Carol Sloan
The New Mexico Supreme Court on Wednesday removed Carol Sloan from her $90,000-a-year job as an elected member of the Public Regulation Commission after she was convicted in April of two felonies.
The move was a first in New Mexico. Convicted felons aren’t eligible to seek elected office, but what wasn’t clear was whether Sloan’s convictions while in office should immediately lead to her removal by the court, make her ineligible for re-election or whether her future should be up to the Legislature, which has impeachment power.
According to the Albuquerque Journal, Chief Justice Charles Daniels said the court believes its power is overlapping with that of the Legislature in such instances and it can remove elected officials convicted of felonies. A written, formal opinion is forthcoming.
The governor now gets to appoint a replacement for Sloan. Two candidates – Democrat Theresa Becenti-Aguilar and Republican Gary Montoya – are currently running for the position. The governor’s replacement would serve until the winner of that race takes office in January.
Sloan was convicted of attacking another woman with a rock because she believed the woman was having an affair with her husband. She is appealing the conviction.
She was sentenced to five years in prison – a sentence that was suspended as long as she completes five years of supervised probation and pays $3,500 in fines and court fees.