Hearing sheds no new light on U.S. attorney firings

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U.S. Attorney General Alberto Gonzales was grilled by a House panel today on last year’s firings of eight U.S. attorneys, including David Iglesias of New Mexico. According to the Associated Press, Gonzales didn’t say much more to the House Judiciary Committee than he did when he testified before the Senate Judiciary Committee last month. “My feelings and recollections about this matter have not changed,” Gonzales said today. This investigation is continuing, and the focus has really shifted to the White House’s involvement in the firings. It’s difficult to predict what will happen next. Continue Reading

NMSU employees accused of using school funds, resources for construction on personal homes

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A number of employees of New Mexico State University’s facilities department are under investigation on allegations that they used school funds for personal construction projects, the campus newspaper is reporting. The employees were placed on administrative leave last month, the Round Up reported. The investigation has been turned over to the NMSU police and the FBI, the paper reported. Employees have been told to keep quiet about the situation. The Round Up reported that at least three employees are accused, including Richard MacRorie, associate vice president of facilities for Planning, Physical Resources and University Relations; Paul Herrera, director of facilities maintenance for the department’s operations division; and John Salopek, construction supervisor for the department’s roofing and construction division. Continue Reading

Richardson climbs in polls, but not as fast as Clinton

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After showing gains in polls in Iowa and Nevada in recent weeks, Gov. Bill Richardson is slowly climbing in polls conducted this week in three additional states. But he’s still below the margin of error in California, Florida and Michigan. The newest polls, conducted by American Research Group, have Richardson at 3 percent in California and Florida and 2 percent in Michigan. That’s up from 1 percent in each of those states the last time surveys were done – January in California and Florida and February in Michigan. By contrast, Hillary Clinton gained 1 percent in California, 9 percent in Florida and 3 percent in Michigan. Continue Reading

State police increase patrols after Palomas shootings

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Gov. Bill Richardson has ordered the New Mexico State Police to increase its presence along the Mexican border in response to violence that has left at least six people dead in Palomas, located across the border from Columbus in Luna County. Officials say the violence is part of an escalating drug war on the Mexican side of the border. Though there has been no related violence in Columbus, victims have fled to the port of entry. “I want to ensure that we are doing everything possible to keep New Mexicans in this community safe,” Richardson said in a news release. As a result of Richardson’s order, State Police have indefinitely increased patrols in and around the town of Columbus, located south of Deming. Continue Reading

Chavez leaning toward running for city council

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Isaac Chavez, who failed in a bid to unseat state Rep. Andy Nuñez last year, is leaning toward running for a seat on the Las Cruces City Council in November. He would run for the District 4 seat currently held by Steve Trowbridge, who is not seeking re-election. No one has officially declared their candidacy for the seat. “I’m leaning towards it,” Chavez said. “A non-partisan race is pretty attractive to me. Continue Reading

New Richardson TV ads use humor to woo voters

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Gov. Bill Richardson has unveiled some humorous and clever television commercials he plans to begin running in Iowa on Thursday. The commercials are designed to “make light of the political establishment’s view of the governor’s campaign for president,” a news release from the campaign states. The first two ads in a planned series portraying a mock job interview were released today and will begin running Thursday. You can watch them at the end of this article. The first begins with the camera on Richardson, who is waiting while an interviewer looks over his résumé. Continue Reading

Senators seek compromise on immigration reform

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U.S. Sen. Pete Domenici, R-N.M., is part of a bipartisan group of a dozen senators working behind closed doors on a potential new immigration reform plan, the Albuquerque Journal is reporting. Instead of a path to citizenship, an expanded guest worker program could be at the center of the new proposal. The bill could come to the Senate floor within days. Then again, it might not. It’s going to be difficult to work out a compromise. Continue Reading

E-mail subscriber service is having problems

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The company that runs the e-mail listserve for Heath Haussamen on New Mexico Politics has been having some technical problems for a couple of days. I apologize to the many of you who subscribe and haven’t been receiving e-mails updating you on the latest headlines on this site. The company plans to have a fix to the problems today, so the e-mail service should be up and running again this afternoon. For those of you who don’t subscribe, you might want to consider it. You get an e-mail in your inbox every morning that shows the headlines from the previous day. Continue Reading

Embattled architect could lose license

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An architect who has pleaded guilty to federal charges for his role in the Bernalillo County Metro Court scandal might lose his license. The Albuquerque Tribune is reporting that the New Mexico Board of Examiners for Architects has issued a notice of possible action against Marc Schiff for violating the code of conduct and other issues. The board says it could suspend or revoke Schiff’s license, fine him and notify a national licensing organization, the Tribune reported. You can read Schiff’s plea agreement in the case by clicking here. Continue Reading

Costner to film presidential election movie in N.M.

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As New Mexico’s film industry continues to grow, the newest project is interesting because of its subject. The state announced on Tuesday that Swing Vote, produced by and starring Kevin Costner, will begin filming in Belen and Albuquerque on July 23. The movie follows Bud Johnson, “an apathetic, working class, single father who is thrust onto the world stage after the presidential election comes down to a single vote – his,” a news release from the governor’s office states. “Prodded by his idealistic 12-year old daughter, Bud struggles to make the right choice while being pandered to by politicians who will say and do anything to win.” The movie is the first from Costner’s newly formed production company, Treehouse Films. “We warmly welcome Mr. Costner and Treehouse Films to New Mexico,” Gov. Bill Richardson said in the release. “The subject matter of this project is also of some interest to me.” I’m sure it is. Continue Reading

Governor’s ethics task force to meet May 22

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The first meeting of Gov. Bill Richardson’s reconvened ethics task force will be held May 22. The meeting is set to begin at 9 a.m. and will be held at the Roundhouse in Santa Fe. From Las Cruces, the task force’s membership includes co-chair Garrey Carruthers, dean of New Mexico State University’s College of Business, in addition to Rep. Jeff Steinborn and Doña Ana County Commissioner Bill McCamley. It is tasked with examining the resistance to ethics reform in the Legislature, coming up with new proposals and determining whether Richardson should call a special session later this year to deal with ethics reform. Continue Reading

Martin will likely get contract extension, pay raise

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Members of the New Mexico State University Board of Regents are expected to approve a contract extension for President Michael Martin on Friday that comes with a hefty salary increase. The regents will meet at 8 a.m. Friday in executive session and then are set to meet publicly at 9:30 a.m. to vote on the contract extension. This year, Martin was paid about $294,000. Last year, when approving that salary, the regents also gave him a bonus equal to 10 percent of his salary for outstanding work. They might do it again. Continue Reading

Open meetings, records request complaints are online

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Attorney General Gary King has set up a great Web site that contains all complaints about potential violations of the Open Meetings and Inspection of Public Records acts. The site includes the actual complaints filed and, at the conclusion of investigations, responding letters informing complainants of the results of investigations. The Web site increases the public’s ability to know about potential violations and encourages open government in New Mexico. Check it out when you get a chance by clicking here. Continue Reading

Racing league isn’t blasting off, but there’s still time

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The Rocket Racing League, which wants to host NASCAR-style races in the skies above Spaceport America and around the world, has lost one of the four teams that had signed on to participate. The Las Cruces Sun-News is reporting today that Leading Edge Rocket Racing, which was the league’s first announced team, has severed ties with the league. That leaves two independent teams and one team owned by the league. The former team’s Monday announcement is the latest setback for the racing league, which hasn’t drawn interest from potential team owners as quickly as officials hoped or originally told the public they planned. Leading Edge’s chief executive officer, Robert “Bobaloo” Rickard, told the Sun-News that his group’s “vision, business practices and communication standards are incompatible with those of the league.” League Chief Operating Officer Tim Gormley said the former team didn’t meet the league’s requirements and backed out, but said the news had no impact on the league’s plans. Continue Reading

Richardson to campaign in New York, Los Angeles

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After wrapping up a three-day trip to New Hampshire on Monday, Gov. Bill Richardson will spend the next couple of days in New York before heading back to the Granite State and then to Los Angeles. At a campaign stop Monday in Hooksett, N.H., Richardson said he’ll campaign in New Hampshire even if the state disregards the wishes of the Democratic Party and moves up the date of its primary, according to the Boston Globe. But, acknowledging that he has a way to go in the polls, Richardson asked that the state not move its primary up too much. “I will be here no matter what, but please don’t schedule it for July, because I need some time to compete,” the Globe reported him as saying. The protective New Hampshire and Iowa, which historically have held the earliest primary contests in January of presidential election years, may move up their contests to late 2007 because many larger states plan to move their contests into January and February of next year. Continue Reading