{"id":1446,"date":"2007-03-21T08:20:00","date_gmt":"2007-03-21T14:20:00","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.nmpolitics.net\/index\/2007\/03\/richardson-calls-lawmakers-back-then-leaves-state-house-members-ponder-possible-end-to-session\/"},"modified":"2007-03-21T08:20:00","modified_gmt":"2007-03-21T14:20:00","slug":"richardson-calls-lawmakers-back-then-leaves-state-house-members-ponder-possible-end-to-session","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/nmpolitics.net\/index\/2007\/03\/richardson-calls-lawmakers-back-then-leaves-state-house-members-ponder-possible-end-to-session\/","title":{"rendered":"Richardson calls lawmakers back, then leaves state; House members ponder possible end to session"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"\"<\/a>Many lawmakers are furious that Gov. Bill Richardson<\/a> forced them to rearrange plans and return to Santa Fe<\/st1:city> for a special session while he spends much of the week campaigning in California<\/st1:state><\/st1:place>. <\/p>\n

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

Richardson<\/st1:place><\/st1:city>\u2019s two trips this week to that state were a factor in the Senate\u2019s decision to adjourn sine die on Tuesday. A number of sources indicated there will likely be a similar attempt in the House today, in part because of the news of Richardso<\/st1:place><\/st1:city>n<\/st1:place><\/st1:city>\u2019s travels. Most did not want to be named because they fear retaliation.<\/p>\n

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

It may not be a public attempt. Members might meet with others to gauge interest in calling an end to the session. If they don\u2019t have the votes, it will all be over before anything is done publicly.<\/p>\n

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

\"\"<\/a>If they think they have enough support, there will likely be a motion and a public vote.<\/p>\n

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

Meanwhile, a number of lawmakers, including Democratic Sen. Mary Kay Papen<\/a> and Reps. Joseph Cervantes<\/a> and Mary Helen Garcia<\/a>, all of Las Cruces, skipped the opening day of the session altogether. Papen and Garcia are out of the country, and Cervantes is in Las Cruces<\/st1:city>, so Richardson<\/st1:place><\/st1:city> isn\u2019t the only one who didn\u2019t rearrange his plans.<\/p>\n

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

But he\u2019s the one who called everyone back. Richardson<\/st1:place><\/st1:city> said Saturday that he gave lawmakers until noon Tuesday to rest because they needed some time. That break also happened to give him time to attend previously scheduled presidential campaign events in Oklahoma<\/st1:state> and Texas<\/st1:place><\/st1:state> on Sunday and Monday. He left late Tuesday for events in California<\/st1:state>, and will return Thursday evening before leaving again for Saturday\u2019s gay-rights event in California<\/st1:place><\/st1:state>.<\/p>\n

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

Many suspect that event is driving his demand that the legislature approve domestic partner benefits and the call for a special session. Richardson<\/st1:place><\/st1:city>\u2019s campaign stands to benefit financially if the state approves the benefits.<\/p>\n

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

\"\"<\/a> <\/p>\n

Sen. Leonard Lee Rawson<\/a>, R-Las Cruces and the minority whip, said the news that Richardson was leaving the state, which became known to lawmakers Tuesday afternoon, was \u201ca big factor\u201d in the Senate\u2019s decision to call an end to the session.<\/p>\n

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

\u201cHe\u2019s asking us to change our plans, to come up and do work just for him, to pass his agenda, but his agenda isn\u2019t important enough for him to stay,\u201d Rawson said. \u201cHe should have called a special session when he could be in town.\u201d<\/p>\n

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

What necessitates immediate action?<\/span><\/p>\n

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

That again begs the question: What was so urgent that it had to be done this week, when lawmakers planned to rest, spend time with their family or get back to their businesses, and Richardson<\/st1:place><\/st1:city> planned to be out of the state?<\/p>\n

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

In addition to domestic partner benefits, Richardson<\/st1:place><\/st1:city> wants public financing of judicial campaigns, campaign contribution limits, a state ethics commission, a registry for methamphetamine laboratories, tougher penalties for domestic violence and $208 million for road projects.<\/p>\n

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

Ethics reform could be addressed in the 2008 session and still take effect before the 2008 election season really gears up, several lawmakers said. The crime bills are important, several lawmakers told me, but not emergencies, and the state is still working on projects approved in its last road bill, so putting off the new road bill is probably not a big deal.<\/p>\n

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

The only exception is the $25 million in the bill to fund a road from Interstate 25 in Do\u00f1a<\/st1:placename> Ana<\/st1:placename> County<\/st1:placename> to Spaceport America<\/a> in Sierra<\/st1:placename> County<\/st1:placetype><\/st1:place>, but lawmakers already approved during the regular session other money to build that road, so it\u2019s also not an emergency.<\/p>\n

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

Several lawmakers, including Rawson, pointed out that the domestic partner benefits bill appears to be the only one that has any urgency, be it in the interest of the state or Richardson<\/st1:place><\/st1:city>\u2019s campaign.<\/p>\n

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

Richardson<\/st1:city><\/st1:place> has previously said that\u2019s not why he called the special session. His campaign didn\u2019t respond to my request for comment Tuesday evening, but spokesman Pahl Shipley had this to say to Steve Terrell<\/a> of the Santa Fe New Mexican:<\/p>\n

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

\u201cThe governor has previously scheduled campaign commitments in California<\/st1:place><\/st1:state> that he was unable to reschedule,\u201d Shipley said. \u201cHe met with legislative leaders today, as he did during the highly productive regular session, will remain in constant contact and will be deeply involved in the special session.\u201d<\/p>\n

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

\u2018What master are we to serve?\u2019<\/span><\/p>\n

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

Many were still furious.<\/p>\n

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

\"\"<\/a>\u201cIf we have to be here, where is he?\u201d asked Sen. Tim Jennings<\/a>, D-Roswell, according to the Albuquerque Journal<\/a>. \u201cWhat master are we to serve? Are we here to serve the future political ambitions, or are we here to serve the needs of New Mexico<\/st1:place><\/st1:state>?\u201d<\/p>\n

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

\u201cHe tells us we have to stay here and then he flies off, Sen. Diane Snyder<\/a>, R-Albuquerque, said, according to the Journal. \u201cI can\u2019t believe it.\u201d<\/p>\n

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

But Sen. Rod Adair<\/a>, R-Roswell, told me he\u2019s not upset.<\/p>\n

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

\"\"<\/a>\u201cWe do what a majority wants to do, anger or happiness being irrelevant to any given circumstance as well as being unhelpful emotions in a deliberative process,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n

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

Adair doesn\u2019t expect the House to follow the Senate and adjourn sine die, saying \u201cuntil the House Democrats actually demonstrate some degree of independence from the thumb of the speaker, it must be assumed that they will not show it.\u201d<\/p>\n

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

Adair said, assuming the House keeps working, he thinks the Senate will convene Saturday, as required, and vote to again adjourn sine die, setting up another deadline to reconvene a week from today.<\/p>\n

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

Rawson has another view, saying he believes a number of House Democrats are upset by Richardson<\/st1:place><\/st1:city>\u2019s departure from the state. He expects action in the House today.<\/p>\n

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

\u201cI think they\u2019ll adjourn because we adjourned and the governor\u2019s not sticking around,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n

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

Two told me that\u2019s what House Democrats want to do. Another predicted they\u2019ll keep working. We\u2019ll see.<\/p>\n

\n

Update, 12:10 p.m.<\/p>\n

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

\"\"<\/a>Rep. Nate Cote<\/a>, D-Las Cruces<\/st1:city><\/st1:place>, said he isn\u2019t upset that the governor called the special session, but is \u201cunhappy with the Senate, especially their lack of support for the ethics legislation.\u201d<\/p>\n

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

\u201cAs a freshman representative, I fully expected some of the legislation regarding the issues that the governor brought us back into session for to pass during the regular session; however, a couple of the senators appear to control that body based on their own agenda,\u201d Cote said. \u201cI hope that the voters remember this when voting for a Senate candidate in 2008. What this special session is costing the taxpayers could build a road or go toward education.\u201d<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Many lawmakers are furious that Gov. Bill Richardson forced them to rearrange plans and return to Santa Fe for a special session while he spends much of the week campaigning in California. Richardson\u2019s two trips this week to that state were a factor in the Senate\u2019s decision to adjourn sine die on Tuesday. A number […]<\/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-1446","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-uncategorized"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/nmpolitics.net\/index\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1446","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=1446"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/nmpolitics.net\/index\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1446\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/nmpolitics.net\/index\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=1446"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/nmpolitics.net\/index\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=1446"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/nmpolitics.net\/index\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=1446"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}