasurer was "being treated with kid gloves" by Richardson and Madrid.

Under the proposal, Vigil would still receive his $85,000 annual salary but the governor would appoint an acting treasurer who would serve while Vigil defends himself in the federal prosecution.

Richardson and Madrid defended the request they made to the court. Madrid called it the "quickest approach to removing an indicted individual from office."

Next, they disregarded the legislative process:

"These regulations are tough, sensible limits designed to protect consumers from unfair lending practices," Gov. Bill Richardson said Monday. "We expect industry opposition and lawsuits on this issue but we will continue to fight to help New Mexicans who are struggling to make ends meet."

In anticipation of a legal battle, Attorney General Patricia Madrid has filed a lawsuit that asks a state district court to affirm the authority of the state Regulation and Licensing Department to issue the new regulations.

Madrid has tried unsuccessfully to get legislation regulating payday loans passed since she became attorney general in 1999. The regulations announced Monday don't require legislative approval, she said.

Now, they are undermining the public regulatory process:

[PRC Commissioner Jason] Marks says he and the majority of the PRC commissioners were in favor of holding Qwest to its promise.

He says infrastructure from the investments Qwest originally promised would have helped rural businesses and residences with improved telecommunications services. Now, he says, the state is faced with another contract, the benefits of which are largely unknown.

Marks says the new proposal is far from being accepted and that, while he appreciates Richardson's and Attorney General Patricia Madrid's efforts in brokering a settlement, they made a mistake in announcing the settlement as a "done deal" on July 27. Marks says it is "far from that."

Bill Richardson has apparently learned quite a good deal about how to launch a dictatorship from his friends in Cuba, Iraq and North Korea. And despite all of her "independent" rhetoric, Attorney General Patricia Madrid has consistently demonstrated what it means to truly be a "rubber stamp" politician.

All About Resource Allocation

I'm beginning to think I've been too hard on Attorney General Patricia Madrid. Post after post after post I've written about her refusing to investigate political corruption in New Mexico. I've painted a picture that playing partisan politics with the law was more important to Patricia Madrid than protecting the interests of everyday New Mexicans.

Well, maybe I was wrong. Maybe politics had nothing to do with Patricia Madrid looking the other way while New Mexicans were being bilked out of millions. Maybe it was just a resource issue.

See, Patricia Madrid does not have an unlimited budget to investigate corruption. She has to use taxpayer funds wisely. For example, investigating the political corruption in the Treasurer's office, or following up on the findings of the State Auditor's office, or pursuing those involved in the criminal actions around ABQPAC might not have left the money desperately needed to investigate the real threats to New Mexicans:

In the current mailing, Madrid reports on her 2003 drug price study, headlined by the startling fact that generics are cheaper. "Attorney General Patricia Madrid, Fighting to Keep Your Prescription Costs Down." Is this a campaign pitch mailed at taxpayer expense? Of course it is.

Think about it. How many dozens of New Mexicans would have continued to request the brand name over the generic alternatives at the drug counter if not for this great service provide by Attorney General Patricia Madrid's staff?

Thank you Patricia Madrid for spending our money to conduct this very important drug price study. And thank you for spending even more of our money to mail out the important findings of this study to New Mexican voters. I would have never known that generic was cheaper than brand name. I applaud your efforts, and I'm sure the voters will take notice of all you do for New Mexico when they go to the polls in November.

What's That Smell?

Ok, so let's pretend Attorney General Patricia Madrid never received a letter from Jan Goodwin. And let's pretend that the Attorney General's attendee at the Board of Finance meetings never mentioned so much as a word about the concerns expressed in various meetings about the corruption going on in the State Treasurer's office. Are we now supposed to also pretend that the Attorney General never reads a newspaper (subscription)?

Questions were raised publicly about the Treasurer's Office about a month before Goodwin's letter was written. In a December 2001 Journal story [emphasis added], Johnson assailed an investment deal involving Montoya and Nelson, calling it the "stinkiest" thing he had come across while serving as governor.

In case you're wondering, the 808 word article published on December 12, 2001 was headlined, 'Stinkiest' Financial Deal Irks Johnson, and began:

SANTA FE Gov. Gary Johnson on Tuesday called state Treasurer Michael Montoya's investment of $400 million in a mutual fund the "stinkiest" thing he has come across as governor. He said he was especially irked that the state, through Montoya, paid an $88,000 commission [to Kent Nelson] on the deal. Johnson, in his seventh year at the Capitol, made his assessment after the State Board of Finance decided Montoya violated New Mexico's investment...

C'mon Patricia Madrid fess up. Just say, "I don't like to investigate fellow Democrats. No matter how stinky or illegal their practices may be."

How About a Little Truth Joe?

Everybody's favorite political gossip columnist, Joe Monahan, writes about the confirmation of Mickey Barnett to the Board of Governors of the US Postal Service in his post today. Of course, Joe shows his bias once again, and rather than being happy that a New Mexican has been appointed to such a prestigious post, he uses the appointment to try and stir things up in the Republican Party with malarkey like this:

[Former State Representatives Earlene] Roberts and [Ron] Godbey cited Barnett's support of drug decriminalization and his spearheading of the movement to put up candidates against fellow Republicans in the 2004 primary--including them--as reasons he should be rejected.

Wait a second Joe. I ran in the 2004 primary for House District 22, the seat formerly held by Ron Godbey - my neighbor at the time. The thing is, I didn't run against Mr. Godbey because he didn't run. As was widely expected at the time, he retired due to his wife's health issues and then moved back to Texas. So, the 2004 race was between Representative Kathy McCoy, Charles Mellon, and myself.

However, I can tell you that Mickey Barnett did not "spearhead" anything in my race. He did give me a $200 contribution, and although it was greatly appreciated, it was a very small amount compared to the $20,000 plus raised and spent in the race.

So Joe, how about you stop peddling that story? It's getting a little old. Instead, let's just all say congratulations Mickey.

Campaign Lesson #1: Don't Shun the Press

Los Alamos Monitor takes issue with not being invited to a public event in their own backyard by an out of district candidate.

Serious Number Crunching

A Jefferson Middle School teacher, Scot Key, takes a hard look at the numbers behind APS school failings here and here, and I would strongly urge those of you interested in education to read both.

For the inner economist in all of us, the folks over at Errors of Enchantment have been putting up some interesting maps (here and here) that prove a picture is worth a thousand words. Of course, you can still count on Harry to put up posts of a thousand words. Just kidding, it's only 383 words - I guess all those big numbers just make it seem longer.

From the Desk of Gary Johnson

Yesterday, former Governor Gary Johnson released the following statement:

It is an irrefutable fact that representatives from Patricia Madrid’s office were involved in multiple meetings where clear questions about impropriety in the State Treasurer’s office were raised.

My administration uncovered problems in the Treasurer’s office with three months to go in my term. Jan Goodwin and Harold Field first realized that things didn’t add up in the Treasurer’s office. They informed me of these problems. There were three meetings of the State Board of Finance, which I personally attended, where we discussed our concerns and the need for further investigation. The Attorney General’s office is represented at each and every meeting of the State Board of Finance.

Harold Field, my Secretary of the Department of Finance, says he signed and sent a letter to Patricia. Jan Goodwin, who at the time was the Chair of the Board of Finance, testified in court under oath that the letter she helped write was, in fact, mailed to Patricia. There are questions about whether or not Patricia ever saw the letter. My personal belief, based on what Harold and Jan have said publicly and privately, is that this letter was in fact sent.

My personal feeling is that Attorney General Patricia Madrid should have been aware of our concerns regardless of whether or not she ever received Harold’s letter. AG officials representing Patricia were present when the contents of the letter were developed and discussed.

Well, I guess that settles that.

Investigation by Invitation Only

Apparently, Attorney General Patricia Madrid has had a very interesting policy in place over the last eight years when it came to investigating political corruption in New Mexico.

She was willing to do it by invitation only. I kid you not. Read this (subscription):

Attorney General Patricia Madrid's congressional campaign says it can prove Madrid never received a whistle-blower's warning about possible corruption in the New Mexico Treasurer's Office.

The campaign on Wednesday released a May 18 letter from the state Department of Finance and Administration saying DFA had no record of sending Madrid's office a 2002 warning about problems in the Treasurer's Office.

The warning letter became public during the recent public corruption trial of former Treasurer Robert Vigil.

So, that's that then. She couldn't possibly have protected the interests of every New Mexican because... No one sent her an invitation. But wait a second, didn't she get a formal invitation the year before "the invitation that never arrived" from Governor Gary Johnson:

Weh on Thursday also lambasted the attorney general. "Gov. Gary Johnson requested that Attorney General Madrid investigate Robert Vigil's office and investment practices years ago," Weh said. "She declined, saying her office didn't have enough staff. Now she and the governor have issued a joint statement saying they appreciate Mr. Vigil 'putting the interests of New Mexico first by agreeing to be recused temporarily from office.' This is a repugnant statement. Robert Vigil is being thanked and getting his full salary while fighting racketeering charges."

Her office didn't have enough staff to investigate the largest political corruption scandal in New Mexico's history? What, is that like being invited to the Mayor's Ball and saying you can't go because you just don't have anything to wear?

Speaking of the Mayor's Ball, as I recall Attorney Madrid received not one but two invitations to investigate ABQPAC. Heck, even I have extended an invitation to Attorney General Patricia Madrid to investigate something in this state. All to no avail. Then again, I guess if she had investigated ABQPAC, it would of been hard for her to get this happy endorsement.

The bottom line here is despite any claims by her campaign to the contrary, Patricia Madrid has ignored all invitations to investigate corruption in the state of New Mexico, and I'm not the only one noticing it.

A Whole Lot of Advertising

According to an article yesterday in The Hill:

The Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee (DCCC) has reserved $51.5 million of television advertising in 32 congressional districts.

That is a pretty big number. What's mind blowing is that $2.1 million of that has been reserved for an eight week buy targeting Congresswoman Heather Wilson starting in September. The part I don't understand is how can this be the case, when Patricia Madrid's campaign is currently airing spots that claim she will not be beholden to special interests?

Just who do you think gave the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee all of that money? That's right, special interest groups. Oh, I know this spending is supposed to be independent of the campaign, but let's get real. If I know and you know the money is being spent, don't you think Patricia Madrid's campaign knows.

Again, I don't have a problem with Patricia Madrid taking PAC money; however, in the current political climate we really need politicians who are going to be upfront with the voters. We don't need more politicians who say one thing and do another.

A State of Emergency

Last year there was bad news. This year it is worse:

Districts across the state received similar news Tuesday. More than 54 percent of New Mexico schools -- 433 of 800 schools -- failed to make "adequate yearly progress," or AYP.

The number of schools that have failed to meet requirements for more than two years -- earning them special designations -- increased to about 45 percent, up from 30 percent. The designations range from "School in Need of Improvement I" for a school that fails twice to "Restructuring II" for a school that has failed six years in a row.

I know. The problem is the test, right?

Garcia spotlighted 10 schools making adequate progress for two years in a row and no longer labeled as schools needing to improve.

One such school is Anthony Elementary School in the Gadsden Independent School District.

In 2004, 23 percent of the school's 152 students tested were proficient in math. Last winter, 63 percent of the 349 students showed proficiency in math.

Wrong! If this school can improve along with nine others (subscription), then why do the majority of other schools continue to fail? Why are there more and more schools failing our students every year? How can a Governor running for re-election not be held accountable for his failed education policies? When do we recognize New Mexico is in a State of Emergency and hold those in charge accountable?

Update: Speaking of holding those in charge accountable... I just looked at the APS calendar, and it turns out there is a Board Meeting tonight. This might be a good time to ask some hard questions and speaking of hard questions you should check out the guest blog post here. The author, a retired teacher from Hoover Middle School, has been trying to be heard for quite some time. Considering the state of ethics in our state he brings up some excellent points.

Bigger Fish to Fry

Governor Bill Richardson is out there fishing for votes - the thing is, he is not doing it in New Mexico. This strikes me as kind of odd for a man running for re-election. I guess the Land of Enchantment has now officially taken a back seat to our Governor's presidential aspirations.