Lyons joins Richardson and Madrid in the hot seat over questionable campaign contributions

State Land Commissioner Patrick Lyons is under fire for intervening in a lawsuit in 2004 for a landowner who gave him campaign contributions before, during and after the court battle.

Lyons said the contributions had nothing to do with his action, but that darned appearance of impropriety that has plagued Gov. Bill Richardson and Attorney General Patricia Madrid, both Democrats, now finds its way to the doorstep of Republican Lyons, though the donations are smaller than some of those that have haunted the two Democrats.

According to a weekend article in the Santa Fe New Mexican, Lyons took $250 from Mike Machenbier of the Four Daughters Ranch in Valencia County in 2004, during a court battle with the Isleta Pueblo over access to a road. Then, between October 2005 and June 2006, he accepted several contributions totaling $4,225.

Lyon’s opponent in this year’s election, Democrat Jim Baca, called it an “ethical lapse” by Lyons.

“There’s certainly the appearance of a conflict of interest,” Baca told the newspaper. “When the state land commissioner enters a case as a friend of the plaintiff while receiving contributions, I think the best thing to do would be to return the money.”

This is one of only two cases in which Lyons has intervened as land commissioner. Still, he told the newspaper, “There’s no connection. Mike Mechenbier is a good Republican, a rancher, a hunter and a friend of mine for a long time.”

Mechenbier, one of the largest land owners in the state, told the newspaper the same.

“I’ve given Pat money before and after,” he said. “I don’t think it’s fair to single out one contribution.”

He said he supports Lyons because both are ranchers, and said he isn’t a fan of Baca.

Lyons and Mechenbier said state intervention in the lawsuit was necessary to protect access the pueblo threatened to cut off to state land and land owned by Mechenbier.

The New Mexican reported that Mechenbier has a history of political donations, the bulk of them going to Republican candidates.

Since 2004, he has given $2,500 to the Republican National Committee, $6,000 to the GOP (Congressional) Campaign Committee of New Mexico, $5,500 to U.S. Rep. Heather Wilson, R-N.M., and $1,000 to U.S. Sen. Pete Domenici, R-N.M.

In state races in 2002, he gave $2,500 to Richardson’s Republican opponent for governor and $2,000 to the Republican candidate for attorney general.

But he also gave to some Democrats. In fact, in 2002 he gave $1,000 to Lyons’ opponent, Democrat Art Trujillo, while giving only $290 to Lyons, his supposed longtime friend, according to the newspaper.

As I wrote earlier, these donations are dwarfed by some of the massive and questionable gifts given to Richardson and Madrid. But they still raise questions about when it’s appropriate to accept money and when donations should be rejected.

Lyons wouldn’t feel the loss of returning the money. He has raised more than $500,000 for his campaign, and Baca has very little in the bank.