McKenzie’s condition upgraded to serious

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Paige McKenzie’s condition was upgraded from critical to serious condition Thursday night, according to the Albuquerque Journal. Police say they have no leads in the case of the brutal beating of the spokeswoman for Republican gubernatorial candidate John Dendah’s campaign. But they’ve not yet been able to talk to McKenzie, who still has a breathing tube in her throat. McKenzie’s family has arrived in Albuquerque and released a written statement thanking the Sandoval County emergency medical technicians who helped her, the Journal reported. “We hope that those responsible for this despicable act will be brought to justice soon,” the statement said. Continue Reading

Dendahl on our bilingual (or not) state

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Gov. Bill Richardson has still not agreed to a debate with Republican challenger John Dendahl, so here is Dendahl’s stance on whether the state is officially bilingual, taken from his Web site. It was originally published in the Albuquerque Journal on May 6, 2006. N. M. Constitution Backs Bilingual — To a PointBy John Dendahl “Albuquerque Mayor Martin Chávez needs remedial training in New Mexico history and constitutional law. “Along with the many audacious claims of ‘rights’ for the flood of migrants illegally in the United States, the reconquerors have written something they purport to be our national anthem in Spanish. Chávez reportedly thinks this is terrific. Continue Reading

Former judge a finalist for CYFD job

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Former District Judge Larry Ramirez is one of the finalists for administrator of the J. Paul Taylor Juvenile Justice Center west of Las Cruces. The 36-bed, medium-security facility, run by the Children, Youth and Families Department, has been without an administrator since Angelo Vega resigned in June. Ramirez was one of several applicants and has interviewed, sources tell me. An announcement on the new administrator is expected soon. Ramirez resigned from the bench in June during a Judicial Standards Commission investigation into allegations that he engaged in an ongoing pattern of sexual harassment and making inappropriate comments in the courtroom. Continue Reading

Pearce gets VFW nod, doesn’t address DAV rating

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A day after being attacked by Democratic challenger Al Kissling and veterans who are upset with him, U.S. Rep. Steve Pearce, R-N.M., announced that he has been endorsed by the Veterans of Foreign Wars Political Action Committee. “During my years representing the 2nd Congressional District in Congress, we have achieved historic progress in areas such as concurrent receipt,” Pearce said in a news release. “Yet, I am determined to fight on – holding the VA accountable for the bureaucratic inefficiency that keeps veterans from receiving the benefits they earned, while pushing for significant reform.” “I am deeply grateful to the men and women of the VFW who have shown a strong commitment to our nation’s veterans. Organizations like the VFW continue to renew the spirit of our great nation, and I am honored and humbled to have their support,” he said. Many veterans are upset because they believe Pearce has voted against issues important to them. Continue Reading

Cano-Garcia remembered as judges sworn in

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This is video of a speech Gov. Bill Richardson gave today during the swearing-in ceremony. It’s about six minutes long, so give it a couple of minutes to load.Newly appointed district judges Fernando Macias and Lisa Schultz, both fighting election battles to keep their jobs past December, were sworn in Thursday. Hundreds were in attendance at the Third Judicial District Court in Las Cruces for the grand event that included a mariachi band and literally dozens of elected officials, including Gov. Bill Richardson, Speaker of the House Ben Lujan and Albuquerque Mayor Martin Chavez. In some ways, the event had the feel of a Richardson-for-president or Chavez-for-governor rally, as many spoke fondly of the two, who received several rounds of applause from the group. In speeches, others predicted bright futures for both men. Continue Reading

Two weeks later, no court date set despite GOP request for emergency hearing on its lawsuit

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It’s been two weeks since the Republican Party sued the secretary of state and attorney general, alleging that two Republican candidates were unfairly denied spots on the Nov. 7 general election ballot and that the Democrats illegally placed a candidate on the ballot. The party asked a district judge in Santa Fe for an emergency hearing because ballots are being printed. As of Wednesday, Judge Daniel Sanchez had not set a hearing. “Judge Sanchez should have set a hearing date by now,” said Republican Party spokesman Jonah Cohen. Continue Reading

BREAKING NEWS: Dendahl spokeswoman attacked, in critical condition

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Paige McKenzie, the spokeswoman for Republican gubernatorial candidate John Dendahl, is in critical condition at UNM Hospital after being beaten in a bank parking lot Wednesday evening. Dendahl told KOB-TV this morning that McKenzie was attacked around 6:30 p.m. in the parking lot of First Commercial Bank in Bernalillo, where she stopped because she had at least one flat tire, according to the Albuquerque Journal. McKenzie is on a respirator to help her breathing, has a broken jaw and shattered teeth, Dendahl told KOAT-TV in Albuquerque. Dendahl told KKOB Radio that she was hit across the face with a tire iron, and that her attacker may have slashed her tires to get her to pull over, according to the Journal. Dendahl told me the injuries are life threatening. Continue Reading

Some Democrats think Richardson should debate

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I had several conversations Wednesday with Democrats who are disappointed that Gov. Bill Richardson won’t debate Republican challenger John Dendahl. I was surprised to hear it, but their thoughts were interesting. Many told me they think Richardson’s decision is based on his dislike of Dendahl, and that Richardson is letting that personal feeling get in the way of what’s best for his campaign. Many Democrats told me they believe a debate could only help Richardson, because it would give more people a chance to learn about Dendahl – and, several told me, the more people learn about Dendahl, the less they like him. A couple of Las Cruces Democrats also told me they are disappointed that Richardson is putting his personal feelings above his party. Continue Reading

PRC candidate not happy with selection of new insurance superintendent

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After I wrote Tuesday that the two candidates for the Public Regulation Commission District 5 seat weren’t happy with the secrecy surrounding the PRC’s hiring of a new insurance superintendent, another candidate wrote to put in her two cents. Stephanie DuBois of Tularosa, the Democrat challenging District 2 Commissioner David King, wrote in an e-mail that “government works better when you let the sun shine in.” DuBois, Democrat Sandy Jones and Republican Earl Greer were all upset that the PRC kept secret the names of finalists and the salary being offered until the day before it announced that Chavez had been hired. After the PRC announced Tuesday that it had selected Morris Chavez for the job, DuBois sent a second e-mail today decrying his selection. “I am more than disappointed in their choice,” she wrote. “… We can’t seem to find anyone for these high-paying positions that doesn’t have a DWI or some conflict of interest. Continue Reading

Land commissioner race still tight, AG race isn’t

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An Albuquerque Journal poll found that the race for state land commissioner is still tight. Democratic challenger Jim Baca had 43 percent of the vote in the poll, while Republican incumbent Lyons had 39 percent, according to the Journal. Some 18 percent are undecided. A month ago, Baca led 41-36 percent in a Journal poll. The newest poll, which has a margin of error of 3.8 percent, surveyed 664 registered voters from Sept. Continue Reading

Veterans protest Pearce, support Kissling

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I took this video this morning at a news conference held by veterans who support Democrat Al Kissling’s bid for Congress. The veterans are upset because they believe U.S. Rep. Steve Pearce, R-N.M., has voted against issues important to them. The Disabled American Veterans have given Pearce a rating of zero (with 100 being the highest mark) three of the past four years for voting against the group’s position on various bills. Two Republican military veterans, Ron Nesler and Dale Phelps, presented staffers in Pearce’s Las Cruces office with a letter demanding that Pearce take part in a debate with Kissling on veterans’ issues and that he publicly explain why he has voted against veterans’ issues. Nesler once campaigned for Pearce, but this time around he says he is fed up with broken promises. Continue Reading

Richardson visits Nevada Hispanics

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Gov. Bill Richardson was in Las Vegas, Nev. on Tuesday to celebrate Hispanic Heritage Month, according to KVBC-TV. Several hundred people were at the Thomas & Mack Center at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas to meet Richardson. His visit was organized by the Nevada System of Higher Education and the Hispanic Heritage Month Committee, according to the TV station. “I’m the only Hispanic governor in the country, so I try to go around the country talking about Hispanic issues and motivating the Hispanic community,” the TV station quoted him as saying. Continue Reading

BREAKING NEWS: Zogby poll has Madrid in lead

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A Reuters/Zogby poll released today has five-term Republican Rep. Heather Wilson trailing Democratic challenger Patricia Madrid 50-40 percent in the Central New Mexico district. The poll was one of 15 released today that show Democrats leading Republicans in 11 of 15 races for seats that are currently Republican controlled, according to Zogby. The polls, conducted between Sept. 25 and Oct. 2, each surveyed more than 500 people and have a margin of error of 4.5 percentage points. Continue Reading

For shame: Hastert should step aside

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In early 2005, I did a series of articles for the Las Cruces Sun-News on seven child abuse deaths that had occurred in Doña Ana County. I recall sitting at a table in the district attorney’s office and looking through autopsy photographs of children who had been raped, beaten, thrown and shaken to death. To say I was lightheaded and nauseous would be an understatement. How could anyone do that to a child? To learn now that former U.S. Rep. Mark Foley of Florida was apparently having Internet sex with a teen while on the House floor, that he arranged an in-person meeting with at least one teen, all while being a champion of the protection of children, makes me sick. Continue Reading

Dendahl on the New York Times

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Gov. Bill Richardson has not yet agreed to debate Republican challenger John Dendahl. So, here’s a column Dendahl wrote about the New York Times for the Santa Fe New Mexican in 2004, taken directly from Dendahl’s Web site: ‘Times’ is poisoning the well of news reporting Jan. 13, 2004 Few if any news organizations wield the power of The New York Times. Sadly, though, the Times has become a nasty illustration of power’s corrupting influence. It’s all frighteningly dissected and laid bare in attorney Bob Kohn’s book, Journalistic Fraud: How The New York Times Distorts the News and Why It Can No Longer Be Trusted, published in mid-2003. Continue Reading