White is clearly the best choice in CD1 race

By Dan Foley

I have to tell you how surprised I have been to hear Martin Heinrich claim he was not a lobbyist. If you are paid to influence elected officials, I believe that qualifies you as a lobbyist. There is no exception because you lobbied on behalf of the environment.

Give me a break. Whenever Heinrich got his paycheck each month, you can bet it wasn’t signed by “The Environment.” This just goes to highlight the problems of hypocrisy the Democrats are going to face as they continue to try to attack Republicans at every turn. People who live in glass houses shouldn’t throw stones.

You are seeing some local Democrats trying to take a page from the national Democratic playbook by trying to lump all New Mexico Republicans in the same group and attacking them for things that have happened in Washington. The big problem for the Democrats on this count is that, in New Mexico, it is the Democrats who are doing these things. After all, Democrats have had a stranglehold on the state for 78 years and counting. As the Democrats try to tie New Mexicans to the ethical issues facing some nationally known Republicans and Democrats, they forget that those kinds of problems in New Mexico are all about Democrats, not Republicans.

Shall we start with the former state treasurer’s office, some of whose members are serving jail time? They’re all Democrats, as far as I know. The big trial coming up deals with former Senate President Pro-tem Manny Aragon, a Democrat. How about the housing authority scandal that has slowly ridden into the sunset at a cost of a few million dollars to taxpayers? All Democrats.

I believe you are going to see more coming in the near future dealing with Democratic elected officials and their “friends” who are also Democrats. Heinrich and others in New Mexico have a problem talking scandal in New Mexico because all the famous cases involve Democrats.

Instead of attacking Darren White, whose record as an outstandingly effective and highly popular sheriff is above reproach, Martin Heinrich and his buddies should look within their own party. If they are true “reformers” who want to clean up something, they should start with the Democratic Party of New Mexico. In fact, they should be distancing themselves from the New Mexico Democratic Party and spending less time attacking folks like Darren White. White has a distinguished record of working for the people of New Mexico and truly standing up for the people, even when it has meant disagreeing with those in his own party.

Heinrich hasn’t stood up to Democratic corruption

When has Martin Heinrich stood up against corruption in his own party? What has Heinrich ever even said about it? Nothing, on both counts. It isn’t because there haven’t been lots of opportunities for Heinrich to take a stand. He just hasn’t. Long ago, Heinrich should have condemned, or at least distanced himself, from corrupt, business-as-usual politics in this state, but he’s ducked that opportunity every time. Not exactly a courageous public official.

Instead, because all his handlers are from the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee, all he wants to do is attack Darren White. That’s just a standard play the DCCC makes all over the country. And it’s great evidence that Heinrich’s handlers have little knowledge of New Mexico, and even less interest in it.

His record as a city councilor, lobbyist and radical environmentalist shows that Martin Heinrich is not ready to serve in any national position. Tremendous corruption has been swirling all around him within his own party, yet he has been notably silent. Not one peep. He has consistently refused to do for the citizens of this state what he supposedly is paid to do for microscopic herbs and minnows: He has failed to protect us, or speak on our behalf, even once.

Compare his record to that of Darren White, who quit his job over a difference of opinion with his boss, Gov. Gary Johnson, on drug policy. Martin Heinrich has allegedly worked to protect plants and animals — though in reality most of the so-called environmental work in this state has been centered around keeping northern New Mexicans from gathering firewood — while Darren White worked to protect schools, kids, families and New Mexicans.

The choice seems simple

While Martin Heinrich was devoting himself to memorizing lines from the George Soros playbook of the Far Left — including things like closing off forests to hunters, hikers and families — Darren White was serving in the United States Army protecting Martin Heinrich’s right to “lobby,” or maybe in Heinrich’s view, his right to “just visit with elected officials.”

Martin Heinrich should be making a strong effort to explain to everyone in the 1st Congressional District why or how he is different, somehow or some way, from the folks who are raising money for him. He could tell us what in his record indicates that he will actually stand up for New Mexicans when he gets to Washington. This will probably be a difficult task, considering the many opportunities he has had — and has missed — to stand up for us.

In the final analysis, the choice seems simple in this race. If you want someone who has been paid to publish talking points about minnows while making sure that the very people who actually care for the environment and take care of it are banned from using land, then your next congressman should be Martin Heinrich. But if you want a person who is going to stand up to anyone and everyone he thinks is wrong, even those in his own party, a person who understands what it means to wear the uniform, to protect our country and to protect our city and county, then your choice is also pretty clear. It’s Darren White.

Foley, a Republican, is the outgoing minority whip in the New Mexico House of Representatives.