Bush to attend Domenici fundraiser in ABQ

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President Bush will visit Albuquerque in late August to attend a fundraiser for U.S. Sen. Pete Domenici, R-N.M., the Albuquerque Journal is reporting. Though the White House and Domenici’s campaign would not confirm the visit, the Journal reported that the campaign has been making calls to potential contributors about the visit and plans to mail out invitations soon. The planned visit comes as Domenici has decided to oppose Bush’s current strategy in Iraq. Domenici is now pushing for a goal of withdrawing all combat troops by March 2008 and implementation of other recommendations of the Iraq Study Group. Bush wants to wait until a planned review of a controversial troop surge in the fall before deciding whether to shift gears in Iraq. Continue Reading

Guv climbs in Colorado, New Jersey, not in Florida

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Polls continue to show Gov. Bill Richardson’s support edging closer to 10 percent in a number of states. The newest American Research Group poll of Colorado has Richardson’s support at 8 percent in that state, up from 2 percent in March. Hillary Clinton leads in that poll with 39 percent, Barack Obama has 22 percent and John Edwards has 10 percent. Fourteen percent are undecided. The poll of 600 likely Democratic primary voters, conducted from Sunday-Wednesday, has a margin of error of plus or minus 4 percent. Continue Reading

Four finalists named for Democratic Party director

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Former Secretary of State Rebecca Vigil-Giron won’t be the next executive director of the Democratic Party of New Mexico. A list of four finalists was released today. They are: • Michael Minh Nguyen of Washington, D.C. • Laura Sanchez of New Mexico • Art Terrazas of Anthony, N.M. • Nate Williams of Wisconsin Vigil-Giron and seven others failed to make it past a committee and to the last round. Party Chair Brian Colón will now interview the finalists and will make a decision soon. Continue Reading

Swickard was wrong to thank God for atomic bomb

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By Steve Klinger Michael Swickard’s column belittling “peaceniks” and thanking God for the atomic bomb evokes in me the kind of sinking feeling that goes along with the question: How can a reasonable person possibly reach these conclusions? Swickard’s approach to the question of whether the United States was right to unleash atomic weapons on Japan reveals a lot about the biases he brings to his argument. He begins by concluding that the atomic bomb should not have been tested in New Mexico because of unforeseen health consequences, including his suspicion that the resulting fallout caused his own thyroid cancer. But when it comes to whether civilians should ever be targets in a war, Swickard essentially says the ends justify the means, i.e., a nuclear attack was the only way to defeat the Japanese military. Swickard then makes the tired and unsubstantiated argument that some 800,000 American lives would have been lost in an invasion of Japan, and observes that the losses from the bombs dropped on Hiroshima and Nagasaki were “painful” but “minor” in comparison to the alternative. Continue Reading

Would Rounds consider leaving for APS job?

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Those who were just getting used to Stan Rounds being the superintendent of the Las Cruces Public Schools might be a little worried by comments he made in an article published today in the Albuquerque Journal. The current superintendent of the Albuquerque Public Schools is retiring next year. In an article examining the situation, the Journal noted that one of the names being circulated as a possible replacement is that of Rounds. The Journal even asked Rounds about the idea. “I’m tickled to death with my job here in Las Cruces,” he told the newspaper. Continue Reading

Ethics task force to meet Monday in Socorro

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Gov. Bill Richardson’s ethics task force is scheduled to meet Monday in Socorro. The meeting is being held halfway between Santa Fe and Las Cruces to give people from the southern part of the state a chance to have input. I’ll be attending Monday’s meeting and will report on it on Tuesday. Since I’ll be gone most of Monday, I won’t be updating this site much on that day. The meeting begins at 9:30 a.m. and will be held in the library at New Mexico Tech. Continue Reading

Judge in Foley case is pushing ethical limits

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The attorney for Dan Foley, the GOP state representative from Roswell who is facing charges of disorderly conduct, obstructing an officer and resisting arrest, has requested a postponement of his Aug. 2 trial date, the Roswell Daily Record is reporting. Municipal Judge Clyde McKee told the newspaper on Tuesday he hadn’t seen the request for a continuance but would most likely approve it. “I have no reason not to,” the newspaper quoted him as saying, adding that such requests are “normal procedure” and “usually not refused” when they’re reasonable. Foley’s attorney said he has about 50 witnesses to interview and needs more time. Continue Reading

King to consider legality of cabinet secretary pay

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It looks like Attorney General Gary King will be weighing in on the legality of the plan to have two state universities help pay members of Gov. Bill Richardson’s administration. Sen. John Arthur Smith, D-Deming and chair of the Legislative Finance Committee, asked King in a Friday letter to investigate, saying he “and other LFC members have serious concerns about the legality and propriety of these compensation agreements,” the Albuquerque Journal reported. The Richardson administration recently gave two new secretaries and one deputy secretary huge pay increases over what their predecessors were receiving. Higher Education Secretary Reed Dasenbrock will be paid $257,250 – the same amount he was paid as provost at the University of New Mexico. The university will pay almost $100,000 of the cost for the Higher Education Department. Continue Reading

State’s revenue will likely exceed projections

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It looks like the state’s coffers are going to be overflowing once again when the Legislature meets in January. The state should collect about $130 million more than anticipated in the current fiscal year because of economic growth and energy prices, the Associated Press is reporting. In addition, the Legislature and governor should have almost $450 million in new money they can add to the budget, use to cut taxes or put away for a rainy day. The forecast, which the news service reported will be presented to the Legislative Finance Committee at a meeting today in Ruidoso, was prepared by the Richardson administration and the Legislature. So state leaders will be in what has become a familiar position when the Legislature meets in January: Does the state continue to increase spending significantly, give large tax cuts or save for the day that oil and gas prices drop and the state’s revenue takes a hit? Continue Reading

Udall makes tough decision on lab funding

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I wrote in June about U.S. Rep. Tom Udall, D-N.M., being in a sticky situation when the House approved cutting funding for Los Alamos and Sandia national laboratories by $400 million after rejecting his proposal to reduce the proposed cuts by $192 million. Most of the cuts were for LANL. Who would want to be remembered as the representative for LANL when its funding was severely cut? The proposed cuts come in part because of security breaches at the lab and in part because some Democrats want to shift the lab’s mission from nuclear weapons to energy research. According to the Associated Press, Udall voted for the cuts on Tuesday in approving the House Energy and Water Appropriations Act. Continue Reading

Popular superintendent leaving Gadsden schools

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The popular superintendent of the Gadsden schools is leaving behind a tenure of turmoil and progress to take a similar job just across the state line. Ron Haugen will become the superintendent of the Anthony, Texas Independent School District on Aug. 1, the Las Cruces Sun-News is reporting. He leaves the Gadsden Independent School District after 26 years, including six as superintendent. Haugen was fired from the top job in 2005 by a board that was mired in scandal. Continue Reading

New ad continues Richardson’s effective campaign

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You might recall me writing a few weeks ago about how Gov. Bill Richardson often looks wooden and insincere when talking to massive crowds or television cameras. That problem doesn’t exist in his newest television commercial. The 30-second spot, set on a hillside in New Mexico, highlights the governor’s plan to get all American troops out of Iraq. The ad, which began airing today in Iowa, shows a comfortably dressed Richardson talking about how New Mexico, Iowa and every other state has lost “too many soldiers” in Iraq. “We have to end this war now,” Richardson says in the ad. Continue Reading

Senate kills Iraq withdrawal bill

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While most of us were sleeping last night, members of the United States Senate were debating a proposal to require that President Bush begin withdrawing American troops from Iraq within 120 days and complete the pullout of combat troops by the end of April. The measure needed 60 votes to pass, but only received 52. Four Republicans joined all Democrats in voting for it. The measure is different than one Sen. Pete Domenici, R-N.M., has signed on to in that it’s more rigid because it sets a firm withdrawal date. Domenici favors a goal of withdrawing all combat troops from Iraq by March 2008 and implementation of other recommendations of the Iraq Study Group, and he voted against the proposal that was debated last night and this morning. Continue Reading

Pearce will win big, but race could be interesting

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By Whitney Cheshire Is Congressman Steve Pearce poised for another ho-hum, boring, 20-point victory in 2008? How about another typical, pound-them-into-the-dirt, two-to-one fundraising operation? Are you yawning yet? That’s easy to do when it comes to this third-term Republican and his sizeable and soundly devastating victory history in New Mexico’s second district. We could go back to talking about Albuquerque city politics if this subject puts you to sleep… or not. Continue Reading

King’s human trafficking task force meets in Cruces

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Attorney General Gary King will be in Las Cruces on Wednesday for the first meeting of a task force whose aim will be developing legislation that would criminalize human trafficking in New Mexico. Legislation that would do that, sponsored by Sen. Mary Jane Garcia, D-Doña Ana, failed during this year’s session, in part, King said, because of conflicting information that confused lawmakers. The task force will seek to clear up confusion and help create new legislation. It will also discuss services for victims of human trafficking and training for law enforcement in ways to recognize and deal with trafficking, which is on the rise in New Mexico. “It is important for all interested parties to come together to craft a human trafficking bill that will have wide support and, therefore, stand a better chance of passing in the next legislative session,” King said. Continue Reading