Gov. Bill Richardson unveiled the names of members of his ethics task force late Monday. He made some impressive choices.
Common Cause Executive Director Matt Brix, Chief Deputy Attorney General Stuart Bluestone and Judicial Standards Commission Executive Director Jim Noel bring credibility to a task force that has already been accused of being nothing more than a diversion from the governor’s own ethical challenges.
Task force member and Albuquerque City Councilor Brad Winter has been praised lately by the GOP for being a Republican’s Republican. While other party members on the council have voted with the Democrats recently, he has held out, making him an interesting addition to the task force.
One item that’s noteworthy because it doesn’t deserve praise: Richardson named two powerful, veteran Democratic legislators – Sen. Dede Feldman and Rep. Ken Martinez – to the task force, but chose two less-experienced Republicans – Sen. Gay Kernan and Rep. Kathy McCoy. Why not Sen. Lee Rawson from Las Cruces?
Here’s the complete list:
Co-Chairs
• Former Gov. Garrey Carruthers, dean of the New Mexico State University School of Business Administration and Economics
• Suellyn Scarnecchia, dean of the University of New Mexico School of Law
Task Force Members
• Chief Deputy Attorney General Stuart Bluestone
• Barbara Brazil, president, New Mexico First
• Matt Brix, executive director, Common Cause
• Marilyn Budke
• John Carey, president and CEO, Association of Commerce and Industry
• Sen. Dede Feldman, D-Albuquerque
• Mary Graña
• Sen. Gay Kernan, R-Hobbs
• Rep. W. Ken Martinez, D-Grants
• Rep. Kathy McCoy, R-Cedar Crest
• Jim Noel, executive director of the Judicial Standards Commission
• Leonard Sanchez, CPA, Moss-Adams+Neff LLP
• Ron Solimon, president and CEO, Indian Pueblo Cultural Center
• Stuart Udall
• Brad Winter, Albuquerque City Council member
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I called last week for the governor and his Republican opponent in November, J.R. Damron, to voluntarily agree to limit the size of campaign donations and their overall spending, to disclose campaign contributions on the Internet within 48 hours, and to disclose all travel paid for by outside interests.
And I quoted a couple of sources who doubt the governor’s motivations in putting together an ethics task force. One pointed out that the governor has called for some changes in ethics law that are contrary to his prior actions, and the other predicted that the governor is trying to look tough without actually being tough, and the task force won’t do any real work.
One politico called to tell me he sympathizes with Richardson. Politicians have goals. Some want to preserve the environment. Others want to criminalize abortion. Some want to create jobs.
Richardson wants to be elected president and create a few jobs in the process.
How do you do that while maintaining ethical standards in a system dominated by corporate money? Should a politician spend all his political capital on ethics reform, or should he focus on other issues?
The source argued that it’s not Richardson, the legislature or an ethics task force that has the power to clean up state government.
“If the American people are going to keep supporting the candidate who raises the most money, what are you going to do about it?” he asked. “I’ll admit, I feel pressured if someone gives me a lot of money. I feel pressured, even if there’s nothing overt.”
The age-old question in politics, he said, is when to compromise and when to stand firm. Without taking campaign contributions and corporate money, the other issues don’t matter much, he said, because those candidates won’t get elected.
He’s right about one thing: Corporate money rules politics in America because Americans allow it. As long as public cynicism of politics translates into doing nothing, the door is open for corporate money and lobbyists to take control.
We have a duty not only to vote, but to be actively involved in politics. Our absence creates a void that is filled by corporations that only care about making money.
At the same time, I would argue that Richardson should spend all his political capital on cleaning up state ethics. Take the influence of lobbyists and corporate money out of politics, and decisions suddenly become about doing the right thing rather than staying in office. Debate on every issue becomes about merit, rather than money.
Then again, most would say Richardson isn’t willing to spend all his political capital to clean up state ethics laws. He needs corporate money for his next project.
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Changing subjects, Bob Schwartz has a new job, a month after dropping out of the Republican primary in the attorney general race. The former district attorney and state crime adviser to Richardson was trounced in the pre-primary nominating convention by Jim Bibb because of his ties to the Richardson administration.
He’s back.
Schwartz began work last week in the Regulation and Licensing Department, Superintendent Edward Lopez confirmed Monday in response to my question. Schwartz will serve as a prosecutor in the department, focused on arguing at hearings for tough sanctions against liquor establishments that serve alcohol to minors and intoxicated persons.
Lopez said Schwartz will also be tasked with assisting him in defining the department’s role in “the governor’s war on DWI.”
“This sends a clear message to all with liquor licenses in the state that we’re serious,” Lopez said.
Schwartz will be paid about $71,000 annually for his work.
Schwartz and Lopez are both moderate Republicans who have chosen to work in Richardson’s administration despite opposition from their party. But if they can help make a difference by cracking down on bars and stores that have ignored liquor laws in the past, who cares what some Republicans think about them.
After all, politics should be about making a difference, right?
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I didn’t write today about the immigrant boycott because not much happened that wasn’t expected. Some protested. Some stayed home from work. Most didn’t.
Thanks for reading today. Keep telling your friends about my blog, and come back tomorrow for more.