Susana Martinez
Public corruption is a deep and unacceptable scourge that has befallen New Mexico and threatens every aspect of life in our state. This corruption has resulted in inflated budgets and costs that are passed onto every one of us in the form of higher taxes and lost jobs. In a time of historic budget deficits, the consequences are catastrophic.
There has been a massive failure on the part of the Richardson/Denish Administration in this area resulting in one of the most corrupt state governments in New Mexico history where “pay-to-play” has become a household term.
Some in state government feel they are above the law. They have abused their positions and the public trust and left our state weakened and vulnerable in pursuit of personal gain.
To rectify this, I have established a framework that allows us to reform how state government functions so we can eliminate corruption and deliver bold change for New Mexico.
We must restore integrity and trust in our government. That starts on day one of a Martinez Administration as real leadership with a record of fighting malfeasance and holding people to account will arrive in Santa Fe. The acceptance of a culture of corruption will finally come to an end, and a new culture of zero tolerance and responsibility will be instilled in the Roundhouse as we once again serve the people we represent.
Here’s my plan:
Meaningful enforcement
Public corruption is a serious crime and must be treated as such. We must strengthen our enforcement mechanisms and provide real consequences for corruption. There will be zero tolerance for violating the public trust in a Martinez Administration.
- Failure to Report: Elected officials have a responsibility to the public to report crimes of violating the public trust. Failure to report these acts should be a crime.
- Loss Of contract status/lobbyist registration: Lifetime ban for any contractor of the state or lobbyist convicted of violating the public trust.
- Public corruption division: A new public corruption division should be created within the New Mexico State Police. The division will be charged with collecting tips from the public on government corruption through a new public corruption hotline, investigating acts that violate the public trust and referring any cases for prosecution to the proper authority.
- Harsh sentences for public corruption: For public officials or public employees convicted of violating the public trust, the sentence should be severe. For each of these individuals they should face harsh felony consequences along with minimum mandatory imprisonment.
- Increased penalties: For any elected official or public employee convicted of violating the public trust for personal gain, they must surrender their accrued pensions as well as face a fine not greater than their salary.
- Elected official removal from office: Those convicted of a crime for any felony or crime of moral turpitude while serving in office should be immediately removed from office upon conviction and barred from elective office for life.
Eliminating conflicts of interest
- Disclosing and avoiding conflicts: All appointed members of the Martinez administration will file personal financial disclosure information to ensure their work for the public does not benefit themselves, their family or their business associates. All financial disclosure statements will be posted online for easy access by the public.
- Capital outlay reform: We must eliminate conflicts from the capital outlay process. Legislators should be prohibited from appropriating funds that benefit any private company or organization with whom they have financial interests or government entity controlled by relatives. Each capital outlay request must have an affidavit by the sponsoring legislator stating that they, their family or business associates will not benefit from the capital outlay funds. Those found in violation of the policy will face penalties.
Political campaign reform
- Campaign report examinations: Currently, the secretary of state must examine 10 percent of all campaign reports at random. These examinations should be posted online with a report of how many were conducted, what discrepancies were discovered and what is being done to remedy the problems that were uncovered.
- Increased campaign reporting: Campaign contributions too often fly under the radar in New Mexico, with too much time between reporting cycles, especially in non-election years. To help increase transparency we need to move to a year-round, real-time campaign reporting system. This will help to identify who is giving to campaigns and who is receiving, helping to root out pay-to-play issues.
Lobbying reform
- Implement cooling-off period: Legislators and members of a Martinez Administration will be prohibited from lobbying for two years after leaving the Legislature or leaving the administration. By implementing a two-year waiting period before legislators and members of the executive can become lobbyists, it will ensure that we close any revolving doors and ensure there have been no inappropriate relationships between those in decision-making positions and those seeking to do business with the state. Currently legislators are excluded from this provision in the Governmental Conduct Act.
- Limit government lobbying: Currently, state agencies are allowed to utilize the services of paid lobbyists to advocate for or against bills during a legislative session. No department or agency should be allowed to use taxpayer funds to lobby the Legislature. Cabinet officials and departments of government have many talented individuals who are experts in their field. As a savings to state government these secretaries, deputy secretaries or department heads should be the advocates for their agencies in front of the Legislature, not paid contract lobbyists.
Open government
- Webcasting of meetings: All meetings of the Legislature that are webcast should be archived online, bringing people closer to the workings of state government regardless of where they live. Recently the Legislature opened their doors for the first time to live broadcasts of their meetings online to help people watch and listen to the Legislature in action. The governor and executive branch of government should follow their lead and open up meetings of executive boards and commissions to the public by streaming them online.
- Create an online, real-time checkbook: If New Mexico is to become truly transparent, our online checkbook must have real-time information, similar to the award-winning operation created by Missouri. Transparency at all levels of state government is necessary, but especially so in our budgeting and spending process.
- Contracts Online: All government contracts should be available online in an easy-to-search database. Currently only state contracts of $20,000 or greater are posted online.
Clean government
- Reduce/eliminate political positions: Over the last eight years, the number of political appointees has exploded under the Richardson/Denish Administration. We must reduce or eliminate many of these positions. We must have greater reliance on merit, qualification and experience as factors in the hiring of state government positions, rather than on political connections.
- Strengthen the governmental conduct act: Currently, only legislators are required to undergo ethics training every two years. All state elected officials, political appointees and state employees should take ethics training, attending a minimum of two hours of ethics and professionalism continuing education and training each year.
- Eliminate finder’s fees: New Mexico needs a strong law eliminating the use of finder’s fees in state investments. The State Investment Council has implemented a policy against this practice, but the only way to strengthen this policy is to place it in law and institute harsh penalties for violating it.
Martinez is the Republican nominee for governor.