Duran accepts judge’s sentence, must report to jail Friday
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Former Secretary of State Dianna Duran won’t back out of a plea agreement that led to a 30-day jail sentence, which means she’ll be incarcerated beginning Friday. Continue Reading
In Calif. community, an epidemic of questionable arrests by school police
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The arrests by school police were so numerous in this high-desert region known as the Inland Empire that they surpassed arrests of juveniles by municipal police in some of California’s biggest cities. Continue Reading
Ethics reform: If not now, when?
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This year’s scandal involving the state’s top ethics officer ought to spur reform in the state’s inadequate campaign finance reporting system, better enforcement of the laws, and, finally, the establishment of an independent ethics commission. Continue Reading
Senator’s defense of Duran has me questioning if he’s fit for office
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N.M. State Sen. Bill Sharer says Dianna Duran “didn’t harm anyone but herself.” Does he not understand the concept of public trust? Continue Reading
ABQ Councilor Brad Winter named secretary of state
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Gov. Susana Martinez appointed Brad Winter to be New Mexico’s next secretary of state on Tuesday. Many NMPolitics.net readers said they were happy with the choice. Continue Reading
The narco-terror trap: Is DEA stopping threats or staging them?
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The DEA warns that drugs are funding terror. An examination of cases raises questions about whether the agency is stopping threats or staging them. Continue Reading
Two wrongs don’t make a right
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The kid who allegedly firebombed a mosque in the Coachella Valley fed right into that false narrative that DAESH (that group in Syria and Iraq that attacked several places in Paris) is feeding to potential recruits. Continue Reading
Duran sentenced to 30 days in jail, but could fight incarceration
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Former Secretary of State Dianna Duran, who illegally used campaign funds to keep her personal bank account in the black while gambling at New Mexico casinos, has until Wednesday to decide whether to spend 30 days in jail or withdraw her guilty plea and instead go to trial. Continue Reading
Why counting mass shootings is a bad way to understand gun violence in America
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It glosses over the broader reality of who is most at risk of being murdered with guns.
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Lawmakers protect title loan firms while borrowers pay sky-high interest rates
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Title lenders have fended off tighter state oversight of their operations behind millions of dollars in campaign contributions, aggressive challenges to regulators who seek to rein them in and by writing loan contracts that leave aggrieved borrowers with little legal recourse. Continue Reading
Let Hanukkah be a reminder that we can coexist in harmony
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We can all be like the candles on a menorah, offering warmth and the promise of unity and respect towards one another. Continue Reading
Jail director is accused of misusing funds, not pocketing them
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The administrator of Doña Ana County’s jail, who is facing a second-degree felony charge of embezzlement or fraud over $20,000, isn’t accused of pocketing that money. Continue Reading
Bipartisan education bill is a great gift for New Mexico students
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Bipartisan legislation passed by Congress empowers educators as trusted professionals to make school and classroom decisions, while keeping the focus on students most in need. Continue Reading
This isn’t the way to handle a high-profile public corruption case
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To avoid a real or perceived conflict, the Doña Ana County sheriff and district attorney need to ask someone else to take over their high-profile investigation of county government. Continue Reading
Don’t keep people out of America because of their religious beliefs
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American embassy personnel are experienced in the vetting process, have done it for decades, and it works. To deny someone the opportunity to come to this country based on religious beliefs is a failure of democracy and goes against the very grain of what we stand for as a nation. Continue Reading