Your search for david iglesias returned 114 results

Rove’s testimony contradicts Wilson’s claim

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Former White House aide says Wilson complained about ‘the timing of the courthouse construction indictment’ before the election; Wilson says that’s not true Former White House aide Karl Rove told a House Judiciary Committee investigator that former U.S. Rep. Heather Wilson raised concerns with him about “the timing of the courthouse construction indictment” before the 2006 election. Wilson says that’s not true. The question of whether Wilson was complaining about the timing of indictments in the metro court case before the 2006 election is important because former U.S. Attorney David Iglesias alleges that Wilson and former Sen. Pete Domenici pressured him to speed indictments in the case involving a high-ranking Democrat in an attempt to help Wilson win re-election in 2006.It’s a charge both former members of Congress deny, but it’s now under investigation by a special prosecutor because Iglesias is one of several U.S. attorneys who were fired days after the election. The contradiction between the Rove and Wilson statements is examined today by The Politico: “Rove says Wilson pushed the White House to fire New Mexico’s then-U.S. attorney, David Iglesias, before the Nov. 2006 election because he wasn’t moving fast enough on a corruption case involving New Mexico Democrats. Continue Reading

Did the FBI probe Madrid pay-to-play controversy?

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Wilson, Iglesias disagree about whether FBI inquiry happened Former U.S. Rep. Heather Wilson says there was an FBI inquiry into ties between her 2006 opponent, Patricia Madrid, and a political action committee as the two duked it out in one of the hottest congressional races in the nation. David Iglesias, who was U.S. attorney at the time, says no such probe existed. It’s not clear who’s right, but the answer to that question could help shed light on whether e-mails released Tuesday indicate that Iglesias was fired for improper political reasons, as he claims. The alleged FBI inquiry into then-Attorney General Madrid’s ties to the political action committee would have come at a time when Madrid was caught up in a pay-to-play controversy surrounding financial contributions to that PAC. The controversy hinged on a proposed off-reservation Indian casino in southern New Mexico. Not wanting competition for his own racino, Sunland Park Racetrack and Casino owner Stan Fulton had been working in 2004 and 2005 to kill a proposal by Santa Fe art dealer Gerald Peters and the Jemez Pueblo to build a casino in nearby Anthony. Continue Reading

New documents on U.S. attorney firings released

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The U.S. House Judiciary Committee today released transcripts of its interviews with Karl Rove and Harriet Miers and other documents related to the firings of several U.S. attorneys, including New Mexico’s David Iglesias, in 2006. It’s been known for some time that Rove was involved in the chain of events that preceded Iglesias’ firing. But I’m told that the transcripts, which add up to some 700 pages, in addition to more than 5,400 pages of other Bush administration documents released today, include information about the firing of Iglesias that has never before been revealed publicly. According to a news release, one of the most interesting points is that former White House staffer Scott Jennings, in an e-mail sent weeks before Iglesias was fired, complained to Rove that Iglesias had been “shy about doing his job on Madrid.” You may recall that former U.S. Sen. Pete Domenici and former U.S. Rep. Heather Wilson, both Republicans, called Iglesias in October 2006 to discuss an ongoing criminal investigation involving Democrats weeks before the November 2006 election, in which Wilson was facing a tough re-election battle against Democrat Patricia Madrid that she ended up narrowly winning. Iglesias alleges that Domenici and Wilson pressured him to speed indictments to sway voters, a charge both deny. Continue Reading

Aragon pleads guilty in metro court case

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Former state Senate President Manny Aragon, one of New Mexico’s most storied politicians, pleaded guilty today to three felony counts of conspiracy and mail fraud in the Bernalillo County Metropolitan Courthouse scandal. The deal he struck with prosecutors means he could face up to 67 months in federal prison, the Albuquerque Journal is reporting. Aragon could have faced 20 years in prison and a fine of $250,000 if he had gone to trial and been convicted. Aragon refused to comment to reporters after leaving the courtroom in Albuquerque where he entered his plea earlier this morning, The Associated Press is reporting. Aragon was accused of pocketing more than $600,000 in the scheme in which prosecutors say he and several others stole $4.2 million in taxpayer money by inflating and falsifying invoices during construction of the courthouse. Continue Reading

U.S. attorney scandal heats up again

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Report details why Iglesias was fired; AG appoints prosecutor to consider criminal charges The 392-page report released Monday about the 2006 firings of nine U.S. attorneys — including New Mexico’s David Iglesias — contains a number of interesting tidbits but not new revelations that significantly change what we already knew: that the reasons Bush administration staffers gave Congress last year for firing Iglesias were hogwash. Perhaps more significant than the report, however, was the news that Attorney General Michael Mukasey has appointed a federal prosecutor to determine whether the situation should lead to criminal charges against former AG Alberto Gonzales and others. You can read the full report by clicking here. The section about Iglesias’ firing starts on page 149. Read about some of the details revealed in the report from the New Mexico Independent and Albuquerque Journal. Continue Reading

U.S. House creates independent ethics office

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The U.S. House of Representatives approved on Tuesday the creation of an independent office that has the authority to initiate investigations into allegations of ethics violations by House members and is required to disclose its findings publicly. It’s a strong move that’s being characterized by the Washington Post as “one of the most significant changes to (House) ethics rules in decades.” U.S. Rep. Tom Udall, D-N.M., voted to approve the creation of the independent Office of Congressional Ethics. New Mexico’s GOP representatives, Steve Pearce and Heather Wilson, voted against it. The measure was ultimately approved by a vote of 229-182, with 159 Republicans and 23 Democrats opposing it. “New Mexicans and people across the nation have called on Congress to end the culture of corruption in Washington, and the House has responded,” Udall said in a news release. Continue Reading

U.S. attorney probes might resurface before election

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Though there hasn’t been much public activity in recent months, probes into the 2006 firings of nine U.S. attorneys could re-enter the spotlight in the heat of the 2008 election cycle. That has the potential to threaten the legacy of the retiring U.S. Sen. Pete Domenici and the political future of U.S. Rep. Heather Wilson. The Hill is reporting today that there has been recent behind-the-scenes activity in several investigations related to the firings of David Iglesias of New Mexico and others. That includes investigation into the October 2006 phone calls Domenici and Wilson placed to Iglesias to discuss an ongoing investigation weeks before the November 2006 election. Iglesias alleges Domenici and Wilson pressured him to speed indictments to sway voters, a charge both deny. Continue Reading

FEC lawyer: Campaign can pay Domenici’s legal bills

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The head attorney for the Federal Election Commission says U.S. Sen. Pete Domenici can use campaign funds to pay legal bills stemming from an inquiry into his October 2006 phone call to former U.S. Attorney David Iglesias. The attorney issued a draft opinion on Wednesday stating that Domenici can use campaign funds to pay both his legal bills and those of staffers who needed an attorney as a result of the inquiry. You can read the draft opinion, which was made available online by the Washington Times, by clicking here. It essentially states that precedent allows the use of campaign funds to pay legal fees because the expenses aren’t considered personal. The opinion remains in draft form because four seats on the six-member FEC board are vacant, so there’s no quorum to approve it. Continue Reading

Rove to attend fundraiser for state GOP

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Former White House political director Karl Rove will be in Artesia on Jan. 23 to attend a fundraiser for the Republican Party of New Mexico. The fundraiser will be at The Wellhead Restaurant and Brewpub in the evening, but the time and other details have not been finalized, a source with knowledge of the situation said. Rove was caught up in the U.S. attorney scandal and other controversies last year and left the White House. His involvement in that scandal included passing along complaints from the state GOP chair about former U.S. Attorney David Iglesias to the Justice Department. Continue Reading

New Mexico took the national stage in 2007

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What do Gov. Bill Richardson’s presidential run, the U.S. attorney scandal, the statewide cockfighting ban, Spaceport America and Sen. Pete Domenici’s retirement have in common? They were stories that kept New Mexico in the national news in 2007. The attention on the Land of Enchantment will continue in 2008: With voters deciding whether to send Richardson to Washington and four open seats in Congress from New Mexico, this swing state will be ground zero for politics next year. Before we cross into the new year, here’s a look at my picks for the top stories of 2007: 10. Standing up to the speaker He may have defeated a challenge to his leadership in December 2006, but that doesn’t mean House Speaker Ben Lujan emerged more powerful. Continue Reading

Domenici wants to pay legal fees with campaign cash

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U.S. Sen. Pete Domenici wants to use campaign funds to pay legal bills stemming from an inquiry into his October 2006 phone call to former U.S. Attorney David Iglesias, and he’s asked the Federal Election Commission for an opinion on whether he can do that. According to an article published on The Politico’s Web site, attorneys for Domenici’s campaign have formally sought an advisory opinion from the FEC. The ethics inquiry into Domenici’s actions came after Iglesias alleged earlier this year that the senator pressured him during the October 2006 phone call to speed indictments in a case involving high-ranking Democrats to sway voters in the November 2006 election.Iglesias was fired weeks later, he claims as a result of refusing the pressure. Domenici admits the call but insists he didn’t pressure Iglesias. Though there were reports that the inquiry was dropped shortly after Domenici announced in October of this year that he won’t seek re-election next year, Domenici’s office indicated to The Politico that the inquiry has not formally ended. Continue Reading

Legislative bodies need greater accountability

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A bipartisan task force is proposing the creation of a new congressional office that would have the power to initiate ethics complaints against members of the U.S. House of Representatives. While the proposal may create the appearance that Congress is getting tough on misdeeds, it has little chance of actually doing anything to discourage unethical behavior.Under the proposal, complaints initiated by the new Office of Congressional Ethics would be considered by the House ethics committee. The office would be staffed by six people – three appointed by the speaker and three appointed by the minority leader – who would be paid to serve part-time, four-year terms.Outside groups and citizens would not have the power to file complaints against House members, and the office wouldn’t have subpoena power. Essentially, the task force wants to create an office whose staffers work for the people it’s charged with investigating without giving them insulation from political pressure and the power to do the job.The power would come with the threat of a subpoena. The insulation would come with a standard procedure for outside groups, not the office itself, to initiate complaints.As it stands, the proposal is no better than the current system, which only allows House members to initiate complaints. Continue Reading

State senator questioned by FBI in ongoing probe

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A federal probe that has included the questioning of state Sen. Nancy Rodriguez, D-Santa Fe, is the talk of politicos in Santa Fe. At this point, Rodriguez is not accused of any wrongdoing, but she has been questioned by the FBI in connection with a probe related to the Pojoaque Pueblo’s political dealings. Several members of the pueblo have been subpoenaed to appear before a federal grand jury next week, the Santa Fe New Mexican and Albuquerque Journal are reporting, and the U.S. Attorney’s Office has demanded the pueblo’s financial records related to political donations for the last 11 years. Rodriguez told The New Mexican for an article published Friday that she hadn’t been served a subpoena and didn’t know what the FBI agents who recently visited her home wanted. She has apparently worked as a consultant for the pueblo since 1993, and is paid about $45,000 per year, she told the newspaper. Continue Reading

Wilson confirms run, hasn’t sought Domenici backing

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U.S. Rep. Heather Wilson, R-N.M., formally announced today that she will give up her House seat to run for the Senate seat coming open next year because of the retirement of U.S. Sen. Pete Domenici. “We’ve been so fortunate to have Sen. Pete Domenici working for us for the last 35 years,” Wilson said. “… I will treasure the next 15 months working with Sen. Pete Domenici in the United States Congress.” She talked about what she believes are the nation’s most pressing needs – better schools and health care and increased security – and said New Mexicans “deserve leaders who will fight for these things.” “For these reasons I want the people of New Mexico to know that I will run for the United States Senate,” Wilson said. The news was first leaked on Thursday that Wilson would seek the seat, so today’s announcement was a formality. Wilson, 46, also indicated that today’s event, at which she was joined by her husband and children, wasn’t her formal announcement or campaign kickoff. Continue Reading

Report: Wilson to run for Domenici’s Senate seat

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U.S. Rep. Heather Wilson will run for the Senate seat being vacated by Pete Domenici next year, The Hill is reporting. Assuming the report is accurate, Wilson is the first candidate the public has learned will run, other than the three lesser-known Democrats who jumped into the race long before news of Domenici’s coming retirement broke on Wednesday. A number of Democrats and Republicans from around the state are considering getting into the race. The Hill cited “a source familiar with Wilson’s decision” in its report. Wilson’s spokesman told me he had no comment. Continue Reading