Robles would be an excellent choice for high court

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It’s no secret that a number of judges from Doña Ana County have had ethical problems in recent years. Four have left their jobs and another has been disciplined as a result of ethical problems and allegations that included drug use, sexual harassment and mixing personal business with the elected position. When one district judge, two magistrate judges and two Las Cruces municipal judges were simultaneously embroiled in scandal a couple of years ago, a longtime politico from Santa Fe told me he would be tempted to believe the entire judiciary in Doña Ana County was corrupt, except for one thing: He knew Robert E. Robles, the chief judge of the county’s Third Judicial District Court, to be a man of integrity. Robles has applied for the vacancy on the state Supreme Court created by the death of Justice Pamela B. Minzner. He would be an excellent choice. Continue Reading

Guv touts strong fundraising, still stagnant in polls

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Gov. Bill Richardson says he will raise more than $6 million in the third quarter of 2007, even as his campaign has stagnated in the polls. In an interview with the Associated Press, the governor said he is making a “mad dash” at the end of the fundraising quarter that ends Sept. 30 and will raise between $6 million and $7 million – about what he raised in each of the first two quarters of the year. A look at his schedule reveals the shift from campaigning to fundraising. Though Richardson has spent much of the quarter in Iowa and New Hampshire at campaign events, he plans in the next nine days only one-day trips to each of those states to attend debates. Continue Reading

Veteran’s activist many not run for Congress after all

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A prominent Vietnam veteran who said in July he was running against U.S. Rep. Steve Pearce, R-N.M., is having second thoughts. Rick Bolaños said today he is undecided about whether he wants to join two other Democrats in the race because he’s having a hard time lining up the support he needs. “We’ll probably know in the next 10 days,” Bolaños said. Bolaños told me in mid-July that he was “absolutely” running and would officially declare his candidacy within days, but it never happened. Since then, Bolaños has not attended a number of Democratic Party events, including the recent Labor Day breakfast in Las Cruces. Continue Reading

City election forum to be televised live

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A forum involving candidates running in the Nov. 6 Las Cruces municipal election will be televised live. The League of Women Voters of Greater Las Cruces forum will be held on Oct. 9 from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. in the council chambers at City Hall, 200 N. Church St. It will also be broadcast live on Comcast cable channel 20, the city’s government access channel, the first time in Las Cruces that such a forum will be televised live. Continue Reading

Watchdog group lists Pearce, Domenici and Wilson among the 22 most corrupt members of Congress

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A Washington-based watchdog group released today its list of the 22 most corrupt members of the United States Congress. New Mexico’s three Republicans all made the list. It was no surprise to see U.S. Sen. Pete Domenici and Rep. Heather Wilson on the list, which was compiled by Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington. The group filed formal complaints against Domenici and Wilson in March over their involvement in the U.S. attorney scandal. But the complaint against U.S. Rep. Steve Pearce involves allegations that have been previously unknown to the general public, and at least one of the allegations could be serious. Continue Reading

Congress must act on immigration reform

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The American Civil Liberties Union wants us to believe that it is entirely inappropriate and irresponsible for sheriff’s deputies in Doña Ana and Otero counties to assist the federal government in policing immigrant neighborhoods. And the Otero County sheriff wants us to believe his office is being unfairly criticized and there’s nothing wrong with state deputies detaining violators of federal immigration law when they come across them. Both oversimplify a complicated problem created by a Congress that is in dereliction of its duty by failing to invest the time and effort necessary to reach a compromise and approve comprehensive immigration reform. What has happened is this: A federal grant is being provided to some local law enforcement agencies along the border to help them deal with the increase in crime that comes from having high numbers of undocumented immigrants living in hiding. It’s true that such immigrants are often victims of robbery, false imprisonment, domestic violence and, in some cases, even more serious crimes such as rape. Continue Reading

Cop involved in Victoria’s citation arrested for DWI

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One of two police officers involved in issuing a citation in May to a bar owned by Senate Majority Whip Mary Jane Garcia was arrested on Saturday for drunken driving – the second time he’s faced DWI charges. Sgt. Conrad Chavira, a supervisor in the Special Investigations Division, has been placed on administrative duty after being arrested in Ruidoso on Saturday. He was not on duty when, according to police, he was on his motorcycle and tried to avoid a DWI checkpoint. Chavira, according to the Santa Fe New Mexican, had a blood-alcohol level of 0.13. Continue Reading

Ethics reform: The time is now

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By Matt Brix Given the intense public interest in ethics during 2006, and the role the issue played in the federal mid-term elections last fall, more than a few voters hoped the matter could be resolved quickly this year. The answer most people were looking for was comprehensive reform. Alas, here we are in September 2007. The ethics drumbeat only grows louder, and major reform is still needed. Some notable progress has been made. Continue Reading

Pearce fundraiser co-host raises some GOP eyebrows

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A fundraiser being held for U.S. Rep. Steve Pearce, R-N.M. on Friday in Roswell is drawing raised eyebrows from some Republicans who live in the eastern part of the state. Among those hosting the event are GOP activists Diane and Dick Taylor, according to the event invitation. Dick Taylor is a Chaves County Commissioner. His wife is currently in a pre-prosecutorial diversion program after admitting to voter fraud earlier this year. You might recall Pearce helping arrange last fall for a House committee to hold a meeting on voter identification and fraud in Las Cruces. Continue Reading

Judge Robles applies for Supreme Court vacancy

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Robert E. Robles, who has been chief judge of the Third Judicial District Court in Doña Ana County for eight years, wants to be the first person from the southern part of the state to be appointed to the New Mexico Supreme Court since 1975. Robles, 57, has applied for the vacancy created last month by the death of Justice Pamela B. Minzner. “Representing the State of New Mexico as a justice on the Supreme Court would be the culmination of a lifelong dream,” Robles wrote in his application. The deadline to apply for the appointment is 5 p.m. today. A judicial selection committee will meet in Santa Fe on Sept. Continue Reading

Approving ethics reform is the right thing to do

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I didn’t realize that 88 percent of New Mexico’s Democrats are members of the media and special interest groups. But that’s apparently what state Senate Majority Leader Michael Sanchez, D-Belen, believes. According to the Santa Fe New Mexican, Sanchez said during Friday’s meeting of the legislative Ethics Subcommittee that only special interest groups and the media are pushing certain ethics reform proposals. A recent Albuquerque Journal poll, however, found that 88 percent of members of Sanchez’s political party in New Mexico want ethics reform. And they didn’t just vaguely agree to the general concept: Those 88 percent answered “yes” when asked specifically if they want reforms including campaign contribution limits, new restrictions on lobbyists and creation of a state ethics commission. Continue Reading

DA wants outside prosecutor to take Foley case

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It appears that the criminal case against House Minority Whip Dan Foley may go forward after all. I reported at the end of August that the district attorney’s office in Roswell was reviewing the case and conducting further investigation to determine whether there was enough evidence to support criminal charges. That office has apparently decided there is evidence to charge the GOP representative, the Roswell Daily Record is reporting. Ken Roberts, an investigator for the district attorney’s office, told the newspaper “There will be charges filed.” But Fifth Judicial District Attorney Floyd “Terry” Haake told the newspaper he wants the case moved out of Chaves County to ensure politics does not affect the legal process, and said he’s looking for another prosecutor to take the case. Haake admitted that he and Foley have “had contact,” so it’s best if he doesn’t prosecute. Continue Reading

Grant County Dem chair enters gubernatorial race

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The chairman of Grant County’s Democratic Party has decided to join two New Mexico titans in the race to be the party’s 2010 gubernatorial candidate. Carlos Provencio announced his candidacy over the weekend. “My motive is to give the people of New Mexico a real choice,” he wrote in an e-mail to supporters. “I hope to organize statewide around the issues of campaign reform, universal health care and the board of regents (of universities) being elected by the people rather than appointed by the governor.” Lt. Gov. Diane Denish has already raised more than $1.5 million for her 2010 gubernatorial run. Albuquerque Mayor Martin Chávez is also raising money and traveling the state, though he has not formally announced his candidacy and says he’s still considering whether to run. Continue Reading

Poll reveals tight race between Mattiace, Miyagishima

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Last week’s non-scientific poll on this site points to what may be a very tight race between Bill Mattiace and Ken Miyagishima for Las Cruces mayor. However, the poll did not account for the candidacy of the lesser-known Jon Mercurio, who announced his candidacy mid-week. There’s also the possibility that other candidates will emerge on or before the Sept. 25 filing date. Regardless, of 177 voters in last week’s poll, 91, or 51 percent, said Miyagishima would win the Nov. Continue Reading