Prominent author tests waters for congressional run

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A nationally known fiction writer who lives in Albuquerque is testing the waters for a possible congressional run. Alisa Valdes-Rodriguez, author of the New York Times bestseller Dirty Girls Social Club and other books, wrote recently on her blog that she’s thinking about jumping into the Democratic primary for the seat being vacated by Heather Wilson. “So, after years of analysis and writing about the issues facing our nation, I, your favorite progressive bestselling Latina author and screenwriter, have begun to test the waters for a possible run for congress in NM District 01!” she wrote on her blog. “That’s the district man-handled by Heather Wilson (aka W’s mini-me) for so many years. Now, another Bushie wants the gig. Continue Reading

Comments are back, with a couple of changes

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Effective immediately, this site’s comments system has been reactivated. There are a couple of changes you should know about: • You must now have a Google account to submit comments for publication. If you don’t have an account, you can create one by clicking here. It’s free and easy. After you do that, you’ll be able to submit comments the same way you did before, with one exception: Underneath the box where you enter your comment, you’ll have to enter your Google username and password. Continue Reading

Cervantes, McCamley strong at first candidate forum

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Joseph Cervantes and Bill McCamley both gave strong performances during the first forum for Democratic candidates for the Second Congressional District seat being vacated by Steve Pearce. Al Kissling also did well – a sign that he’s come a long way from his failed 2006 run against Pearce. A prior commitment kept Harry Teague from attending the forum in Truth or Consequences, and the fifth candidate in the race, Frank McKinnon, said he’ll be happy to get out of the race as soon as one of the other candidates agrees to take up his most important issues – opposing two nuclear waste reprocessing plants being built in the southeastern corner of the state, phasing out the nuclear industry and improving government regulation of polluting industries. Cervantes used the two-hour forum to try to convince the approximately 40 people in attendance that his seven years in the Legislature – and record of results – makes him most qualified for the job. McCamley frequently cited his own accomplishments as a Doña Ana County commissioner in arguing that he’s the candidate with a proven record of results. Continue Reading

Mayor, councilors to hold town-hall meetings

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Las Cruces Mayor Ken Miyagishima is making good on his campaign promise to hold town-hall meetings in each district shortly after being elected. The city announced today the schedule for the district meetings, which will be held in December. Each will also be attended by the councilor who represents that district. Here’s the info: • District 2 – Dec. 4 at 6 p.m. at Club Fusion, 101 E. Union Ave. Continue Reading

Udall says he won’t respond to negative attacks

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U.S. Rep. Tom Udall said today he won’t respond to negative attacks that are coming at him from all sides as he formally begins his campaign for Senate. Udall made the comment during a phone interview today with New Mexico bloggers. He’s been under attack from the other Democrats in the race – Albuquerque Mayor Martin Chávez says he’s too liberal and has betrayed New Mexicans in supporting cuts at the state’s national laboratories, and alternative media publisher and editor Leland Lehrman says he lacks the courage and willingness to represent the state’s Democrats because he won’t support impeachment of the president and vice president. The Republicans in the race – U.S. Reps. Steve Pearce and Heather Wilson – have also been highly critical of the proposed lab cuts. Continue Reading

Lehrman to formally announce longshot Senate bid

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Alternative media publisher and editor Leland Lehrman will make official his longshot bid for the U.S. Senate seat being vacated by Pete Domenici with an announcement on Friday. Lehrman plans to make the announcement at the rotunda in the Roundhouse in Santa Fe at noon, and hold an interview with reporters beginning 30 minutes before that. He also plans a party at 7:30 p.m. at the Green Palace, 209 E. Palace Ave. in Santa Fe. Lehrman has a tough road ahead. Continue Reading

At crunch time, guv gets hot in Iowa, New Hampshire

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With 36 days until the Iowa Caucus and 41 days until the New Hampshire Primary, Gov. Bill Richardson is suddenly climbing in the polls and back on to the list of Democratic presidential candidates who must be taken seriously. Since he rearranged staff to increase his presence in Iowa and New Hampshire at the beginning of November, Richardson has climbed in polls in both states. On Nov. 9, his Real Clear Politics average of recent polls in Iowa was 7.8 percent, and his average of recent polls in New Hampshire was 6.8 percent. Today, his average in Iowa is 9.8 percent, and in New Hampshire it’s 8.5 percent. Continue Reading

Udall to announce Thursday in ABQ, Friday in Cruces

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U.S. Rep. Tom Udall, D-N.M., will kick off his campaign for the Senate seat being vacated by Pete Domenici with a formal announcement Thursday in Albuquerque, and he’ll make a stop in Las Cruces Friday morning. Udall will make the announcement at 11:45 a.m. Thursday at the National Hispanic Cultural Center in Albuquerque, according to a news release from his campaign. He will be at Roberto’s Mexican Food in Las Cruces at 8 a.m. Friday to formally announce his candidacy to voters here. Udall plans other stops in Los Lunas on Thursday, in Silver City and Clovis on Friday, and in Las Vegas, Mora, Taos and Santa Fe on Saturday. “As a prosecutor, state attorney general and congressman, I have stood strong for New Mexico values,” Udall said in the release. Continue Reading

Restricting ballot access may come back to bite Dems

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Ballot access is important for a healthy democracy. Voters can’t make choices they don’t have. In New Mexico, the leaders of the Democratic Party, which has controlled most of state government for some seven decades, haven’t exactly been champions for ballot access. Now that threatens to come back to bite them in a big way. The most recent move to restrict ballot access, approved by the Legislature and governor earlier this year, made it more difficult for many major-party candidates to get on the ballot. Continue Reading

AG says NMSU Foundation can keep donor info secret

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The Attorney General’s Office says the New Mexico State University Foundation can legally keep information about donors secret and NMSU did not violate the Inspection of Public Records Act in denying my request for such information. In a letter released Tuesday, Assistant Attorney General Elizabeth Glenn, director of the AG’s civil division, wrote that a state statute specifically allows educational foundations to keep information about donors secret. In response to other questions about NMSU’s handling of government transparency laws, Glenn wrote that the NMSU Board of Regents did violate the Open Meetings Act on July 17 but has not violated the Inspection of Public Records Act in handling several other requests related to university and foundation records. The opinion is not a formal, legal ruling, but it comes from the office responsible for prosecuting Open Meetings Act violations and assisting the public in questions on government transparency laws, so it is significant. The question of whether the foundation can legally keep information about donors secret has been an issue since the university started using money from secret donors in May for deferred compensation and a housing allowance for President Michael Martin. Continue Reading

Public money must be controlled by public bodies

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Decisions on how to spend public money must be made by public bodies. That’s the intent of our system of government, and it’s also, quite simply, what’s philosophically right. That’s why the Doña Ana County Board of Commissioners made a wise decision on Tuesday by indefinitely postponing action on a proposal to give an El Paso developer control over $128 million in public funds for infrastructure in the Santa Teresa area. The money would have been fronted by the Verde Group to build a sewer system, arsenic treatment plant and other infrastructure; then, 20 percent of gross-receipts-tax revenue collected from three districts in the area – two industrial and one residential and commercial – would have gone to repaying the developer. Each district would have been governed by a five-person board. Continue Reading

Watch video of Wilson’s visit to Las Cruces

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About 30 residents of Doña Ana County showed up at the Farm and Ranch Heritage Museum on Tuesday evening to meet U.S. Rep. Heather Wilson, who is running for the Senate seat being vacated by Pete Domenici. I’m going to let you see for yourself what Wilson said in the 11-minute video posted below, but I would tell you that the majority of questions she was asked related to immigration and border security. She also talked about veteran’s issues, education and the economy. Wilson let Republicans in the county know she was coming with a robocall the day before her visit, and she was scheduled to hold a fundraiser at La Posta restaurant in Mesilla following it. Here’s the video from the public meeting: Continue Reading

Harassment allegations catch up with PRC’s King

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A jury on Monday awarded $840,000 to a former state employee who claimed that Public Regulation Commissioner David King sexually harassed her. It’s the second time King has faced sexual harassment allegations. The state paid $305,000 in the early 1990s to settle sexual harassment allegations three women made against him when he was state treasurer. I think the situation pretty much speaks for itself. Though the Republican King was easily re-elected last year, he will have a difficult time if he runs for office in the future. Continue Reading

2nd District Democrats square off Wednesday in T or C

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Democratic candidates vying for the right to be their party’s nominee for the Second Congressional District seat being vacated by Steve Pearce will participate in their first forum Wednesday evening in Truth or Consequences. The forum, being put on by the Sierra County Democratic Party, will be held from 6-8 p.m. at the Sierra Grande Lodge, 501 McAdoo Street. State Rep. Joseph Cervantes, retired Presbyterian minister Al Kissling, Doña Ana County Commissioner Bill McCamley and Roswell businessman and retired teacher Frank McKinnon have all confirmed that they will attend the forum. Former Lea County Commissioner Harry Teague is unable to attend because of a prior commitment. Each candidate will give an introductory and closing statement. Continue Reading

Joy will seek to replace Miyagishima on city council

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Lawrence Joy became today the first person to formally announce his candidacy for the open District 6 seat on the Las Cruces City Council. An election will be held Jan. 15 to replace Ken Miyagishima, who was elected mayor earlier this month. Several others have said they’re considering running, but none have officially entered the race. Joy announced his candidacy today in a news release. Continue Reading