Back-and-forth between Luján and Wiviott continues

Democratic 3rd Congressional District candidates Ben R. Luján and Don Wiviott are sparring again, this time over who’s going to release information about his past to the public, and who’s going to do it first.

The spat began when Wiviott sent out a news release calling on Luján to release his college transcript and diploma “to ensure he graduated from New Mexico Highlands University.”

In a previous article in the Albuquerque Journal, Luján’s campaign had refused the request, calling it “irrelevant and a distraction.”

“If Ben Ray Luján has nothing to hide about his college degree, then he should release his transcripts and diploma and come clean with the voters of the 3rd Congressional District,” Wiviott campaign Spokesman Webster Cash said.

Luján’s campaign spokesman Mark Nicastre fired back that Luján would be happy to “send Don Wiviott an autographed photo, suitable for framing, of Commissioner Luján holding his college diploma” – but only after Wiviott released his tax returns, as the Luján campaign said he previously promised.

“In the meantime, Don Wiviott or any other interested parties can contact New Mexico Highlands University, who will confirm that Commissioner Luján earned his degree,” Nicastre said.

Nicastre didn’t respond when I asked whether Luján would also release his transcript.

The Luján news release referred to a Santa Fe New Mexican article in which Wiviott said he would release his tax returns.

“Given his record of unethical business practices, price-fixing and misleading advertisements, we understand why Don Wiviott would like to hide his full tax returns,” Nicastre said.

Wiviott spokesman Cash fired back again:

“Plain and simple, we asked the Luján campaign to release their candidate’s transcript and they completely dodged the request. If they have nothing to hide, then they should stop diverting attention away from the matter at hand and make Ben Ray Luján’s transcript available,” he said. “Once the Luján campaign complies with our original request and makes his transcript and diploma public, we would be glad to release all pertinent tax information. While we certainly have nothing to hide, it’s obvious the

Luján campaign can’t say the same.”

I’m in Las Cruces, so I haven’t been inundated with the television ads and much of the other negative back-and-forth between these two candidates, and I’m still sick of it. Both should release their information – Luján his transcript and diploma and Wiviott his tax returns – and while they’re at it, Wiviott should release his transcript and diploma and Luján should release his tax returns.

Unfortunately, at this late date, it appears likely that both have dodged having to release that information before the primary. I wonder why they didn’t want to do it.

Wiviott is also taking fire for dodging debates, which you can read about by clicking here. And Luján is up with a new TV ad. Here it is:

Update, 3:05 p.m.

The Wiviott campaign has released the candidate’s high-school and college transcripts to me, but has only authorized me to release them publicly if Luján also releases his transcripts.