What a World of Difference a Change Can Make

Successful prosecution of public corruption under former U.S. Attorney David Iglesias (R) and former Attorney General Patricia Madrid (D) was, well, practically non-existent. They were the perfect example of the gang who couldn't shoot straight. First, Mr. Iglesias botched the Vigil case, and then Ms. Madrid makes a bad situation worse be indicting the witnesses.

Compare that to what just happened yesterday:

Acting United States Attorney Larry Gomez and New Mexico Attorney General Gary King in conjunction with the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) SAC Thomas McClenaghan announce the filing today, Thursday, March 29th, of a federal grand jury indictment charging four defendants in a conspiracy, mail fraud and money laundering public corruption case. Those charged defendants are Toby Martinez, Manny Aragon, Raul Parra and Sandra Mata Martinez. The loss to the State of New Mexico taxpayers of approximately $4.2 million forms the basis of the indictment.

Now, anyone still wonder why neither the former U.S. Attorney or Attorney General have a job. Yeah, I didn't think so. Oh, and just for the record, Ken Schultz, the former Albuquerque Mayor who plead guilty in this thing, is a registered Republican, so any blogger trying to pretend that these are all Democrats is purposely trying to mislead his readers to keep the Democratic campaign against our Congresswoman and Senator alive.

Quick Note to Our Wise State Senators

Dear New Mexico State Senators:

Please don't believe the spin coming out of the Governor's office that is intended to remove your backbone and get you to vote up or down on the bills being pushed in this ridiculous special session. I say ridiculous because if these were issues of real importance to New Mexicans, they would have been addressed during the regular 60 day sessions along with the VERY important issues of the day - like cockfighting.

Plus, let's face it, Governor Bill Richardson can't really be all that committed to the bills he has before you. If he was, Governor Richardson would actually be in New Mexico lobbying for your support instead of taping a comedy show in New York. No, the Governor is sending a clear message that this session is not a priority for him.

Worse, I'm afraid that if you do not hold your ground, you will be the laughingstock of state legislatures throughout the nation. Think about it. Governor Richardson will tell confidants, "I've got the legislature on such a tight leash that when I whisper 'jump' from New York, they ask "how high?"

Governor Bill Richardson is termed out of office and has already begun looking for greener pastures. On the other hand, you, my dear Senators, could be setting a precedent here that will minimize your effectiveness and transform you to nothing more than a rubber stamping body for years to come.

I hope you will continue doing the right thing and adjourned as soon as you are convened.

Sincerely,

Mario Burgos

A Hispanic Who Should Know Better

This guy, Ruben Navarrette, Jr., has got to be kidding, right? (hat tip: Monahan) I mean how can anyone in their right mind, let alone a Harvard graduate, come to the conclusion that the outcry against "voter fraud" is all about keeping a lid on "surging Hispanic political power." Have you ever heard of the Viva Bush campaign efforts? We're not exactly talking about Republicans running away from Hispanics.

But what truly amazes me, is how can anyone who reads a newspaper, let alone a columnist who is syndicated in the Albuquerque Journal, can think that any elected official in New Mexico, especially ones who get elected term after term, could possibly do anything other than embrace the Hispanic vote?

Give me a break.

Mr. Navarrette, allow me to take a moment to introduce you to the state of New Mexico. We have a Hispanic Governor. We have a Hispanic Speaker of the House. We have a Hispanic President Pro-tempore of the Senate. We have a Hispanic Mayor of the State's largest city. We have a Hispanic Secretary of State. Do I really need to go on? Heck, even the recent Bernalillo County Republican Chairman race was between two Hispanic candidates. Are you starting to get a picture here?

If you want to argue the merits of Mr. Iglesias' firing, by all means, please do. However, to try and turn this into a race issue is offensive. It is offensive to New Mexicans, and it is offensive and demeaning to all Hispanics.

And as long, I'm talking about the absurd and offensive statements, let's look at one of the quotes you attribute to Mr. Iglesias:

“I'm a little bit suspicious of the theory that there are a persuasive and large number of illegal immigrants who are voting,” [disgruntled former U.S. Attorney, David Iglesias] acknowledged. “Have some voted in the past? I'm sure some have. But is it large enough to skew an election? I don't think so.”

Mr. Iglesias how is it that you are "sure some have" voted? Could it be because proof of voter fraud has come before you, but you decided not to prosecute? And since when is it okay for a prosecutor to believe that the law should only be enforced if it is going to skew an election?

Oh, and do I really need to mention the margin in this last election for the 1st Congressional District? We're not talking about the need for large numbers of unregistered voters - garden variety will do, no need to be here illegally. Just three or so more per precinct would have swung the election the other way.

So, at the end of the day, we have a columnist who shamelessly plays the race card in order to come up with a unique angle on what is becoming a very tired story. And, a former U.S. Attorney who looks more foolish each and every time he opens his mouth to the press. No one needs to attempt to suppress "surging Hispanic political power" when we have spokesmen like these making us look foolish.

DNC is Pulling the Strings

David Iglesias continued his media tour this weekend with a stop on Meet the Press. The Albuquerque Journal covered his appearance today, and this is the money quote:

Iglesias, whom Bush appointed to the U.S. attorney job, hinted that he was pleased with the aggressive inquiry of congressional Democrats into the White House and Justice Department into the firings.

"I'm seeing Congress exercising an oversight role that's been absent for six years," Iglesias said.

It seems that Mr. Iglesias is now unabashedly utilizing the Democrats' talking points in his media appearances. The Democratic Party's theme has been to time and time again state "there has been no Congressional oversight" for the last six years no matter what the topic. But, don't take my word for it:

Regarding business lobbyists - "Business lobbyists have been powerful players with the Congress and the White House under Republican control the past six years. The emphasis was on minimal regulation, easy access to federal rulemakers, many of whom came from industry, and almost no congressional oversight."

Regarding Domestic Spying - "And there really has to be in our system of law and government, checks and balance, separation of powers, congressional oversight and bob, there has been no meaningful congressional oversight on these programs."

Regarding Foreign Policy - "In the past six years, however, congressional oversight of the executive across a range of policies, but especially on foreign and national security policy, has virtually collapsed."

Interestingly enough, Mr. Iglesias did not express any concern with the supposed lack of "congressional oversight" during his six years as a U.S. Attorney. No, he was more than happy with the status quo as long as he had a political appointment. However, take away that political appointment, and this guy starts looking for his meal ticket - the DNC. As I've said before, Mr. Iglesias now seems to have found his place as a rising star in the Democratic Party.

YouTube Video Proves Inglesias Failed

David Iglesias must really be hating YouTube right now. Yesterday morning, he had an op-ed show up in the New York Times in which he wrote:

"...much has been made of my decision to not prosecute alleged voter fraud in New Mexico...What the critics, who don’t have any experience as prosecutors, have asserted is reprehensible — namely that I should have proceeded without having proof beyond a reasonable doubt."

Within hours, The Wednesday Morning Quarterback, put up the video that provides the "proof beyond a reasonable doubt" that Mr. Iglesias failed to do his job after the 2004 voter election fraud.




Well, in all fairness, maybe Mr. Iglesias never saw the video. After all, he did cite to reporters when this all began that his fondest memories of being U.S. Attorney would be the trips he got to take abroad. I'm sure with the busy travel schedule, it was hard to find the time to actually do that whole prosecuting thing.

He's Officially Lost It

It's official, Joe Monahan has lost it. Once upon a time, Mr. Monahan was the must read of New Mexico political blogs - of course, it didn't hurt that he was the only NM political blog. However, as the blogosphere has continued to grow at an unprecedented pace, so has the number of NM blogs covering politics.

There are blogs on the left, blogs on the right, blogs written by real reporters and blogs which really report. Blogs that editorialize and blogs that criticize.

However, there is only one blog that has failed time and time again in recent months to analyze politics in a meaningful and coherent manner - New Mexico Politics with Joe Monahan. Now, don't get me wrong, Mr. Monahan is still a good source for insider political gossip. But, internet gossip, like all gossip, must be taken with a grain of salt. And, therein lies the problem.

You see, Mr. Monahan takes this gossip as gospel truth. Then, as if that wasn't bad enough, he proceeds to dissect the gossip and arrive at political conclusions that he presents as in-depth analysis. Think about that. It's the equivalent of a NASA scientist reading the National Enquirer to determine the future of space travel.

But hey, don't take my word for it. Just take a look at this gem from yesterday morning:

What does the political future of southern NM GOP Congressman Steve Pearce have to do with Sunday's re-election of Bernalillo county GOP chairman Fernando C de Baca? Quite a bit say my Republican Alligators. They, and I, wondered why Senator Domenici and Congresswoman Wilson were so public in their opposition to the re-election of C de Baca when the county GOP central committee re-elected him.

Whoa, hold the presses. Did I miss something? Senator Domenici and Congresswoman Wilson "were so public in their opposition" to Chairman C'deBaca? Well, that's kind of a strange thing to say. I know Mr. C'deBaca's opponent from this last election pretty well. In fact, I know him so well, it's like we're the same person. Oh wait, we we are the same person.

So, without any alligators needed, I can tell you that neither the Senator or the Congresswoman came out in opposition to Fernando C'deBaca. It would have been great for me if they had opposed the Chairman, because let's face it, I'd now be Chairman. But, that's not the way it works, and more importantly, that's not the way it worked.

But get this, this is even more bizarre. Somehow, Mr. Monahan has turned this into a power struggle between Congresswoman Heather Wilson and Congressman Steve Pearce. Folks, there were only 210 votes cast (of the 219 present) in this past election for Bernalillo County Chairman. Only 210 votes cast even though there were 247 potential delegates to the Bernalillo County Central Committee (including ex-officio).

So, let me ask you, what do you think? Before you answer, I realize you may not feel qualified to provide in -depth political analysis. After all, you don't have Mr. Monahan's years of experience in the trenches of "La Politica" with the "alligators." But, I'm going to take a chance here and ask you anyway.

If this was a battle between our two Republican congressional representatives for control of Bernalillo County, don't you think every seat in the place would have been taken? Don't you think there would have been an overflow crowd with people fighting for every available open slot as opposed to most people who bothered showing up in a ward getting automatically elected to the county central committee? Isn't just a little strange that in this "epic battle" depicted by Mr. Monahan more than 10% of the seats remained empty.

C'mon folks look at the numbers. Pearce and Wilson have machines that between them turn out hundreds of thousands of votes every election cycle. If they were in some sort of competition, we would have seen the streets filled with volunteers vying for an opportunity to cast their vote in favor of their favorite candidate.

No, the truth is just not as entertaining as Mr. Monahan has portrayed. The truth is two candidates were involved in a campaign for county chairman. The candidate with a forty year history of political involvement in New Mexico, Chairman C'deBaca, was able to turn out more votes than the candidate with six and a half years of involvement, yours truly. So, Mr. C'deBaca won.

I know it's not titillating reading, but it's the truth, which brings us back full circle. Mr. Monahan has lost it. He's moved from the alligator swamp to the padded room. Either that, or he's got a reason to try and create a rift in the Republican Party where none exists. Go ahead, you decide.

Oops, I Missed the Session

We knew this was going to happen. After getting re-elected, Governor Richardson's primary focus was going to be to run for President.

What we could not have foreseen is that he would be willing to miss most of the 60-day legislative session because he was gallivanting around the nation, and then have the audacity to come back to New Mexico and demand the legislature go into special session. Is anyone surprised that our legislators might resent this (subscription)?

You do know that these special sessions cost $42,000 a day of our money, right?

Final Count: 92 to 118

Well, it looks like it's time for me to go back to making money. I lost my campaign to become the Chairman of the Bernalillo County Republican Party. The good news is that we got a lot of folks not usually involved in these things to show up for the convention. The bad news is that we didn't get enough. Although, if all of those in absentia self-nomination forms, proxies and dues we collected could have been used, the results may have been different. But, alas that was not the case.

I say "we" because I had a group of volunteers helping me out that really impressed me with their energy and commitment. These people are the Party's future - at 37, I was the old guy - and at some point we are going to have to change the rules of the game if we want them to continue playing. They'll turn out their vote, but they are not going to sit for three to four hours in a hot room just for the sake of going through the process. It's just not going to happen, but you can still get them to vote. I'm sure there is a lesson there... somewhere.

I do want to thank those volunteers and the 92 people who came out and supported me, as well as the other folks who gave up their Sunday to show their support to the candidates in general. I also want to publicly acknowledge the newly re-elected Chairman Fernando C'deBaca for being gracious in his win.

Tomorrow some folks will receive a mail piece that somehow didn't end up in mailboxes when it should have. There are three points made in the mail piece, and I stand by them:

1. Republican activists, especially those holding party positions, must not endorse Democrat candidates, even ones in "non-partisan" offices. I, like most New Mexicans, have Democratic friends, even a few who have run for elected office. However, I will not endorse them, nor support them financially. Because let's face it, those same officials will, at some point down the line, act in a partisan manner and go after our Republican officials in a very partisan way. It's just the nature of the beast.
   
   
2. Bernalillo County Republicans did not turn out the vote to win the First Congressional District for the first time in 2006. This must NEVER happen again. And, if we don't want a repeat in 2008, we need to start working on it... Yesterday.
   
   
3. We're not raising the money we need to run an effective organization. It's not enough to keep the lights on and a paid member on staff. We need to raise significantly more. There are very few places left in America that are not gerrymandered to benefit one party or the other. Bernalillo County is one of these truly competitive areas. So, Republicans no matter where they may be, can truly further the cause by supporting the Bernalillo County Republican Party. And that support should go to building a strong volunteer structure all the way down to the precinct level.

With that said, we've elected a Chairman, so let's get to work.

BCRP Convention Tomorrow

Don't forget, tomorrow is the Bernalillo County Republican Party Convention.

Albuquerque Fraternal Order of Police Lodge
Sunday March 18, 2007
2:00pm-5:00pm
5900 Jefferson St NE, Albuquerque, NM 87109

I encourage all Bernalillo County Republicans to show up and cast your vote. Unfortunately, it is not widely known, but this process is open to EVERY registered Republican in Bernalillo County. You do not already have to have be on the County Central Committee to attend and vote. We'll be electing a new County Central Committee.

If you can't make it, there is still time to turn in your self-nomination form and proxy, so that your vote can be counted.

Call me at 401-2010 if you need more information.

Political Speak for Do Nothing

I don't have time this morning to scour the web, but I'm wondering if there is such a thing as dictionary for laymen of political doublespeak. For example, close observers of Governor Richardson's administration have learned that when they hear "I'm forming a task force," what that really means is that "this is an issue too many people care about right now, so I'm going to wait awhile until it cools down, so that we can ignore the problem."

Just so you understand, here are a couple of examples:
Dealing with DWI's
Dealing with fiscal accountability
Dealing with Gambling
Dealing with ethics scandals
Dealing with eminent domain

Now, I have to be honest. Up to this point, I thought this was primarily a Richardson form of doublespeak. However, it has now become clear to me that this is a part of the lexicon of any politician wishing to avoid performing their job (subscription):

Mickey Barnett, an Albuquerque lawyer and former Republican national committeeman, e-mailed Iglesias in September 2004, chastising him for appointing a task force to investigate voter fraud instead of bringing charges against suspects.

"Most of us think a task force is a joke and unlikely to make any citizen believe our elections and voter registrations are honest," Barnett wrote.

E-mails released by the Justice Department show Barnett and Pat Rogers, another GOP lawyer in Albuquerque, complained about Iglesias to Justice Department officials in June 2006.

E-mails show Barnett asked the White House Office of Political Affairs for a meeting with Justice Department officials to "discuss the USATTY situation" in New Mexico. Rogers and Barnett met with Justice officials the next day.

"The meeting was to discuss perceived management issues and his failure to give priority and attention to voter fraud and corruption cases," Rogers said in a telephone interview Wednesday.

Well, now that we've got "task force" clearly defined, maybe next time we'll look at what a politician means when they say, "We're making progress."

If No One Is There To Watch

So, the Governor signed legislation banning cockfighting. However, I thought this was an interesting wrinkle:

The bill outlaws participation in cockfights, making it a petty misdemeanor on the first offense, a misdemeanor on second offense and a fourth-degree felony punishable by up to 18 months in prison for a third or subsequent offense.

Spectators could not be charged.

Is it a cockfight if no one is there to watch? I wonder why the exception? Now mind you, this is not an issue I feel strongly about one way or another. After all, it is a little hard to get excited by this "landmark" legislation when I'm reading reports like this (subscription required):

New Mexico's K-12 education system received four F's in a report released this week by the U.S. Chamber of Commerce.

Several states ranked near the bottom along with New Mexico in the chamber's "Leaders and Laggards: A State-by-State Report Card on Educational Effectiveness," including Alabama, Louisiana and Mississippi.

Yup, it's great to see that New Mexico's elected officials have their priorities in order - poultry followed by children. I'm curious how that is going to play on the presidential campaign trail? FDR promised a chicken in every pot. Richardson promises a rooster out of every ring. Ah yes, definite frontrunner material.

Mayor Marty "Open Mouth Insert Foot" Chavez

Never one to miss an opportunity to look foolish in public, Mayor Marty Chavez once again is trying to stick it to Congresswoman Heather Wilson.

Chávez was quoted today by Congressional Quarterly, which is read by members of Congress and politicos in the nation’s capital and beyond, on the impact the scandal will have on Wilson’s career.

“Heather Wilson will no longer be elected in New Mexico,” [Albuquerque Mayor Martin Chávez ] said, adding that her actions were “reprehensible.”

Let's start by stating the obvious. Martin Chavez is in ABSOLUTELY NO position to discuss what it means for a politician to act ethically. This is nothing more than a very weak attempt to wipe the egg off his face from the last election.

As I recall, the timeline went something like this:

1. Mayor Marty endorsed Patricia Madrid.
   
2. Mayor Marty LEANED on his appointed fire chief to make a fuss over something where there was no fuss to be made.
3. Mayor Marty attends a debate where Patricia Madrid has difficulty answering simple questions.
   
4. Patricia Madrid loses.

Plus, let's compare the VERY BRIEF phone calls made to David Iglesias to the Senator Schumer letter to a U.S. Attorney (this is a MUST read).

Yeah, nice try Mayor Chavez. Let's face it, you, and I do mean you personally, cannot beat Congresswoman Heather Wilson in a race, so quit acting the political jester with your predictions, and concentrate your political energies on races that might actually involve you.

Dear Bernalillo County Republicans,

In case you didn't get my letter....

With the encouragement of my family and friends and many long-standing grassroots activists, I've decided to run for Chairman of the Bernalillo County Republican Party, and I need your support.

In 2008, New Mexico will once again be a battleground state, and if we learned anything from this past election cycle, it is that we need to do more. Bernalillo County is the most important political county in the state and must do a better job of delivering the vote for our Republican candidates.

During this past last election cycle, Congresswoman Heather Wilson had her closest race ever. And, for the first time since taking office, she lost Bernalillo County. This must never happen again.

According to the final audited count, Congresswoman Wilson lost Bernalillo County by 1,250 votes. That means that with just four more votes per precinct, she would have easily won the county.

What concerns me, and has in fact motivated me to run, is that despite the passage of four months, not a single significant step has been taken to build our party structure. Already, 120 days have passed since the last election, and we are no more prepared today to deliver those additional votes in every precinct than we were four months ago.

This is unacceptable.

Granted, every organization has problems, but the good ones don’t have the same problems year after year. Right now, without a change, we’re on track to have the same problems come 2008. I’m not willing to stand idly by and let that happen, and I don’t think you are either.
Together, we can make sure that 2008 is remembered as the year when the Republicans took back Bernalillo County. How do we do it? With three simple steps:

1. Communicate our message
2. Raise money
3. Recruit volunteers

This is not speculation on my part. I’ve done it before successfully. From 2000 to 2004, I was the President of Junior Achievement of New Mexico, a privately funded not-for-profit that teaches students to understand business and economics and value the free enterprise system.

When I took over the organization, it had $25,000 in assets and annual revenues of $200,000. In four short years, I was able to increase the net assets by a $100,000 while doubling annual revenues to over $400,000 per year. More importantly, I was able to double the number of students participating in the program by significantly increasing the number of volunteers involved.

I did the same for an El Paso chapter of the organization with even more amazing results. During a one-hour lunch, I raised $80,000 in a room with just fourteen people. Admittedly, they were the right fourteen people, but that was no accident, I invited them.

Communicate a message. Raise money. Recruit volunteers. That's the plan.

I've had a similar success in the private sector. After leaving Junior Achievement, I launched an advertising and public relations firm. In just three years, I've grown this firm to the 14th largest agency in the state with a couple of million dollars in annual billings.

I know how to set goals and achieve them, and I've set a goal to make the Bernalillo County Republican Party the strongest county party in the state. With your help, I will do it. That’s my commitment. Elect me to be your Bernalillo County Party Chairman, and together, we’ll deliver for our Republican candidates in 2008.

Sincerely,


Mario Burgos

P.S. Below is a list of activities I've been involved in during my last six and a half years in New Mexico. This is by no means a complete list; however, I think it provides a good indication of the level of my commitment to our community, our state and our future. You can also learn a lot more about me by visiting www.MarioBurgos.com.

Political Involvement:
* Heather Wilson for Congress, Finance Committee 2005 - Present
* Member of the NM Delegation to 2004 Republican National Convention
* Bernalillo County Small Business Coalition Chairman, Bush/Cheney 2004
* Appointed by the U.S. Treasury Secretary and the IRS Commissioner to be New Mexico's representative on the National Taxpayer Advocacy Panel 2002 - 2005
* 2004 Candidate for State Representative, House District 22
* Political Blogger 2004 - present
* Frequent Republican commentator on KNME’s The Line and Channel 4’s Eye on New Mexico

Community Involvement:
* AYSO Soccer Coach 2004 - Present
* Albuquerque Del Norte Rotary Club 2001 - Present
* United Way Young Leaders Society
* National Federation of Independent Businesses
* Association of Commerce and Industry
* Middle Rio Grande Business Education Collaborative 2002-2004
* New Mexico Business Roundtable for Educational Excellence
* 2004 NM Business Weekly 40 Under 40
* March of Dimes, Walk-a-thon Fundraising Committee 2005
* Popejoy Hall's Primavera Ball, Marketing Committee 2006 - Present

Central Committee Meeting, and Biennial Organizational County Convention

Albuquerque Fraternal Order of Police Lodge
Sunday March 18, 2007
2:00 p.m. - 5:00 p.m.
5900 Jefferson St NE, Albuquerque, NM 87109

Back on T.V.

I'll be back on KOB-TV's Eye on New Mexico this Sunday morning at 10:00 a.m. Be sure to tune in as we'll be tackling the latest on David Iglesias' noisy departure from the U.S. Attorney job.

Dissatisfied with the Last Election?

It looks like the new Bernalillo County Clerk, Maggie Toulouse, is trying to get input to improve elections in our county. Admitting you have a problem, A BIG PROBLEM, is a great first step. I would strongly encourage anyone who was involved this last go around to attend at least one of these sessions.

You can read about my take on some of the last election cycle's biggest fiascos here, here and here. Oh, and let's not forget about the, oh so convenient, "There were no ballots to be issued" press conference. In case you forgot the details, you can take a trip down memory lane here. Oh, and you really ought to read this right here.

It's MY Cash Cow, Get Your Own

It looks like the truth is finally out regarding the red light cameras. Many believe that the red light cameras are nothing more than a money printing machine for the City of Albuquerque. Yet, the Mayor has often defended them as important to public safety. That is until the state government decided they wanted a piece of the action (subscription):

Albuquerque Mayor Martin Chávez said Tuesday that he'll pull the plug on the city's traffic camera enforcement program if legislators pass a law requiring the city to share some of its fees with the state.

Senate Bill 780, unanimously approved by the Senate last week, would require the city to give the state $74 for every citation issued by the traffic camera program.

"This bill is a program killer," Chávez said. "This is very unfortunate. The state's largest city comes up with an innovative program to improve public safety, and the legislators just see green."

You tell me. Who is seeing green? Mayor Chavez wants to be Governor. You've got to be kidding. Yet again, Mayor Marty demonstrates that his primary concern is increasing the city budget anyway that he can. Any argument that public safety is his number one concern just went speeding by.

Dancing Pink Elephants and Moving Cheese

When it comes to the David Iglesias "scandal," no one, well there is one exception, is talking about the big pink elephants doing pirouettes in the middle of the room. What am I talking about?

For one, no one is saying that indictments should not be coming down. In fact, as early as June of last year, people were already googling to try and discover more on the impending, still impending nine months later, Manny Aragon indictments. NINE MONTHS after the FBI investigation is completed, and we're still waiting for indictments. I know this is the Land of Manana, but this is getting a little ridiculous, even by New Mexico standards.

Now, I could understand all of the hoopla if it came out that Mr. Iglesias was contacted by Congressional representatives and was asked to manufacture indictments were none existed, but that does not seem to be the case here. Instead, we're talking about folks calling him up and wondering what in blazes is taking so long? Kind of like I've been wondering about this case.

Should Mr. Iglesias have brought in the indictments before the election? ABSOLUTELY! At the time rumors were abounding that Mr. Iglesias was worried about bringing down the indictments before the election lest they seem political. Hello, they are political. We're talking about politicians taking kickbacks at taxpayer expense. Can anyone think about a more relevant political point prior to an election? Nah, me neither.

Ok, back to the dancing pink elephants.

Anyone else find it odd that Mr. Iglesias waited FIVE MONTHS to cry foul? Seriously folks, this upstanding lawyer, who refused to give in to alleged pressure by Congressional Representatives, never made so much as a squeak in October to the Department of Justice - something that he was bound to do.

Nor, did he come forward with his allegations in December of last year, when it became public knowledge that he was resigning (subscription):

U.S. Attorney David Iglesias will resign in the next few months— more than two years before his appointment expires, an office spokesman confirmed Monday night.

Iglesias, appointed by President Bush in 2001, would normally have served as the state's chief federal lawman until the end of Bush's term in 2008.

U.S. Attorney's Office spokesman Norm Cairns said Iglesias "has had discussions with officials in Washington, D.C. Based on those discussions, he has decided to move on."

Rumors that Iglesias was in trouble with his superiors at the Department of Justice have been circulating for months.

The chief criticism of Iglesias has been that he had not provided enough resources for public corruption investigations. Some of that criticism has come from the political arena and some from the FBI, which has made political corruption its No. 2 priority behind terrorism.

Iglesias' defenders, in private conversations, argued that the federal prosecutors are overwhelmed with immigration and narcotics cases because of the state's southern border with Mexico.

No, it took Mr. Iglesias another three months to create a stir. I'm beginning to think that Mr. Iglesias has his own political agenda in the works. David Iglesias is going out, not as a prosecutor whose number one interest is seeing bad guys end up behind bars, but as a politician whose number one interest is self promotion. What other reason could he have for doing this (subscription):

At a news conference in his Albuquerque office, Iglesias displayed charts with statistics showing that the number of defendants charged during his tenure rose 13 percent and immigration cases increased 78 percent. At the same time, the caseload of his assistant U.S. attorneys went up 24 percent, while the number of full-time employees in the office went up just 7 percent.

I feel for the Justice Department. I've been there. I've had to fire an employee who thought they were doing a bang-up job. Someone who said, "Look at all the great work I've been doing. What do you mean, I'm failing? I've been working really hard on all of these projects. But, you told me I was doing well last year."

Yup, we've all been there.

Mr. Iglesias, I've got a book for you to read, Who Moved My Cheese? by Spencer Johnson, M.D. You see, your bosses at the Department of Justice wanted you to focus on public corruption, and you wanted to focus on increasing your immigration and narcotics caseload. The "cheese" was moved and you didn't follow it. That's the reason you lost your job, and all of the charts and statistics combined with cries of political fouls isn't going to change that simple fact. So, get over it, move on with your life, and try and learn when the boss moves the cheese, it's up to you follow it.

My Anonymous Friend

I've heard from quite a few of you who have found the comments of Anonymous, well, amusing to say the least. I've not responded to Anonymous because, among other reasons, I was curious to see where the comments would go without a response.

The first time this particular Anonymous commenter appeared (IP address: 70.58.227.231), it was with this comment:

We thought you had disappeared like the RPNM staffers! It's good to see that Allen Weh and Mickey Barnett are letting you out of your cage again!
01.23.07 - 9:25 am

Then true to form, Anonymous put up three more comments in the span of just a couple of hours - none of which were flattering. But hey, not everyone is going to love me, right?

Now, are you ready for the odd part? What did I do that spurned the wrath of this Anonymous poster on that cold day in January? Well, I wrote that Governor Bill Richardson's presidential announcement really didn't have much splash in the Northeast. Not the type of thing you would think would offend a Republican Party activist, but it sure did get Anonymous' britches all in a bunch.

I have to admit, at the time, I didn't give it much thought. What can I say? After receiving over 1,200 comments on this blog since it's inception, I've learned that you just don't put too much stock into the "anonymous" comments. After all, I've hurled "stones" of criticism with the best of them, but I've never done it hiding behind a veil of anonymity. I back my convictions with my own John Hancock and let the pieces fall where they may. It's the way I was brought up. You stand up for what you believe in, and take your punches, and then come back for more.

Anonymous did come back to give me more. With these two comments:

Mario- Glad to see you are addressing the pressing issues of the day. If only you could convince your drunken counterpart over at wednesdaymorningqb to do the same! I don't know if you read her blog very often, but I have seen you quote her here on occasion. That girl has gone bat sh*t ["i" removed] crazy!
02.08.07 - 10:20 am

Mario: You want Richardson to disclose his donors and various contractual obligations. In the spirit of fairness and openness, would you please disclose your list of clients? Thanks!
02.08.07 - 2:23 pm

What set Anonymous into personal attack mode once again? You got it. It was another post about Governor Bill Richardson. This time the post was about the Governor's questionable ethics in sending out a campaign fundraising letter during a prohibited time. Something that the Attorney General decided was not illegal; however, we all know, that what is legal and what is ethical are not always one in the same.

Ok, so now I have Anonymous pegged as a Richardson supporter. It makes sense that Anonymous is not going to be my biggest fan - most Richardson supporters aren't. I haven't exactly been active in the Governor's Booster Club. Instead, I spend most of my time with the Emperor Has No Clothes crowd.

But this is where it gets weird....

On February 16, 2007, I announce in a post that I'm running for Chairman of the Bernalillo County GOP and Anonymous goes completely bananas. We're talking mad as a hatter, nutty as a fruitcake, completely off the deep end bonkers. Personally, I can't think of a better endorsement of my candidacy than for someone, who has at least twice come to the defense of Bill Richardson, become completely unhinged at the thought of me leading the Bernalillo County GOP.

So, I've let Anonymous just continue jabbing. Every time Anonymous posts, another person shoots me an email, or calls me to let me know that I've got their vote. Anonymous has been so effective in rallying support for me that even Nelson Spear, who now lives in Texas, has called me up to offer words of encouragement and lend his support.

Anonymous, I can't thank you enough for all the help with my campaign. But, I can repay you by answering a few questions that just seem to be keeping you up at night. First, let me put to rest the question of whether or not I am, or have ever been, on "the payroll" of Mickey Barnett.

I'm not, and I've never been.

I have on this blog previously addressed my relationship with Mickey Barnett. The guy gave me $200 when I ran for office in 2004 - less than 1% of my total contributions. Very generous, and very much appreciated, but I don't see how anyone could consider that putting me on Mr. Barnett's payroll. I'm the sole financial provider for my family and $200 just doesn't make ends meet.

Nor does Mr. Barnett get the credit for the accomplishments or failures I've experienced in my life thus far. That responsibility lies squarely on my shoulders. I've heard a lot of speculation in my years of involvement with the Party of the power that Mr. Barnett yields, but let's face it, if he was a force to be reckoned with, he'd still be Republican National Committeeman.

As far as my client list is concerned, that is not something I will ever put on this blog. Why? Well, for a variety of reasons. But most importantly, my opinions do not necessarily reflect those of my clients, so they should not be brought into this aspect of my life. With that said, I've not had a problem answering a similar question on this blog before, albeit more politely asked, and you can read it here. I take pride in the fact that starting from nothing, I've worked with others to build one of the fastest growing advertising agencies in the state. I'm living the American Dream.

As to my ability to appeal to "life-long" New Mexicans, well, I'm married to one, so let me go ask....

Ok, I'm back. According to her, I'm still very appealing. Mind you, we're going on 12 years of being happily marriage, so this is no simple feat. Yeah, I'm pretty sure I can do just fine in the "life-long" New Mexican category.

The question about prejudices between Latinos and Mexican-American groups does shed some light on Anonymous. Now besides knowing that Anonymous feels the need to rise to the defense of Bill Richardson, we also know that Anonymous is not Hispanic. In 2004, we did not not have Mexican-Americans for Bush and Latinos for Bush. We had Viva Bush. Americans with Hispanic heritages and Republican ideals. Only those with deep rooted prejudices have a hard time understanding how people with different backgrounds can unite for a common good.

As to why I would make a good County Chairman, I'm afraid you're going to have read the letter coming in the mail, or tune in to the blog next week.