{"id":1030,"date":"2006-12-20T15:21:00","date_gmt":"2006-12-20T21:21:00","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.nmpolitics.net\/index\/2006\/12\/richardson-proposes-powerful-ethics-commission-limits-on-gifts-and-campaign-contributions\/"},"modified":"2006-12-20T15:21:00","modified_gmt":"2006-12-20T21:21:00","slug":"richardson-proposes-powerful-ethics-commission-limits-on-gifts-and-campaign-contributions","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/nmpolitics.net\/index\/2006\/12\/richardson-proposes-powerful-ethics-commission-limits-on-gifts-and-campaign-contributions\/","title":{"rendered":"Richardson proposes powerful ethics commission, limits on gifts and campaign contributions"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"\"<\/a>When the Legislature convenes in January, Gov. Bill Richardson will propose the creation of a powerful, independent ethics commission, limits on gifts and campaign contributions and public financing for judicial candidates. <\/p>\n

<\/o:p><\/p>\n

The strong set of proposals goes beyond what many predicted the governor would push and is based on the recommendations of Richardson<\/st1:place><\/st1:city>\u2019s ethics task force. Many legislators oppose various aspects, and it will be tough to sell all the proposals.<\/p>\n

<\/o:p><\/p>\n

Richardson<\/st1:place><\/st1:city> urged citizens and members of the business community to lobby for the reform proposals.<\/p>\n

<\/o:p><\/p>\n

\u201cNew Mexicans expect a government that\u2019s honest and honorable,\u201d Richardson<\/st1:city> said during a luncheon Wednesday in Albuquerque<\/st1:place><\/st1:city>, where he announced the proposals. \u201cHolding the highest ethical standards is our responsibility as public servants. It\u2019s also the best and only way we can protect the public\u2019s faith in their democracy.\u201d<\/p>\n

<\/o:p><\/p>\n

\n

Richardson<\/st1:place><\/st1:city> proposed the creation of a stronger ethics commission than many anticipated, but he has been an ally of the Judicial Standards Commission, which oversees ethics in the judiciary. According to a news release from the governor\u2019s office, the new commission would provide oversight of the executive and legislative branches of government and would investigate complaints. The commission would have disciplinary powers that include the ability to fine, censure and reprimand public officials, state employees, lobbyists and contractors.<\/p>\n

\n

<\/o:p><\/p>\n

Rep. Mary Helen Garcia of Las Cruces<\/st1:city> was preparing her own ethics commission legislation, but it wasn\u2019t as strong as Richardson<\/st1:place><\/st1:city>\u2019s because, she said, she feared such a tough proposal would have no chance of passing the House. Garcia\u2019s proposal would have created a commission without disciplinary powers that would make recommendations to \u201cthe proper agencies\u201d based on its findings.<\/p>\n

<\/o:p><\/p>\n

\u201cHis sounds much stronger than mine was and, for that reason, it\u2019s even better,\u201d Garcia said. \u201cI really applaud his efforts. I think it\u2019s very necessary.\u201d<\/p>\n

<\/o:p><\/p>\n

Garcia said she\u2019s confident that, with the governor\u2019s support, an ethics commission will be created this year, and said she is anxious to review the specifics in Richardson<\/st1:place><\/st1:city>\u2019s proposal.<\/p>\n

<\/o:p><\/p>\n

Richardson<\/st1:city><\/st1:place> also proposed limiting gifts to state officials, employees and candidates to $100 during legislative sessions and $250 the rest of the time. He proposed criminal penalties for violators.<\/p>\n

<\/o:p><\/p>\n

The governor also wants limits on campaign contributions to statewide candidates of $2,100 per individual or political action committee, per election cycle \u2013 matching the federal limit \u2013 and $1,050 for Public Regulation Commission candidates and those running for legislative and district judgeship seats.<\/p>\n

<\/o:p><\/p>\n

In addition, Richardson<\/st1:place><\/st1:city> proposed more frequent campaign finance reporting and more detailed requirements for reports, including the reporting of cumulative totals for contributions from individuals and PACs. He also wants the Legislature to amend the Governmental Conduct Act to include judges, who are currently exempted from its requirements.<\/p>\n

<\/o:p><\/p>\n

Richardson<\/st1:place><\/st1:city> also proposed a phased shift toward public financing that would begin with judicial candidates. The program would be modeled after this year\u2019s test in PRC races. Candidates who opt in can\u2019t take gifts of more than $5, and qualify if they meet a certain threshold.<\/p>\n

<\/o:p><\/p>\n

If a candidate opts in but an opponent does not, the publicly financed candidate receives funds that roughly match the opponent\u2019s. <\/p>\n

<\/o:p><\/p>\n

Many Republicans oppose public financing. Those PRC candidates who tried it this year reported some problems, including the timeline for disbursement of money. With some tweaking, however, both Republican Kent Evans and Democrat E. Shirley Baca said the system can work.<\/p>\n

<\/o:p><\/p>\n

Richardson<\/st1:city> said ethics reform is necessary in New Mexico<\/st1:place><\/st1:state>.<\/p>\n

<\/o:p><\/p>\n

\u201cThese proposals will allow New Mexicans to know where campaign money comes from, where it goes and how it\u2019s spent,\u201d Richardson<\/st1:place><\/st1:city> said. \u201cThis is not an issue that affects the few. Every citizen benefits from a government that is open, transparent and accountable, and every citizen is harmed by one that is not.\u201d<\/p>\n

<\/o:p><\/p>\n

The governor pushed some anti-corruption proposals in this year\u2019s session, but only one passed \u2013 a ban on campaign contributions from contractors seeking to do business with the state.<\/p>\n

<\/o:p><\/p>\n

\u201cThe remainder of the package died in the Legislature,\u201d Richardson<\/st1:place><\/st1:city> said. \u201cThis time, there are no excuses. This time, reform must be done.\u201d <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

When the Legislature convenes in January, Gov. Bill Richardson will propose the creation of a powerful, independent ethics commission, limits on gifts and campaign contributions and public financing for judicial candidates. The strong set of proposals goes beyond what many predicted the governor would push and is based on the recommendations of Richardson\u2019s ethics task […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-1030","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-uncategorized"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/nmpolitics.net\/index\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1030","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/nmpolitics.net\/index\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/nmpolitics.net\/index\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/nmpolitics.net\/index\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/nmpolitics.net\/index\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=1030"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/nmpolitics.net\/index\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1030\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/nmpolitics.net\/index\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=1030"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/nmpolitics.net\/index\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=1030"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/nmpolitics.net\/index\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=1030"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}