Steve Pearce Enters the Senate Race

Well, it looks like Congressman Pearce is not going to take the career path I laid out for him. That's unfortunate, not because Steve would be a bad Junior Senator, but because he could have accomplished so much more as New Mexico's next Governor.

Speaking of the Governor, it looks like that House of Cards Governor Bill Richardson built is falling apart everywhere we look. In the Albuquerque area that the Governor's really expensive train is costing more and more with each passing day:

When reporters pressed him on plans for funding the Rail Runner, he was noncommittal about where the money will come from— repeating it would come from state and federal funds.

One powerful lawmaker wondered if earmarking state dollars to operate the Rail Runner might harm other state programs.

"I want to see where they find the money, what programs they take it from," said Sen. John Arthur Smith, D-Deming, and chairman of the Legislative Finance Committee.

Sixty percent of the state budget goes to education, 25 percent to health and seven percent to corrections, Smith said.

"Until people sit down and think about it, it gets people off his back," Smith said of Richardson's comment. "But he is acknowledging that it does need money. They've never acknowledged that before. Now we are just down to finding out what pot it will come from."

As if this was problematic enough, the Governor's other expensive investment, that Spaceport experiment, has also run into quite a few hiccups:

The state won't allow Doña Ana County to delay the collection of a spaceport sales tax, county officials said Friday.

There's a chance the county could take legal action to keep the tax from being collected.

The county commission passed a resolution Wednesday to delay collecting the tax until proper framework was in place to spend it. But the state taxation and revenue department notified the county Friday that the action wasn't valid, despite saying earlier that it was, said County Commission Chairwoman Karen Perez.

What does this all have to do with Steve Pearce entering the US Senate race? Well, I believe these financial woes are just a taste of what is to come. Which means that although there has been a national tide against Republicans, I expect we will not see that replicated in New Mexico come the 2008 general election cycle. Sure, we're going to see a spirited race for the open US Senate seat, but I believe in the general election, we're going to see the Senate and Congressional seats that are up for grabs remain in Republican hands. And, early polls in the first Congressional District seems to support that.

Conversation with a Senior Wilson Advisor

Before I sat down to blog, I decided to go through my snail mail. In that pile of bills and solicitations was a letter from the People for Pete campaign asking me to help organize and collect petition signatures for our Senator. That letter was dated October 1, 2007 - only three days before the Senator announced his plans to retire for medical reasons. A political frenzy has since ensued with prospective candidates on both sides of the aisle trying to determine if they've got a shot at representing New Mexicans in Congress as a Senator or Representative.

The usual gang of blogosphere pundits are producing posts at a feverish pitch. There are those emerging from desert swamps with alligator predictions supported by the most unscientific of polls. Others are going straight to the source and getting prospective candidates to think out loud about their plans and rationale.

Personally, I think sometimes it pays to wait a beat or two for the dust to begin to settle a bit before jumping into the fray with predictions and insights. After all, it is impossible to make any sort of reasonable guess as to who is going to win a race until you at least know for sure who is running in it. I guess you could call me old fashioned that way.

Still, we do know that one candidate, Congresswoman Heather Wilson, has stepped in, and stepped in boldly. She did not wait to see what the presidential candidate and occasional state visitor, Governor Bill Richardson, is planning to do. She didn't call around to her Republican peers to try and figure out what they were going to do before taking the next step.

Nope, she just made a decision and announced her decision to run for the Senate seat - 24 hours after we all learned officially that it would be open. That's what I believe could be called a healthy dose of moxie.

Well, today I had a phone conversation with a Senior Wilson Advisor to discover the source of that gumption. The Advisor, who shall remain nameless (I learned that from my reporter friends), made some strong arguments as to why the Congresswoman should become New Mexico's next Junior Senator.

The Advisor pointed out to me, Wilson has won one hard battle after another against odds that most Las Vegas bookmakers wouldn't take. First, she beat a millionaire (or is it billionaire) native son. She followed that campaign win by not once, but twice defeating a well-funded and highly regarded Senator Pro-tem. Then in this last election cycle, she prevailed over a sitting Attorney General despite the anti-Republican tide that swept the nation and sent many of her colleagues packing. All of this in a district that went to Al Gore in 2000 and John Kerry in 2004.

"Yeah," I said. "But, this is a statewide race." The Advisor quickly threw out a little known fact... The statewide registration of Average Republican Voting Strength (ARVS) is actually four points higher than that of Heather's Congressional District.

Since I have no problem at all with basic math, I didn't even have to start counting on my fingers to figure out that this means Heather Wilson would start this race with a four point head start over all of the previous races. The races she won.

But, the Advisor didn't stop there. I was asked to consider the amount of money spent on media in the last couple of elections. Since it just so happens I know a thing or two about media buying in our state (part of my day job), I got the message loud and clear. You see, New Mexico's television networks reach every corner of the state except around Las Cruces, which is part of the El Paso market. This means that the vast majority of New Mexicans know Heather Wilson.

The Advisor didn't have to state the obvious, but I will. Based on the amount of money she has spent on television in the last couple of elections, the Congresswoman's name id has got to be close to, if not greater, than 90%, in the vast majority of New Mexico.

And, based on a press release I saw from the campaign today, Wilson is already well on her way to raising the money she needs to get that name id to 100%:

The Heather Wilson for Congress campaign announced today that it will file a third quarter Federal Election Commission (FEC) report showing at least $754,000 cash on hand as of September 30, 2007.

Wilson’s campaign raised $238,000 during the third quarter of 2007 that ended on September 30^th and $908,000 for the year to date. The $754,000 her campaign has in cash on hand is nearly $25,000 more than two years ago.

As of September 30, 2007, the Heather Wilson for Congress campaign has received contributions from 2339 New Mexicans - 94.2% of her individual contributions.

“I’m honored to enjoy such strong support from New Mexicans,” Wilson said.

Well, all this is well and good, but I didn't shy away from asking the question on everyone's mind. What happens if our occasional Governor, the presidential candidate Bill Richardson, decides to jump into the race, despite his statement to the contrary? The Advisor's response was simple. The people of New Mexico would expect to see debates in every corner of the Land of Enchantment, and this time the Governor would be hard pressed to find an excuse not to participate.

"Ouch," I thought. That whole debating thing hasn't really proven to be one of the Governor's strengths of late.

Alright, it was time to wrap it up (after all, a guy has to make a living to feed his family). Still, I couldn't help just throwing out one last question before getting back to work. You see, when push comes to shove, I'm a limited government kind of guy at my core. So, I off-handedly asked the Advisor about the press release put out last week by the Club for Growth that chastised Wilson for being on the left when it comes to fiscal policy.

"You mean the release that came out about the same time that the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee published their release attacking Heather Wilson for being too far to the right?" the Advisor asked.

"Yeah, I responded, "that's the one I'm talking about."

"Well," the Advisor responded, "if two East Coast organizations, one on the left and one on the right, accuse the Congresswoman of being too conservative and too liberal in the same day, then I'd say we're right about where we should be - firmly, in the center."

And, with that, the conversation came to an end.

Before anyone asks, I would be happy to talk to Senior Advisors for other candidates as they get around to announcing. Just shoot me an email, and I'll send you back an email with the best number to reach me.


The Disclaimer: I was an active member of Blogs for Heather Wilson this last election cycle, and have enjoyed the privilege of serving as a member of her finance committee.

Scratch Your Head and Wonder

Sometimes, I just don't get it. Good old Joe, Joe Monahan that is, has been around the political scene for an awfully long time. So, he knows how the game is played. He knows that to be competitive in the race for New Mexico's First Congressional District a candidate - even an incumbent candidate - is looking at a minimum $4 million ante. Yet, Joe Monahan continues to post this rubbish:

Meantime, on the Heather front, my Alligators had told us she was up in Farmington recently, her latest stop outside of her congressional district as she appears to be prepping for a US Senate run in the event Senator Domenici is sidelined. Now we've received confirmation of the visit in the form of an editorial from the Farmington Daily Times which acted like Heather's unusual side trip was all in a day's work. Wilson has also recently been to Clovis, Las Cruces and Los Alamos. If she's not testing the waters for the Senate, the NM Tourism Department ought to hire her.

C'mon Joe, there's no prepping for a US Senate run going on here. You know it, and I know it. What is happening is the same thing that happens every single election cycle. A congressional candidate shows up in all parts of the state because he or she is going to have to raise money from all parts of the state. Because of campaign funding limits. you can't be limited to a certain geography. Instead, you have to raise funds far and wide.

Even Patricia Madrid went deep into what used to be Tom Udall territory, Los Alamos, to hold a campaign fundraiser last election cycle.

So, how about it Joe? Can you stick a little closer to the facts? Otherwise, I'm afraid you're going to give all of us bloggers a bad name. You keep up this silly US Senate run stuff up, and it won't be long before an editor of the Alibi is counting you among the "blogger crackpots."

The 2008 Republican Presidential Ticket

I came across a blog that makes a pretty interesting political argument for why Republicans ought to think long and hard about having a woman on the Republican Presidential ticket in 2008:

A Clinton-Richardson ticket will be very formidable. It will probably be well ahead in the polls as the parties head toward their summer conventions in Denver (Democrats) and Minneapolis (Republicans).

As people who visit this site know, I -- along with a growing number of other activists -- believe the Republican Party will follow tradition at its peril. We are not going to beat an exciting, dynamic ticket like Clinton-Richardson with two aging white gentlemen. In fact, we already have the "aging, white gentlemen" vote.

We also need votes -- a lot of them -- from other groups including Hispanics and female professionals (teachers, doctors, lawyers, businesswomen), as well as younger people.

To do that, we need to tear up the old Republican "playbook." We may have to throw a few of what the football people call "Hail Marys." That means we have to take chances, something the underdog must do to achieve any hope of victory.

Personally, I don't think Bill Richardson is going to make the ticket. He is having one Dan Quayle moment after another every time he opens his mouth. Even Quayle didn't have those moments BEFORE being selected for ticket. Between Richardson's "touchy-feely" leanings, and his propensity to open mouth and insert foot, he is better suited to a position not quite so prominent in the national media.

What a Tangled Web He Weaves

If only saying it so, really made it so:

How much did the R's outspend the D's on in last year's nail biter between Rep. Heather Wilson and Dem Patricia Madrid? According to a report from an UNM professor writing in the new publication, Capitol Report, Wilson's side outspent Madrid by about $1.4 million.

"..When we consider total spending--parties, the candidates, and interest groups..Wilson outspent Madrid supporters. Total GOP and ally spending amounted to $6.577 million and Democratic and ally spending amounted to $5.199 million."

That jives with our reporting and, I think, sets the record straight for Wilson operatives who said Madrid had it wrong when she told us in a recent interview that Heather had outspent her.

Sorry, Mr. Monahan, think again. That does not jive with your original reporting. Since you seem to have a problem recalling your original analysis on the diference between Heather Wilson and Patricia Madrid's campaign spending, please allow me to refresh your memory, this is what you originally reported:

"I know you and others believe my debate performance was the reason for the loss. That was a factor, but she outspent me by at least several million dollars--maybe more when you count all the independent expenditures. She began the negative attacks in July and did not let up. That spending was as big a reason as any for the defeat," reflected Madrid who in the sole TV debate with Wilson froze before the camera in a moment that is now frozen in state political history.

I admit I took exception at the time for a very simple reason:

According to Political Moneyline Patricia Madrid's campaign spent just shy of $3.4 million, and Congresswoman Heather Wilson spent $4.8 million. That's a difference of $1.4 million - not exactly "several million."

Hmm, that's interesting. The $1.4 million number I reported is the EXACT SAME NUMBER that UNM Professor, Lonna Atkeson, came up with in her article for the newly launched Capital Report - again a long way from the originally reported "several million" dollar difference. It is unclear if Dr. Atkeson considered the following in arriving at her number:

1. Patricia Madrid started to shamelessly using taxpayer money as early March 2005 for self promotion and to improve name identification - a practice she continued to within 70 days of the election.
   
   
2. The millions that Governor Bill Richardson spent on the 2006 election. In a Santa Fe New Mexican article it was reported, "Madrid has Gov. Bill Richardson, a fellow Democrat, on her side. Richardson has already told the national press -- which he may need to cultivate further should he run for president -- that Madrid will win narrowly, in part due to his get-out-the-vote operation in New Mexico

If not, then factoring in those expenditures rapidly shrinks that $1.4 million gap. Of course, probably the most damning for Mr. Monahan is not his twisted version of the truth for a second time, but what he chose not to report from Dr. Atkeson's article. Namely, the conclusion:

This suggests a possible alternative reason [that Patricia Madrid lost]: Democrats did not mobilize enough Democratic voters who vote Democratic. In part, this analysis suggests that the Democratic strategy is problematic because many Democratic groups tend to focus on aggregate areas and not individual voters, and in doing so concede some areas to the GOP.

But, I guess Joe Monahan wouldn't want to bite the hand that feeds him.

Maybe We Should Define Perjury

Well, here's a question....

If a sharp legal mind, the kind of mind that was portrayed on the silver screen in A Few Good Men, answers a question one way under oath in front of Congress, and answers a question another way when asked by a reporter, does that constitute perjury?

I'm just kind of wondering. You see, I'm not a lawyer, but from a layman's perspective, it sure seems that David Iglesias' well-rehearsed and dramatically delivered testimony before Congress might now come back to bite him. In case you missed, it the first time, here is the re-run of the relevant part:



Go ahead, play it again. It's pretty clear isn't it? Mr. Iglesias said he felt pressured after receiving a call from Senator Domenici. So, maybe Mr. Iglesias can explain this response in a recent interview with his old work buddy and fellow attorney, Jim Scarantino, for the Alibi. First, we have this admission from David Iglesias:

Could [Senator Domenici's] phone call to me [concerning the timing of charges in the court house corruption investigation] constitute a criminal offense? I’m not sure. I suspect ethics charges are more likely than criminal charges as I doubt he called me to interfere with the courthouse cases. Having me removed for not prosecuting voter fraud cases or [not] prosecuting cases fast enough probably does not constitute obstruction of justice.

That's followed up by this whopper of a confession:

Domenici and [U.S. Rep. Heather] Wilson never directly pressured me to take action—it was the New Mexico GOP.

Whoa, hold the presses! Domenici and Wilson never directly pressured him? Well, then how does he explain his sworn testimony before Senator Schumer? David Iglesias clearly stated, "I felt pressured to get these matters moving." He said it regarding Senator Pete Domenici, and Iglesias said it again when asked about a call from Congresswoman Heather Wilson:




Hmm, I wonder if this might negatively impact that book deal?

Medal of Honor Recipient Deserves Respect

It's not often that I blog during work hours. After all, a guy has to make a living. But I just came across something that is probably one of the most offensive partisan acts I've seen come out of Congress in a long time.

Take a moment and watch the video that shows the floor discussion between the Chairman of the House of Representatives Committee on Veterans’Affairs, Bob Filner (D-California) and the ranking Republican, Steve Buyer (R-Indiana):



Naming the VA Medical Center in Albuquerque after New Mexico war hero and Medal of Honor recipient, Raymond G. 'Jerry' Murphy, was a bipartisan recommendation that enjoys the support of the entire New Mexico Congressional delegation. In fact, you can view the original press release in its entirety on Senator Jeff Bingaman's website. But, in a nutshell, this is the type of man we are talking about:

"Jerry Murphy was a true American hero who in war and peace dedicated himself to others. I am proud to have known Jerry and to have been able to call him my friend. It is a privilege to play a part in bestowing this deserving honor on a great man and a great American," Domenici said. "I will work with our House counterparts to get this bill passed and enacted as soon as possible."

"Jerry Murphy bravely served our country. While he was recognized during his life with a much-deserved Medal of Honor, we are now a step closer to ensuring that the memory of his service to our country—and his fellow veterans—will live on," Bingaman said.

So, why isn't this bill, which incidentally has the support of the VA Department as well as the New Mexico Department of Veterans' Services, Albuquerque Armed Forces Advisory Association, American Legion, American Veterans, Veterans of Foreign Wars, Military Order of the Purple Heart and the Vietnam Veterans of America, being heard.

A very simple and offensive answer: "Companion legislation (HR.474) was introduced in the House by Representative Heather Wilson."

That's right, the Democrat leadership in Congress is willing to insult this Medal of Honor recipient's memory rather than let the legislation be carried forth by a Republican they so badly want to see defeated.

This is wrong. There are no two ways about it. This is wrong.

The Facts Are on His Side

You may not like what Palast has to say but the facts are on his side.

This was in a comment by David Jacobs left yesterday. Now, Mr. Jacobs is a frequent commentator on this blog, and I sincerely appreciate the dialogue. But, to argue that Mr. Palast has facts on his side is a bit of a stretch. Granted, Mr. Palast can spin the facts with the best of them, and like our own Joe Monahan, he pretends to be reporting the facts in an unbiased investigative manner, but nothing could be further from the truth.

It may surprise some people to know that I actually own one of Mr. Palast's book, The Best Money Democracy Can Buy. However, it was a New York Times best seller on politics, and I am always curious what the other side is putting out there.

Here is what I discovered... If you are removed from the facts (i.e. don't have first hand knowledge), then Mr. Palast's "investigative reporting" is very believable. However, if you are living what he is reporting, then it quickly becomes clear for what it is... Democratic Spin.

Case in point can be found in this exchange from the David Iglesias segment on Democracy NOW:

AMY GOODMAN: And Healther Wilson, of course, also called, and Heather Wilson at the time in an extremely close race for her political life as a congress member from New Mexico.

GREG PALAST: Well, in fact, from my investigation, she didn't win. There was voter fraud, and that the majority of the votes went to the Democrats.

Do you hear that sound? It is the sound of the last of Mr. Palast's credibility going down the drain. Anyone who is going to go on record stating that Republicans are in a position to steal an election in the NM's 1st CD is either a fool or the ultimate spinmeister. Since I don't think fools can write a NYT best seller, I'm going to acknowledge Mr. Palast's tremendous spin abilities.

One of my very first posts as a political blogger pointed out the absurdity of claims that Republicans could steal elections in New Mexico, and in the 2006 elections in the Land of Enchantment the same reality existed as in 2004. The same powerful Democrats were in all of the same election controlling positions, so the absurdity of the premise remains the same.

Just Keeps Nagging at Me

I tried to ignore it. Really, I did. I read it yesterday, and thought, "Just forget about it. You just said something nice about the guy the day before, so let it lie." But, I can't. It just keeps nagging at me. After all, I have a civic duty to call it for what it is, right? Well, here it is. What's bugging me is this from Democratic blogger and Patricia Madrid booster, Joe Monahan:

It was the first time I had spoken with Madrid since her November defeat. As one would expect from a political pro who has been through the grinder, she showed not a hint of bitterness or remorse over her cliffhanger loss to Heather and reacted dispassionately when asked for analysis.

"I know you and others believe my debate performance was the reason for the loss. That was a factor, but she outspent me by at least several million dollars--maybe more when you count all the independent expenditures. She began the negative attacks in July and did not let up. That spending was as big a reason as any for the defeat," reflected Madrid who in the sole TV debate with Wilson froze before the camera in a moment that is now frozen in state political history.

Ok folks, time for a reality check. Let's talk about Ms. Madrid's campaign being outspent by millions.

1. Patricia Madrid started to shamelessly using taxpayer money as early March 2005 for self promotion and to improve name identification - a practice she continued to within 70 days of the election.
2. According to Political Moneyline Patricia Madrid's campaign spent just shy of $3.4 million, and Congresswoman Heather Wilson spent $4.8 million. That's a difference of $1.4 million - not exactly "several million."
3. And, who can forget the additional $2.1 million that the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee spent on an eight week television buy to benefit Patricia Madrid.
4. Now throw into the mix the millions that Governor Bill Richardson spent on the 2006 election. In a Santa Fe New Mexican article it was reported, "Madrid has Gov. Bill Richardson, a fellow Democrat, on her side. Richardson has already told the national press -- which he may need to cultivate further should he run for president -- that Madrid will win narrowly, in part due to his get-out-the-vote operation in New Mexico."

The bottom line here is that Patricia Madrid WAS NOT outspent. In fact, she may very well have outspent Congresswoman Heather Wilson. And, let's not forget that back in 1998 a certain Mr. Maloof outspent Heather Wilson by about $6 million, yet we didn't end up with a Congressman Maloof.

So, what's really bugging me? Is it Patricia Madrid's assertions? No, she needs to rationalize her loss, and that's just a part of the human condition. It helps people move on with their lives. No, what's really bugging me is that a political veteran like Joe Monahan is aware of all of the spending information, and yet gave Madrid a free ride on her ridiculous statement. Had it been a Republican making that statement, he would have been all over it. Instead, he let it go. Once again demonstrating a clear bias - especially, when it comes to Congresswoman Heather Wilson.

Now before some of you start leaving comments about my bias when it comes to Heather Wilson, let me just say it. I'm a HUGE supporter of Heather Wilson. I think she's GREAT. But, see that's one big difference between myself and Mr. Monahan. I don't try and portray myself to be something that I'm not. Mr. Monahan may have a certain Santa Fe County Sheriff fooled into thinking he's a "truthful" blogger, but the rest of us know better.

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.

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.