Denish pushes transparency proposals

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While many lawmakers, the governor and attorney general are focusing their ethics reform efforts on high-profile proposals that include creation of a state ethics commission and the enactment of campaign contribution limits, Lt. Gov. Diane Denish is taking a different approach this session. Denish announced her support today for three less talked-about bills she said would increase transparency in state government. The first is House Bill 272, sponsored by Gail Chasey, D-Albuquerque. It would eliminate exemptions to campaign finance reporting laws and mandate quarterly finance reports for candidates and committees. Currently, in off-election years, reports are only required annually. Continue Reading

Contarino calls allegation ‘a flat-out lie’

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Dave Contarino says an allegation that he ordered other officials to make state investments in exchange for a little more than $15,000 in contributions to Gov. Bill Richardson’s 2008 presidential campaign is “a flat-out lie.” The allegation was made public earlier today when Contarino’s name was unsealed as a defendant in a civil lawsuit related to the state’s losing $90 million in the investment deals with Vanderbilt Financial and affiliated companies. Frank Foy, the former chief investment officer for the New Mexico Educational Retirement Board, is alleging in the lawsuit that Contarino instructed State Investment Officer Gary Bland and Bruce Malott, chairman of the educational board, to make the investments in exchange for the contributions. “I never instructed Gary Bland or Bruce Malott to invest in anything,” Contarino said in a statement that was just released. “I wasn’t even chief of staff at the time of this investment. I played no role in this investment and have no recollection of ever meeting Mr. Foy or anyone involved with Vanderbilt Investments.” Contarino, a former Richardson chief of staff and campaign manager, said he was “not aware” of any contributions from people tied to Vanderbilt to the governor’s campaign, and said “this entire accusation is a total fairy tale concocted by Mr. Foy and his attorney.” “This entire lawsuit — by a former employee — is irresponsible, and the claims are ridiculous and untrue,” Contarino said. Continue Reading

Contarino named as John Doe #2

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Governor’s office calls pay-to-play lawsuit ‘a big joke’ Dave Contarino, Gov. Bill Richardson’s right-hand man who was already at the center of a federal investigation into pay-to-play allegations in the administration, was publicly named today as the man who allegedly ordered another pay-to-play deal detailed in a civil lawsuit. In unsealing the identity of John Doe #2, Frank Foy, the former chief investment officer for the New Mexico Educational Retirement Board, is publicly alleging that Contarino ordered other state officials to make investments with Vanderbilt Financial and affiliated companies in exchange for a little more than $15,000 in contributions to Richardson’s 2008 presidential campaign, which Contarino managed. Foy’s civil lawsuit, filed on behalf of the state, alleges that the state lost $90 million in the investment deals. You can read the lawsuit by clicking here, and the notice of the unsealing of John Doe #2’s identity by clicking here. Contarino wrote in an e-mail that a comment is “coming soon.” Richardson spokesman Gilbert Gallegos released this statement: “This lawsuit is a big joke. Continue Reading

Conference committee bill clears first hurdle

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A bill that would open legislative conference committees to the public cleared its first hurdle in the House on Monday. Members of the Judiciary Committee unanimously approved House Bill 393, sponsored by Rep. Joseph Cervantes, D-Las Cruces. Approval was expected. The House has overwhelmingly approved opening conference committees for several years. It’s in the Senate that the proposal has been killed by the slimmest of margins on an annual basis. Continue Reading

Name of ‘John Doe #2’ to be revealed

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Remember “John Doe #2,” the unnamed defendant at the center of a civil lawsuit alleging a pay-to-pay scheme involving the Richardson administration? We’re apparently going to learn his identity on Tuesday. The man is alleged by Frank Foy, the former chief investment officer for the New Mexico Educational Retirement Board, to have ordered other state officials to make investments with Vanderbilt Financial and affiliated companies in exchange for a little more than $15,000 in contributions to Gov. Bill Richardson’s 2008 presidential campaign. Frank Foy’s lawsuit alleges that the state lost $90 million in the investment deals. You can read the lawsuit by clicking here. Continue Reading

Another Web site to offer free audio webcasting

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New Mexico Legislative Reports, a subscription-only online newspaper covering the state Legislature, announced today that it will begin offering for free its audio webcasts from the floor of the House and Senate, and will explore the possibility of adding video in the future. The live audio feeds will be available beginning sometime today, along with House and Senate floor schedules, at lawmakerslive.com. “We are experienced and have the right amount of broadband. Our audio is super-high quality. It has been great and we’ve had many compliments,” Beverly Garcia, the publisher-editor of the 26-year-old, privately owned news organization, said in a news release announcing the free service. Continue Reading

Pearce says he’ll be on the ballot in 2010

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Steve Pearce says he’s either going to run in 2010 for governor or attempt to reclaim the 2nd Congressional District seat he used to hold. The Hobbs oilman and Republican, who left office last month after opting against running for re-election to his House seat and losing the U.S. Senate race to Democrat Tom Udall, told the Las Cruces Sun-News for an article published Saturday that he’s been traveling the state and talking to county-level GOP officials about his political future. He’s keeping his former congressional office in Hobbs open for personal use and keeping his Washington, D.C. and Hobbs homes. And he’s focusing on building a network and doing polling in the 1st and 3rd Congressional Districts with his eyes on the governor’s race. But that doesn’t mean it’s the seat he’s gunning for. Continue Reading

Steinborn among those pushing contribution limits

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State Rep. Jeff Steinborn became on Friday the latest lawmaker to introduce a bill that would cap campaign contributions in New Mexico. Steinborn’s House Bill 495 is different than bills that have been given serious consideration in recent years in that, in addition to placing limits on campaign contributions, it would also make it a fourth-degree felony to violate the act in excess of $10,000. “House Bill 495 is not only the toughest campaign contribution legislation introduced this session,” the Las Cruces Democrat said in a news release, “but it is also endorsed by members of both parties. If enacted in law, these limits would ensure that New Mexico’s government belongs to our citizens and not to the deep pockets of large campaign contributors.” Steinborn’s news release listed Rep. Mimi Stewart, D-Albuquerque; Rep. Larry Larrañaga, R-Albuquerque; and Rep. Paul Bandy, R-Aztec as the primary co-sponsors of the legislation. The bill would cap contributions to candidates at $2,300, to political committees at $5,000, and to political parties at $10,000. Continue Reading

Teague opens office in Las Cruces

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U.S. Rep. Harry Teague had a ceremonial swearing-in on Saturday in Las Cruces to commemorate the opening of his third office in the 2nd Congressional District. The Democrat’s open house was attended by more than 100 people, according to a news release from his office. Teague was sworn in by state District Judge Jim T. Martin. “Every day that I am in Washington I work hard for the people of Doña Ana County and southern New Mexico, so it was important for me to come back and share my swearing-in with the people I represent,” Teague said in a news release. “Having an open and accessible office is a top priority for me. Continue Reading

Almost all voters in poll want webcasting

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Baseball, mom, apple pie and… webcasting? You bet. Readers of this news Web site spoke loud and clear in last week’s non-scientific poll: They want the New Mexico Legislature to webcast audio and video from the floors of the House and Senate. In the most lopsided poll in the nearly three-year history of this site, some 91 percent of 237 total voters — 215 — said the Legislature should webcast, while 21, or 9 percent, said the Legislature should not. Only one voter didn’t know whether the Legislature should webcast. Continue Reading

School board, property tax vote is Tuesday

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With all that’s been happening on the state and federal level, I have completely neglected in recent weeks to write about the school board elections in Doña Ana County, as well as property tax questions that will appear on the ballot. So, on Tuesday, voters in the Las Cruces, Gadsden and Hatch Valley school districts will go to the polls to elect new board members. Voters in all districts will also be asked to weigh in on whether to continue an already-existing property tax to provide $20 million for the Doña Ana Community College. And voters in Hatch will be asked to continue a property tax that would provide almost $4 million for school renovations. The last day to vote early and absentee is today. Continue Reading

Guv’s approval rating drops below 50 percent

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With recent pay-to-play controversies consuming the headlines, Gov. Bill Richardson’s popularity has dipped below 50 percent in a new poll. Some 47 percent of New Mexicans said they approve of the job Richardson is doing in the SurveyUSA poll conducted for KOB-TV in Albuquerque. That’s down from 59 percent a month ago.The survey of 600 adults was conducted Jan. 20 and 21 and has a margin of error of 3.9 percent. The dip really isn’t surprising. Continue Reading

House could begin audio webcasts within days

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If a subcommittee’s recommendation is accepted, the New Mexico House of Representatives could begin webcasting audio from its floor and at least two committee rooms next week, with video to follow sometime after that. That was the consensus of members of a subcommittee appointed to study the issue of webcasting, which met this morning with staffers from Legislative Council Service to talk about implementing such a program. The committee didn’t formalize its recommendation because it’s awaiting a few technical points from staff and needs to firm up a time it can report to the Rules and Order of Business Committee, but Majority Leader Ken Martinez, D-Grants and a member of the subcommittee, said he thinks it’s likely that the committee can consider the issue Monday morning. Assuming the committee approves the recommendation of the bipartisan subcommittee, staff said they can probably begin the audio webcasts within days. I was able to watch today’s meeting because of an audio/video webcast done by Gwyneth Doland of the New Mexico Independent. Continue Reading

Webcasting the webcasting subcommittee meeting

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The New Mexico Independent is jumping on the legislative webcasting bandwagon. Already a champion of webcasting with its coverage of the debate going on at the Roundhouse, the news organization (for which I’m a reporter) is taking it upon itself to webcast today’s meeting of the House subcommittee on webcasting. The committee is debating whether webcasting should be allowed in House committee meetings, and is specifically charged with considering House Resolution 2, which would give committee chairs the discretion to decide whether to allow webcasting of their meetings. The subcommittee hearing is underway now. You can watch live by clicking here. Continue Reading