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A former U.S. ambassador to South Africa and National Public Radio president has been named a senior fellow at New Mexico State University. Delano Lewis starts Sept. 1 and will be paid $90,000 for the year. His appointment is renewable. “Del’s experience, insights, reputation and knowledge will be invaluable to the university,” NMSU President Michael Martin said in a news release. Continue Reading
I’ve been keeping track on this blog of candidates’ Web sites. There’s a new one, for Demesia Padilla, the Republican candidate for state treasurer. You can find it at http://www.padillafortreasurer.org/. If you know of any other new campaign Web sites, send me an e-mail at heath@haussamen.com. Continue Reading
The Democrat’s candidate for state auditor finds himself on the defensive after an Albuquerque political blogger reported Tuesday that some in his party want him to abandon his candidacy. Joe Monahan wrote on his blog that Democrat Jeff Armijo is facing a situation “that could drive him from the ticket, or could create a major campaign issue that could cause his defeat as well as fan more ethics flames in the direction of other Dem hopefuls.” Monahan reported few specifics, but wrote that Armijo “has been advised by Dem loyalists that an abandonment of his candidacy should be considered,” and that the “problem … centers on a ‘personal relationship’ of Armijo’s.” The last day he could step down and be replaced on the ballot by the party is Sept. 12. In an e-mail sent this early morning, Armijo told me that he did not want to comment on “the rumors perpetuated by Mr. Monahan” about an alleged problem, and asked for “some degree of journalistic integrity.” Armijo wrote that he will not abandon his candidacy. He said Monahan’s report that some Democrats have asked him to do so is false. Continue Reading
New Mexico Gov. Bill Richardson was ranked as one of the 10 most popular governors in the nation, according to the latest Survey USA job-approval poll released Tuesday. The poll, conducted Aug. 11-13, finds a 65 percent approval rating in New Mexico for Democrat Richardson. That ties him for ninth place on the list with Nebraska Gov. Dave Heineman, a Republican. “I am pleased that a strong majority of New Mexicans approve of the direction we are taking the state,” Richardson said in a news release. Continue Reading
U.S. Rep. Steve Pearce, R-N.M., and Democratic challenger Al Kissling discussed a wide range of issues at a forum Tuesday. Here’s what they said. Read the next blog posting for an analysis of the candidate forum. On leaving Iraq Kissling“I do not believe that we should leave precipitously from Iraq,” Kissling said. “We cannot leave without trying to fix some of the problems that we have created.” Kissling said one of his first priorities would be the development of an “exit strategy,” and said the United States is currently “creating terrorists there daily rather than removing them.” PearceThe congressman said the war in Iraq is part of a larger war on terrorism, and pointed out that the United States still has troops stationed in nations where wars were fought in the 1940s and 1950s. Continue Reading
Republican Steve Pearce and Democrat Al Kissling both performed well in a candidate forum Tuesday afternoon in Las Cruces. The forum is the only one in which Pearce, the incumbent U.S. representative from the 2nd Congressional District in Southern New Mexico, has agreed to participate. Knowing this was likely his only shot to take on Pearce face-to-face, Kissling came out attacking. “One of the problems we have is a lack of strategy and a lack of planning, shortsightedness and indifference (in Congress),” Kissling said in his opening remarks. “My opponent and the Republican Party have turned the American Dream into a nightmare.” It was apparent that Kissling is a political novice. Continue Reading
People came from Hatch in the north and Chaparral in the south Tuesday to discuss recent flooding with the Doña Ana County Board of Commissioners, and the extent of the ongoing tragedy became apparent. Public Works Director Jorge Granados told commissioners that the “whole county is pretty saturated.” He detailed rains that started the last week in July and, since then, have drenched every community in the county at least once and caused damage in many. The most serious damage, obviously, was in Hatch, which found itself underwater a week ago when water spilled out of an overwhelmed arroyo and into downtown. Gov. Bill Richardson toured the damage today. He sent a request to President Bush Monday asking him to declare the county a federal disaster area. Continue Reading
The new Doña Ana County elections supervisor told commissioners Tuesday that some staff reorganization, better training of poll workers and a county poll worker manual will help improve elections. Ellins revealed some details of the work of the elections task force at Tuesday’s meeting. He said many of the problems with past elections in the county were due to errors by poll workers. The county is short qualified poll workers and people to train poll workers for the Nov. 7 General Election. Continue Reading
Doña Ana County is going to use paper ballots after all in November. The 252 new machines arrived late last week, according to the Las Cruces Sun-News. County Elections Supervisor Lynn Ellins said they will be used for the Nov. 7 General Election. “It’s not going to be easy because we’re changing election horses mid-stream,” he told the Sun-News. Continue Reading
Bill Richardson has done a lot in his life. He’s been an ambassador, a United States secretary of energy, a professional baseball player, a governor, an author, and a blogger. There are only two things he needs to do to complete his résumé: run for president, and get his own MySpace site. The second is already done. That’s right. Continue Reading
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. Though he resigned, the commission is proceeding with its case. Because the state Supreme Court has sealed the file, details are secret, but it’s likely the commission is asking the court to fine Ramirez or bar him from ever again holding judicial office. Ramirez had been placed on judicial probation by the high court in November after admitting to improperly involving himself in is son’s alcohol-citation case and inappropriately refusing to let a defense attorney make an objection for the record. In addition, an investigation by the Administrative Office of the Courts found in 2004 that Ramirez engaged in sexual harassment and forced him to undergo counseling and training. Continue Reading
Chaparro resigned in March and agreed weeks later to never again seek judicial office as part of a stipulated agreement with the commission. In exchange, the commission dropped seven outstanding cases against Chaparro, including a probe into her alleged harassment of a magistrate court interpreter who employed her sister, but took her sister off drunken-driving cases while she dealt with her own drunken-driving case. Chaparro had been disciplined in 2002 for improperly issuing an arrest warrant for a court interpreter who ignored an order she gave – an interpreter who beat Chaparro’s sister for the interpreter contract. Chaparro was also hit with a two-week suspension in 2005 for improperly involving herself in her son’s traffic case. Key articles:• June 2: Richardson appoints magistrate• March 22: Judge Chaparro quits Continue Reading
Galvan resigned in May 2005 while battling charges that he raped and solicited a bribe from a woman in August 2004. After two hung juries, prosecutors dropped the charges. In a statement he gave to police during the rape investigation, Galvan admitted to actions that may violate the Code of Judicial Conduct. While drinking and flirting in a bar, he discussed with the woman a pending battery case against her husband, though she was the alleged victim and believed he was the judge. He took the woman for a ride in his Porsche, though he told police he had too much to drink before driving. Continue Reading
Garza is currently serving a 90-day suspension with pay while the commission investigates serious allegations against him. The details aren’t known because the high court sealed the file.In addition, the commission has asked the high court to suspend Garza without pay, force him to undergo urine and hair tests for illegal drugs, and explain why he should not be held in contempt for refusing the commission’s previous demand for the tests, which were sought because of allegations that Garza is using drugs. The high court has scheduled a public hearing on matters involving Garza for 9 a.m. on Sept. 20 in Santa Fe. Garza, who is running unopposed for re-election this year, is already on judicial probation after admitting in May to improperly involving himself in a drunken driving case against a woman with whom he had a personal relationship. Continue Reading