Former Public Regulation Commissioner Jerome Block Jr.
How did former Public Regulation Commissioner Jerome Block Jr. feed his prescription drug addiction? E-mails may shed light on the situation.
KOB-TV in Albuquerque has the scoop:
“Block said he was not the only cause of problems at the PRC and there is a lot more going on, ‘in some high places that people would be surprised at.’
“Several emails seem to substantiate that claim.
“In one, Block asked a former PRC employee to lend him ‘raffle tickets.’
“‘I need a huge favor man,’ Block writes. ‘Can you lend me a few of those raffle tickets until the morning when my paycheck comes in.’
“Block ended the email with a promise to pay promptly.
“‘I get a paycheck tomorrow. I guarantee I will give it to you first thing in the a.m. I’m not feeling good at all.’
“In a late summer e-mail, Block asked another PRC employee if they have any tickets.
“‘Do you have any tickets at all? Even Box seats?’”
Block wouldn’t directly answer when KOB asked if “tickets” was code for drugs, but did say the TV station “could very well be right when you say that.”
“You can read between the lines,” Block told KOB.
He also said he could not have attended as many events as mentioned in the e-mails obtained by KOB.
The PRC’s chief of staff, Johnny Montoya, was quoted by KOB as saying he wasn’t familiar with any code word used by staff and said he doesn’t “think there’s anything to this.” He called it “an attempt to continue to pile on to Commissioner Block.”