Latest Stories

Democrats’ auditor candidate says report that some in party have asked him to quit is false

By |

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

No surprise: Richardson one of 10 most popular governors in the nation, survey finds

By |

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

Pearce and Kissling on the issues

By |

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

Pearce and Kissling both do well at forum

By |

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

County discusses response to widespread flooding

By |

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

Ellins details plans to improve county elections

By |

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

Now the governor has a MySpace site

By |

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

District Judge Larry Ramirez (resigned)

By |

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

Magistrate Judge Susana Chaparro (resigned)

By |

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

Magistrate Judge Reuben Galvan (resigned)

By |

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

Magistrate Judge Carlos Garza (disciplined)

By |

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

Municipal Judge Melissa Miller-Byrnes (disciplined)

By |

Miller-Byrnes was issued a formal reprimand in 2004 after falsely stating during a radio interview that no complaints had been filed against her with the commission. She was also disciplined in January for calling a city prosecutor a “smart ass” during a 2004 interview with a newspaper reporter. That comment was part of a dispute between the municipal judges and city attorney’s office that exploded in 2004 when the city’s two judges wrote a letter to the Las Cruces Sun-News alleging incompetence by police and prosecutors. After the letter and Miller-Byrnes’ separate comment about the prosecutor were published, the city attorney’s office filed a complaint with the commission, which asked the high court to discipline the judges. The court dismissed the complaint related to the letter, but chastised Miller-Byrnes for the “smart ass” comment. Continue Reading

Municipal Judge James T. Locatelli (cautioned)

By |

Locatelli has never been disciplined by the high court, but was issued a cautionary letter by the commission in 2004 after pornographic e-mails were found on his city-owned computer at the court. Such letters are normally confidential, but Locatelli made his public when he applied for a district judgeship last year. Locatelli was the author, along with Miller-Byrnes, of the letter to the Sun-News complaining about city police and prosecutors. Key articles:• June 20: Judge Locatelli defends lawsuit against city Continue Reading