Guv could catch Edwards in fundraising this quarter

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There appears to be a chance Gov. Bill Richardson will surpass John Edwards in fundraising during the second quarter of 2007, which ends Saturday. Richardson raised $6.2 million during the first quarter, falling far behind Hillary Clinton, who raised $26 million, and Barack Obama, who raised almost $26 million. Edwards raised $14 million, and Chris Dodd raised almost $9 million, but more than half had been transferred from his Senate campaign account. Richardson’s campaign has said all along that it hoped to surpass its first-quarter total during the second quarter, and spokesman Pahl Shipley said this weekend that the campaign is “on goal and on budget,” but would not get more specific. Meanwhile, the Edwards campaign sent an e-mail to supporters this weekend saying it was “closing in on $7 million” and hoping to reach $9 million before the end of June, when the quarter ends. Continue Reading

Majority who vote in poll think county commission should spend more to produce verbatim minutes

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The majority of those who voted in last week’s non-scientific poll on this site say the Doña Ana County Board of Commissioners should spend additional money to produce verbatim minutes of meetings. Of 74 voters, 40, or 54 percent, said the commission should spend the extra money, while 33, or 45 percent, said commissioners should not. One voter, or 1 percent, did not know whether the commission should do it. Don’t forget to vote in this week’s poll, located near the top of the right column on this page. Continue Reading

Guv should better explain opposition to gay marriage

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In celebration of Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual and Transgender Pride Month, Gov. Bill Richardson’s campaign released a statement today saying America is “in the midst of a difficult struggle for basic human rights.” “This month is a worthy symbol of our progress towards full civil rights for every American, but we cannot ignore the challenges we still must conquer before we can truly move forward and create a better society,” Richardson said. He then highlighted his own record of opposing “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell,” expanding anti-discrimination laws in New Mexico and providing state health insurance to domestic partners. “As president, I will not rest until we have fulfilled America’s most basic promise – that every human being is created equal and that every American is due certain basic, inalienable rights,” Richardson said in the release. “I know that until the human rights of every American are guaranteed, the rights of all Americans are demeaned.” Without taking a position on gay marriage, I want to point out what I see as an inconsistency. I don’t understand how the statement Richardson put out today, similar to those he’s made before, jives with his opposition to gay marriage and his explanation: “I’m just not there yet. Continue Reading

Corruption probe of Las Vegas schools is ongoing

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Roberta Vigil and three others indicted today on public corruption charges are facing the possibility of long prison sentences related, in part, to allegations that they misspent public money secured with the help of Vigil’s lawmaker husband on an annual, invitation-only party. Whether Rep. Richard Vigil, D-Ribera, is a target of the ongoing investigation is a question the attorney general’s office won’t answer, but spokesman Phil Sisneros said more indictments are possible. “The ongoing investigation would preclude me from telling you who else is being investigated,” he said. Roberta Vigil is charged with two counts each of conspiracy to commit fraud over $20,000, fraud over $20,000, misuse of public money, conspiracy to commit misuse of public money, prohibited sales by school board members, conspiracy to commit prohibited sales by school board members, and one count each of making or permitting false voucher, tampering with evidence, tampering with public records and a violation of the procurement code. Joe Baca, a former superintendent of the West Las Vegas School District, and Ralph Garcia, a current school board member, are charged with one count each of fraud over $20,000 and conspiracy to commit fraud over $20,000, and two counts each of misusing public money, conspiracy to misuse public money, prohibited sales by school board members and conspiracy to commit prohibited sales by school board members. Continue Reading

Richardson remains at 6 percent in Nevada

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Gov. Bill Richardson’s support in Nevada is at 6 percent in the newest poll. That represents no change from the last major poll taken in Nevada several weeks ago. The newest poll, conducted by American Research Group, has Hillary Clinton leading with 40 percent of support of likely Democratic caucus goers. John Edwards and Barack Obama each have 16 percent, and Richardson is in fourth place. Support for all four increased slightly since the last ARG poll was conducted in Nevada in December. Continue Reading

Four indicted on public corruption charges

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The wife of a state lawmaker and three others have been indicted on government corruption charges related to mismanagement of funds at the West Las Vegas School District. Attorney General Gary King today filed grand jury indictments against Roberta Vigil, Ralph Garcia, Joe Baca and Beverly Ortega, according to a news release. The charges stem from alleged fraudulent spending of federal money along with state funds specifically appropriated for the school district’s bilingual education program. “Transparency and honesty in government are vital components in the public’s trust of its leaders,” King said. “We believe today’s indictments are an important step toward restoring that confidence.” Vigil, Garcia and Baca are charged with fraud, a second-degree felony punishable by up to nine years in prison; conspiracy, a third-degree felony punishable by up to three years in prison; and misuse of public money and prohibited sales by school board members, each a fourth-degree felony punishable by up to 18 months in prison. Continue Reading

ACLU to open office in Las Cruces

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The American Civil Liberties Union has hired a new director to oversee a new Las Cruces office that will focus on immigration issues. Maria Nape is the new director. “I am thrilled to head up such an exciting and timely initiative for the ACLU,” Nape said. “The intensification of law enforcement on the border and growing reactionary attitudes towards immigrants around the country make the ACLU’s new border rights office a vital effort.” Prior to joining the ACLU, Nape spent five years advocating for the rights of migrant farmworkers as director of an organization in Indiana and, before that, as executive director of a farmworker council in Florida. She received her law degree from Indiana University and most recently served on the faculty of Florida Atlantic University’s School of Public Administration. Continue Reading

One conviction reinstated in Baby Brianna’s death

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The New Mexico Supreme Court today reinstated the conviction of the mother of Baby Brianna, the 5-month-old girl whose 2002 death shocked the Las Cruces community and led to tougher state penalties for child killers. The decision, which you can read by clicking here, was announced by the attorney general’s office. The court’s justices were unanimous in agreeing that Stephanie Lopez’s rights were violated, but split 3-2 on whether the error was harmless, with Justices Petra Maes, Pamela Minzer and Patricio Serna saying the error was harmless and reinstating the conviction. The convictions of Brianna’s mother Stephanie Lopez, father Andy Walters and Uncle Steven Lopez were overturned by the Court of Appeals in 2006. That court found that their right to confront and cross examine their accusers had been violated because they were tried together. Continue Reading

Garza won’t get unemployment compensation

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The New Mexico Department of Labor has reversed an earlier decision to grant unemployment compensation to former Doña Ana County Magistrate Judge Carlos Garza. An appeals tribunal determined earlier this month that the Supreme Court was justified in removing Garza from the bench after he tested positive for cocaine use last year. Though he was notified of the hearing, Garza did not attend. According to the appeals decision (read Page 1 and Page 2), a department claims examiner originally approved Garza’s application for unemployment compensation after finding that he “was not discharged for misconduct connected with the work.” When the Administrative Office of the Courts learned about that, it appealed the decision, which was overturned on June 4. “The claimant’s conduct constituted a deliberate disregard of standards of behavior which the employer had a right to expect and as such constitutes misconduct,” the appeals decision states. Continue Reading

Proposed lab cuts would have widespread impact

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Though the impact might not be felt as strongly in Southern New Mexico, the proposal approved by the U.S. House to cut funding for the state’s nuclear weapons laboratories is causing quite a firestorm up north. The House approved on Wednesday cuts of about $400 million in funding for Los Alamos and Sandia national laboratories. A proposal by Rep. Tom Udall, the Democrat whose district includes LANL, to reduce the cuts by $192 million was shot down by his colleagues. The Senate’s proposal will be released next week. It’s not yet known whether it will include the cuts. Continue Reading

Guv’s wife to attend memorial for fallen firefighters

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Gov. Bill Richardson, who will be campaigning in Iowa on Friday, has called on his wife to make a campaign trip to South Carolina and attend a memorial service for nine firefighters who were killed earlier this week. The firefighters died in Charleston when the roof of a burning furniture warehouse collapsed on them. Barbara Richardson, who has been less visible in her husband’s campaign than the spouses of most other presidential candidates, will attend the memorial service on Friday morning in the important primary state, according to a news release from her husband’s campaign. “It is an honor and privilege for me to be able to pay my respects to these brave heroes and their families,” Barbara Richardson said in a news release. “They made the ultimate sacrifice to save the lives of others and they will remain in our thoughts and prayers.” Bill Richardson is in Phoenix today, and will attend a number of events in Iowa on Friday, according to another campaign news release. Continue Reading

Mumme religious discrimination lawsuit settled

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New Mexico State University and football coach Hal Mumme have reached a settlement with four former football players who alleged they were forced from the team because they were Muslim. The announcement comes days before the trial was scheduled to begin on Monday. Under the agreement, the terms of the settlement will be kept confidential for six months. The American Civil Liberties Union, which brought the suit on the behalf of the four players, announced the settlement in a news release. The university has scheduled a 3 p.m. news conference to discuss the settlement. Continue Reading

Ethics task force to discuss ideas on Wednesday

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The governor’s Task Force on Ethics Reform is scheduled to meet on Wednesday at 9 a.m. The meeting will be held in room 307 at the Roundhouse in Santa Fe. Several working groups have been discussing a number of topics since the group’s last meeting in May, and will make recommendations to the task force at the meeting. The groups will talk about an ethics commission, campaign contribution limits, gift limitations, making the treasurer and auditor appointed positions, public financing of campaigns, compensation for legislators, procurement practices and transparency in government. The last will include a discussion on opening conference committees. The meeting is scheduled to last until 4 p.m. Continue Reading

Wealthy developer enters race against Domenici

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A political newcomer with a lot of money has decided to challenge U.S. Sen. Pete Domenici next year. Santa Fe developer and Democrat Don Wiviott has been considering the race for a couple of months, but told Joe Monahan on Wednesday that he’s officially running and will start the campaign with $400,000 of his own money. He’s willing to spend up to $1 million, if necessary, he told Monahan. Wiviott joins two other Democrats who have entered the race against the state’s GOP senator – Jim Hannan of Santa Fe, a former staffer to the late U.S. Rep. Mo Udall, D-Ariz., and Leland Lehrman of Lamy, an alternative media journalist and Web designer. Neither has as much money as Wiviott, but both have been active – Lehrman through the online newsletter he publishes and Hannan through advertisements in newspapers in Santa Fe and Albuquerque and his campaign Web site. Continue Reading

Celebration of GOP activist’s life to be held July 14

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A celebration will be held next month in honor of longtime Republican Party leader Mike Laurance. Laurance died in May following a battle with cancer. He was 65. The celebration of Laurance’s life will be held on July 14 at 4 p.m. in the Creative Media Institute auditorium on the New Mexico State University Campus in Las Cruces. Those who can’t attend, but wish to contribute to a scholarship in Laurance’s name, can make checks out to the Mike Laurance Memorial Scholarship Fund and mail them to The Mike Laurance Memorial Scholarship Fund, c/o Jonathan Benson, NMSU Box 3001 MSC 3CMI, Las Cruces, NM 88003. Continue Reading