By Keegan King and Eli Il Yong Lee
Over the past week, media outlets have reported Sen. Lee Rawson’s dissatisfaction over mail pieces we sent and radio commercials we ran about the senator’s record. The claims made by Sen. Rawson about the issues we support, the kind of organization we are and the intent of our work merit correction.
We wish to set the record straight.
Like the vast majority of New Mexicans, we are deeply troubled by the rash of public-corruption scandals popping up at every level of government. Common-sense reforms like contribution limits for political campaigns are long overdue. Despite overwhelming public support, the work of bipartisan ethics reform task forces convened by Gov. Bill Richardson and co-chaired by former Gov. Garrey Carruthers, and despite the fact that 45 states and the federal government already have contribution limits,
One of the key recommendations of the 2006 and 2007 task forces chaired by Gov. Carruthers was to limit contributions. Both stressed the importance of treating corporations, unions, political parties, political action committees and individuals equitably in establishing the limits — no slanted playing field for any one entity.
Bills that Rawson opposed
During the 2007 legislative session, Senate Bill 800 followed closely the recommendations of the task force. It proposed identical limits on contributions to individuals from other individuals, unions, corporations, political parties and political action committees. It was a thoughtful piece of legislation and was endorsed by Gov. Carruthers and the attorney general’s office.
Now, 16 months after his opposition helped defeat SB800, Senator Rawson is making the claim that the limits bill would have harmed business and created an unfair advantage for unions. But the record is clear. The bill, which is available on the New Mexico Legislative Web site, as well as countless media stories published at the time of the debate, show that Sen. Rawson simply has his facts wrong.
The record shows that Senator Rawson sponsored an amendment to the contribution-limits bill delaying the effective date for 1,000 years. And what he said at the time he proposed the amendment is part of the record as well. He claimed the Senate needed “a little more time to get adjusted to the new rules.”
How is a dispassionate observer supposed to take Sen. Rawson’s treatment of a very serious bill? Sen. Rawson ultimately voted against contribution limits during the 2007 legislative session not once, but twice. And on that final occasion, the bill was defeated by a single vote.
Sen. Rawson’s record also shows him voting to defeat Senate Bill 474 during the 2008 legislative session. The bill would have required more transparency for consumers when they attempt to shop for the best value on health insurance. The bill would have let people know how much of their money was going toward actual health care, it would have given people information about how much specific companies had raised premiums over the past five years and it would have disclosed the commission fees of insurance brokers. If we can disclose broker fees on a home sale, why not do it for our health insurance?
It was a common-sense bill. Yet, Sen. Rawson voted against it and ultimately helped defeat it.
Campaign contributions
Our research shows that, over the past four years, Sen. Rawson has received tens of thousands of dollars from developers, insurance companies, pharmaceutical companies, utilities, oil and gas companies, banking and pay day lenders. With this research, we are compelled to ask why Sen. Rawson voted twice against contribution limits and against a consumer-friendly health care bill.
We stand by the factual accuracy of the record on both important pieces of legislation, as well as the source of Sen. Rawson’s campaign contributions. The public has a right to know this information.
Contrary to the characterizations, New Mexico Youth Organized is not a shadowy group from outside of the state. We are lifelong New Mexicans with deep roots in our home state. New Mexico Youth Organized is a project of the Center for Civic Policy. The Center for Civic Policy complies fully with all Internal Revenue Service regulations. It is also conducting an independent audit. Upon completion of this process, we will file all paperwork with both the state and the Internal Revenue Service. At that time, any member of the public can fully review all financial information about our organization, down to the last nickel.
We have a long and proud history of working for issues like ethics and health-care reform. It is our responsibility as a nonpartisan, nonprofit organization to educate the public about the voting records and contributions of elected officials, irrespective of party, whether elected officials like it or not. We intend to continue our work in earnest.
King is the executive director of New Mexico Youth Organized. Lee is the executive director of the Center for Civic Policy.