I didn’t realize that 88 percent of
But that’s apparently what state Senate Majority Leader Michael Sanchez, D-Belen, believes. According to the Santa Fe New Mexican, Sanchez said during Friday’s meeting of the legislative Ethics Subcommittee that only special interest groups and the media are pushing certain ethics reform proposals.
A recent Albuquerque Journal poll, however, found that 88 percent of members of Sanchez’s political party in
That’s an overwhelming majority. When was the last time that many Democrats in this state agreed on anything, besides perhaps a desire to get out of
Sanchez wasn’t the only one at Friday’s meeting to point the finger at the media and other groups. House Minority Whip Dan Foley, according to the newspaper, agreed that the pressure is coming from public advocacy groups and the media.
“But less and less is required of the media,” the newspaper quoted Foley as saying. “Nobody’s calling to find out about these media outlets. … Is there a way to provide a requirement of more disclosure for the media? They should be required to disclose as much as they’re saying we should. What’s good for the goose is good for the gander.”
That’s the sort of tactic Sen. John Arthur Smith took during this year’s session in arguing against open conference committees. It’s a bogus argument: Media outlets aren’t funded with taxpayer dollars. Government is. It’s that simple.
I understand Foley is under fire in his community of
According to the New Mexican, Senate Minority Leader Stuart Ingle of Portales jumped on that train of discussion, however, by saying that he has known “very few (legislators) who aren’t ethical,” but he said “a list of honest people wouldn’t make the newspapers.”
First of all, should we, following that logic, get rid of laws that make homicide illegal because very few people commit murder?
Second, and, again, with all due respect, at least two media outlets – this site and the Farmington Daily Times – recently reported on House Minority Leader Tom Taylor donating land to San Juan County for a meth treatment facility out of the goodness of his heart and to avoid the appearance of impropriety that might come with selling the land to the county.
Legislature has ethical problems
But the reality is that there are some ethical problems that need addressed. It was common during this year’s session for opponents of ethics reform to say the Legislature had no problems. At the time, Rep. Richard Vigil was already embroiled in a scandal that has since resulted in the indictments of his wife and others on felony charges for, in part, misusing capital outlay money he appropriated to them.
Since then, former Senate President Manny Aragon has been indicted in the Bernalillo County Metro Court scandal, and I’ve reported on the inappropriate actions Senate Majority Whip Mary Jane Garcia, who hauled state officials from Santa Fe to a meeting in Las Cruces weeks after her bar was cited for serving an intoxicated person so she and other industry representatives and lawmakers from around the state could berate them, accuse them of unfair treatment and complain about overly strict regulations.
Clearly, the Legislature is not immune from the ethical problems that have plagued the executive and judicial branches of state government in recent years.
A presenter at Friday’s meeting was right on in her response to the statements of lawmakers.
“You shouldn’t (pass legislation) because of pressure,” said Peggy Kerns, director of the National Conference of State Legislatures’ Center for Ethics in Government. “You should be doing it because it’s the right thing to do.”
She’s right. It’s that simple.