Here’s an interesting little side note related to Wednesday’s indictments of former Secretary of State Rebecca Vigil-Giron and others.
Vigil-Giron and the others indicted — lobbyists Joseph Kupfer and Elizabeth Kupfer and contractor Armando Gutierrez — co-hosted a fundraiser for Gov. Bill Richardson’s re-election campaign in 2006.
Three years ago, Democracy for New Mexico published an announcement about the Sept. 19, 2006 “Wine Tasting Reception and Fundraiser” in honor of Richardson. The announcement states that the event was hosted by “Rebecca Vigil-Giron and Armando and Dora Gutierrez, Joe and Daisy Kupfer and Patricia L. Chavez and Ray and Deb Baray.”
Daisy is Elizabeth Kupfer’s nickname, and Joseph Kupfer is her husband. Ray Baray worked for Vigil-Giron in the secretary of state’s office.
Vigil-Giron and the other defendants each face 50 counts including money laundering, fraud, soliciting or receiving kickbacks and tax evasion. They’re accused of bilking taxpayers out of millions of dollars between 2004 and 2006 by falsifying invoices to the secretary of state’s office.
The fundraiser could indicate a close relationship between the defendants. Perhaps that’s not surprising, but I thought it was noteworthy.