<\/p>\n
\u201cTight budget doesn\u2019t dampen this party,\u201d declared a headline in the Sunday edition of the Albuquerque Journal. It was referring to the University of New Mexico\u2019s continued wining and dining of legislators during the budget crunch.<\/p>\n
From the article:<\/p>\n
\u201cOne day after the University of New Mexico was raked over the coals by lawmakers for its spending practices, UNM\u2019s lobbyists threw a $3,100 bash for the legislators at a university museum in Taos.<\/p>\n
\u201cOffered up at the August party at the Harwood Museum were 20 cases of beer and two dozen bottles of wine, hauled up from an Albuquerque liquor store.<\/p>\n
\u201cUNM\u2019s budget crisis hasn\u2019t stopped its government relations staff from spending thousands on wining and dining lawmakers since January 2010, according to expense reports released through the Inspection of Public Records Act.\u201d<\/p><\/blockquote>\n
The explanation, from UNM President David Schmidly, is that \u201calcohol creates a relaxed environment where lobbyists can advocate for the university.\u201d Lawmakers, the Journal quoted him as saying, \u201chave been working the entire day, they\u2019ve had a lot of stress. Sometimes, your best opportunity to talk to them is in a relaxed environment over a bottle of wine, a glass of beer.\u201d<\/p>\n