Domenici, shown here earlier today at the Domenici Public Policy Conference at New Mexico State University. (Photo by Heath Haussamen)
Former U.S. Sen. Pete Domenici, R-N.M., had little to say when asked today about two high-profile federal investigations, one of them involving him.
One is the ongoing investigation into whether any crimes were committed during the process that led to the 2006 firings of New Mexico’s David Iglesias and several other U.S. attorneys. The other is the probe into allegations of pay to play in the Richardson administration that recently ended with no charges being filed.
Some Republicans have questioned the reasons for the current Justice Department’s closing of the case against Richardson. In the other case, federal investigators have subpoenaed records from Domenici.
With that in mind, I wanted Domenici’s thoughts on both probes.
“I’d rather just say I’m not sufficiently informed,” Domenici said. “One thing that bothers me is they take too long — these processes take too long.”
People close to Richardson made similar complaints about the probe into the governor’s administration, which lasted about a year.
Domenici is one of the people at the center of the probe into the firings of the U.S. attorneys. Former U.S. Rep. Heather Wilson, R-N.M., and Domenici separately called Iglesias in October 2006 to discuss an ongoing criminal investigation involving a high-ranking Democrat. At the time, Wilson was in a tough re-election battle that she ended up winning by fewer than 1,000 votes out of about 211,000 cast.
Iglesias alleges that Domenici and Wilson pressured him to speed indictments against former state Senate President Manny Aragon and others involved in the case in an attempt to sway voters, a charge both deny. Days after the election, Iglesias was fired.
Earlier this year, a grand jury subpoenaed records from Domenici as part of its investigation, and some say charges against him are possible.