Latest Stories

Guv signs GRIP, health-care funding bills

By |

Without ceremony, Gov. Bill Richardson signed today a $200 million highway-construction bill approved during the recent special session of the Legislature. Richardson also signed the health-care funding bill the Legislature sent him, with a partial veto. The highway bill will help fund 13 projects across the state that are part of Governor Richardson’s Investment Partnership (GRIP). “With this money we can address critical highway projects in rural New Mexico,” Richardson said in a news release. “These rural highways are the lifeline for thousands of our residents who use them everyday to commute, visit families and conduct their daily business.” The signing of the bill follows the news from late last week that federal investigators are looking into the dealings between the state and a California firm that was paid almost $1 million under a state contract related to the $1.6 billion GRIP program. Continue Reading

Noel withdraws acceptance of elections director job

By |

Jim Noel, the son-in-law of Democratic U.S. Senate candidate Tom Udall, withdrew his acceptance of the position of state elections director today following a firestorm of criticism from the GOP. “I cannot in good conscience allow my appointment to distract from the real issues facing all of us this fall,” Noel wrote in a letter to Secretary of State Mary Herrera informing her of his decision. “There is too much at stake — energy, health care, home ownership, jobs, the economy, just to name a few.” Noel released the letter today. It was dated Sunday. In addition to Noel being Udall’s son-in-law, Noel’s wife — Udall’s daughter — also manages Udall’s campaign. Continue Reading

Palin won’t attend Albuquerque rally after all

By |

Though a page on John McCain’s Web site still states that running mate Sarah Palin will be with him at a campaign rally in Albuquerque on Saturday (at least as of the publication of this article), the campaign says she’s not making the trip to New Mexico. A spokeswoman for the Republican presidential nominee, Ivette Barajas, said she knows nothing about the Web site’s statement that Palin will join McCain in Albuquerque, but said Palin “was never scheduled, so it must have been an error on the Web site.” “She’s not coming,” Barajas said late this afternoon. Media across the state had reported that McCain would be joined by Palin and his wife Cindy at Saturday’s rally at the Albuquerque Convention Center. A link in the e-mail the McCain campaign originally sent announcing Saturday’s visit takes people to this Web site, which on Sunday stated that the rally would be attended by “the vice presidential nominee” in addition to McCain and his wife. That Web site has been changed and now does not mention Palin. Continue Reading

Heinrich airs first TV ad of general-election season

By |

Democratic 1st Congressional District candidate Martin Heinrich is out today with his first television ad of the general-election season, a spot that claims Heinrich would help give New Mexico’s children and families “a new start.” Here’s the 30-second ad, which a posting on his site describes as being in “heavy rotation” on Albuquerque television: The ad opens with a scene of Heinrich sitting alongside young children in a classroom. “These children have yet to experience a single day when we’re not at war or in recession,” Heinrich says in the ad. “… I’m running for Congress to give New Mexico’s children and their families a new start.” “When it comes to the war, the economy and gas prices, George Bush has been a disaster. I believe we can turn things around by making alterative energy the priority, cutting taxes for middle-class families, taking better care of our veterans,” Heinrich says in the ad. Continue Reading

Johnson to speak today at Ron Paul’s rally

By |

Former Gov. Gary Johnson is scheduled to speak later today at Ron Paul’s Rally for the Republic, an alternative to the GOP convention currently underway in Minnesota. Johnson is scheduled to speak at 4:25 p.m. You can watch him live by clicking here. The event, timed and located to coincide with the Republican Party’s convention, is part of Paul’s Campaign for Liberty. Its mission, according to its Web site, is to make “a clear call to the Republican Party to return to its roots of limited government, personal responsibility, and protection of our natural rights.” The rally’s Web site touts Johnson as being “nationally known for his fiscal conservatism, his support of a statewide voucher program, and his stand against the war on drugs” and states that he vetoed 750 bills during his eight years as governor. Continue Reading

Cruces office giving out tickets for McCain’s ABQ event

By |

The Las Cruces office of the Republican National Committee’s victory campaign still has tickets for Saturday’s Albuquerque visit by John McCain and Sarah Palin. People who want to attend the Albuquerque event can stop by the Las Cruces office to pick them up, according to Estevan Lujan, the southern New Mexico field director for the victory campaign. The office is located at the Doña Ana County Republican Party headquarters, 121 Wyatt Drive. The Saturday rally, which is scheduled to be held at the Albuquerque Convention Center, 401 2nd Street NW, begins at 6 p.m. Doors open at 4 p.m. You can also reserve a seat by clicking here. Continue Reading

The fox is watching the hen house

By |

By Stuart Ingle Don’t you just wonder at times what and who is thinking in our state capitol, Santa Fe? Secretary of State Mary Herrera’s decision to hire the son-in-law of a candidate for the U.S. Senate, who is also the husband of the candidate’s campaign manager, to be in charge of New Mexico’s election has to be one of the biggest blunders in our state’s history. Is the public relieved that this job is filled? Did Secretary of State Herrera think we would all agree to her pick of a competent, qualified lawyer for the job and overlook the obvious conflict of interest? Did it really never occur to her, or any of her deputies, that it might — just might — seem a bit out of the ordinary, or just might raise a few eyebrows, or just might cause a touch of doubt that a job that should be performed by a nonpartisan professional, insulated from and indifferent to the political intrigue that runs thick every election year, would instead be filled by the husband of a candidate’s campaign manager and daughter? Continue Reading

Michelle Obama in ABQ, Santa Fe on Thursday

By |

Michelle Obama, wife of Democratic presidential nominee Barack Obama, will be in Santa Fe and Albuquerque on Thursday to campaign for her husband. In Santa Fe, Obama will host a roundtable discussion with military spouses, according to a news release from the campaign. In Albuquerque, she will participate in a Women for Obama voter-registration rally. More details will be announced in the coming days, the news release stated. This will be Obama’s third visit to New Mexico to campaign for her husband. Continue Reading

Hurricane Gustav is the news

By |

By Pat Rogers MINNEAPOLIS/ST. PAUL — Hurricane Gustav is the news. Sen. McCain immediately asked the conventioneers to “take off our Republican hats and put on our American hats.” Everyone has been watching the weather news. With the exception of the excitement about Sarah Palin and “real change” and “real reform,” the political talk has been very muted. It is difficult to tell someone who spent 5.5 years in prison for his country and a son at war that public service is not convenient. Continue Reading

McCain, Palin plan ABQ rally following convention

By |

Republican presidential nominee John McCain, wife Cindy McCain and running mate Sarah Palin plan to hold a rally in Albuquerque on Saturday. The event is timed to “continue the momentum” following this week’s Republican National Convention in Minnesota, according to an e-mail the McCain campaign sent today announcing the visit. The e-mail was sent around the same time that McCain ordered a scaling-back of the convention because of Hurricane Gustav, which is expected to slam into the Gulf Coast on Monday. McCain plans to spend much of the week in the Gulf Coast region and has said it’s possible he will accept his party’s nomination via satellite instead of in person. The Saturday rally, which is scheduled to be held at the Albuquerque Convention Center, 401 2nd Street NW, begins at 6 p.m. on Saturday. Continue Reading

Most voters in poll say Biden doesn’t help in NM

By |

The majority of those who voted in last week’s non-scientific poll on this site said Barack Obama’s selection of Joe Biden to be his running mate doesn’t increase his chances of winning New Mexico. Of 146 voters, 82, or 56 percent, said the pick doesn’t help Obama in this state, while 64, or 44 percent, said it does help him. Don’t forget to vote in this week’s poll, located at the top of the right column on this page. Continue Reading

Big.

By |

By Carter Bundy It was obviously a big moment. Everyone knew there’d be a big crowd. Everyone expected a big delivery. But throughout Barack Obama’s nomination acceptance speech, all I could think about was how much larger than the average presidential nominee he is. The guy’s got a really big brain. Continue Reading

Convention closing

By |

By Diane Denish Thursday’s events brought a close to the 2008 Democratic National Convention. More than 1,000 New Mexicans came to Denver for the final day of the convention. Gov. Bill Richardson added to the list of impressive and dynamic speakers focused on rallying Democrats around a common political platform. He spoke about the American experience and received rounds of applause when he said that McCain may spend hundreds of dollars for his shoes but we will all pay for his flip flops. Gov. Richardson’s charismatic delivery brought forth the first instance in which the audience stomped its feet, and a thunderous sound filled the stadium. Continue Reading

State is cooperating with federal probe of GRIP bonds

By |

The New Mexico Finance Authority says it’s “cooperating fully” with federal investigators who are looking into the dealings between the state and a California firm that was paid almost $1 million under a state contract related to a $1.6 billion transportation program. Investigators are looking into at least two financial contributions the company involved, CDR Financial Products, made to political committees formed by Gov. Bill Richardson around the time it won the state contract related to Governor Richardson’s Investment Partnership (GRIP) in 2004. The situation was first reported on this morning by the Albuquerque Journal. The NMFA announced its cooperation with federal authorities in a statement sent late this afternoon. The news release confirmed that the investigation relates to “the 2004 issuance of bonds for the GRIP transportation program” and states that NMFA will make no further comments until the probe is complete. Continue Reading

Pride and progress

By |

By Diane Denish DENVER — Incredible! That is the only way to describe the 2008 Democratic National Convention. This makes the third convention I have attended, and while they all have their own unique flavor, at the end of a long heated battle between two outstanding and historical candidates this convention marked a true coming together. Wednesday started with a presentation to the New Mexico delegation by T. Boone Pickens on his plan for diversifying energy. Unusual? Continue Reading