Several months ago, the Albuquerque-based Center for Civic Action stepped into the publishing business with Clearly New Mexico, a Web site and blog that opines from a progressive view on happenings in politics and government.
Today, the group unveiled its first in-depth attempt at impactful journalism.
The group hired Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist Eileen Welsome to look into the relationship between Albuquerque Mayor Martin Chávez and Marc Schiff, a former architect in
What Welsome found was a very close relationship between the two during the expensive construction of the Balloon Fiesta Park and Museum, but no smoking gun that proves wrongdoing.
Still, her report is quite an interesting read. Schiff was an influential and well-connected architect whose work on the Doña Ana County Government Center was also questionable. Any public project he worked on has to be viewed with suspicion, though Schiff’s attorney has told me Schiff was only involved in stealing money from taxpayers in the case of the courthouse in
Journalistic endeavors undertaken by groups that also lobby have to be scrutinized, and it’s fair to point out that the center is no fan of the mayor. Click here to learn more about the center.
Regardless, Welsome is a respected journalist, and she appears to have put together a solid piece of reporting that’s worth your time. Click here to read it.