{"id":2669,"date":"2007-12-21T13:23:00","date_gmt":"2007-12-21T19:23:00","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.nmpolitics.net\/index\/2007\/12\/new-mexico-took-the-national-stage-in-2007\/"},"modified":"2007-12-21T13:23:00","modified_gmt":"2007-12-21T19:23:00","slug":"new-mexico-took-the-national-stage-in-2007","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/nmpolitics.net\/index\/2007\/12\/new-mexico-took-the-national-stage-in-2007\/","title":{"rendered":"New Mexico took the national stage in 2007"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"\"<\/a>What do Gov. Bill Richardson\u2019s presidential run, the U.S.<\/st1:country-region> attorney scandal, the statewide cockfighting ban, Spaceport America<\/st1:country-region><\/st1:place> and Sen. Pete Domenici\u2019s retirement have in common? They were stories that kept New Mexico<\/st1:place><\/st1:state> in the national news in 2007. <\/p>\n

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

The attention on the Land<\/st1:placetype> of Enchantment<\/st1:placename> will continue in 2008: With voters deciding whether to send Richardson<\/st1:city> to Washingto<\/st1:state>n<\/st1:state> and four open seats in Congress from New Mexico<\/st1:place><\/st1:state>, this swing state will be ground zero for politics next year. Before we cross into the new year, here\u2019s a look at my picks for the top stories of 2007:<\/p>\n

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

10. Standing up to the speaker<\/span><\/p>\n

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

\"\"<\/a>He may have defeated a challenge to his leadership in December 2006, but that doesn\u2019t mean House Speaker Ben Lujan emerged more powerful.<\/p>\n

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

In fact, there was proof during this year\u2019s legislative session that some things had changed. The speaker called a closed-door meeting to bring House Democrats in line with his plan to kill a bill that would reform the state\u2019s scandal-plagued housing authority system. Instead, there was enough dissention that the speaker had to allow a compromise that took the firsts steps toward serious reform.<\/p>\n

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

And when House Republicans revealed that the speaker was dishing out more capital outlay to Democrats than Republicans after promising to distribute it evenly, Rep. Andy Nu\u00f1ez, D-Hatch, offered his capital outlay money to Republicans to even things out. The simple, public gesture led to an agreement to evenly distribute the money that hopefully sets a precedent for the future.<\/p>\n

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

That isn\u2019t to say the speaker isn\u2019t still the second most powerful person in state government and doesn\u2019t rule most of the time with an iron fist. But there is a bipartisan group of House members that, when they can agree on an issue, have the votes to successfully defy the speaker and aren\u2019t afraid to do it. That\u2019s worth a top-10 mention.<\/p>\n

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

9. Cockfighting ban
<\/span><\/p>\n

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

\"\"<\/a>Senate Majority Whip Mary Jane Garcia choked up when she spoke with me shortly after Richardson<\/st1:city> signed into law a statewide cockfighting ban in March and left Louisiana<\/st1:place><\/st1:state> as the only state where the bloody practice is legal. Garcia had been working toward such a ban for 18 years.<\/p>\n

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

\u201cI can\u2019t believe that this is finally happening,\u201d the Democratic senator from Do\u00f1a Ana told me. \u201cI\u2019m so excited, and I\u2019m shaking.\u201d<\/p>\n

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

What made 2007 the year New Mexico<\/st1:place><\/st1:state> joined the civilized world? Richardson<\/st1:place><\/st1:city> finally decided to put his weight behind the ban, ensuring its approval before the session even began. A cockfighting group appealed the ban, but a district judge upheld the new law this week. The group is trying to decide whether to appeal.<\/p>\n

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

8. Albuquerque<\/st1:place><\/st1:city> voters reject Ch\u00e1v<\/span>ez<\/span><\/p>\n

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

\"\"<\/a>In October, all candidates and referenda backed by Albuquerque Mayor Martin Ch\u00e1vez were soundly defeated by voters in the municipal election. The story was quickly overshadowed by news of Domenici\u2019s coming retirement, and it wasn\u2019t until after Ch\u00e1vez entered, and later dropped out of, the race to replace Domenici that the impact became clear.<\/p>\n

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

\n

Progressive Democrats in Albuquerque<\/st1:city><\/st1:place> would rather work with Republicans than with the conservative Democratic mayor. It was such an unusual coalition that defeated the mayor-backed candidates and referenda. Progressives\u2019 opposition to Ch\u00e1vez also played a big role in ending his senatorial campaign.<\/p>\n

\n

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

Having ditched the gubernatorial and Senate races, and having refused to enter the First Congressional District race, Ch\u00e1vez has turned his focus back to being mayor. He has a lot of bridges to rebuild if he has any hope of regaining his power. But the divide with progressives is wide.<\/p>\n

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

7. Courthouse scandal<\/span><\/p>\n

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

\"\"<\/a>The most notable aspect of the indictments of former Senate President Manny Aragon and others in the Bernalillo County Metropolitan Courthouse scandal is that they didn\u2019t shock the state. He and four others are charged with bilking taxpayers out of $4.2 million by falsifying and inflating invoices related to construction of the facility.<\/p>\n

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

When Aragon and three others were indicted in March and plea bargains with two others were announced, the shock that had accompanied the state treasurer\u2019s scandal several years before was missing. When a fifth person was indicted in October, there was even less shock.<\/p>\n

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

The reality is that New Mexicans have become used to scandal. They\u2019ve been inundated with Democratic corruption on the state level and Republican corruption on the national level for years. The courthouse cases are pending.<\/p>\n

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

6. Senate takes control from governor<\/span><\/p>\n

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

After four years of losing to Richardson<\/st1:place><\/st1:city>, leaders of the New Mexico Senate played a carefully planned game of chess during the 2007 legislative session and took control from a governor who was distracted with his presidential campaign. Wise bargaining with the House meant the Senate was successful during the regular session in restoring capital outlay Richardson<\/st1:city> vetoed last year and in securing legislative approval of this year\u2019s budget and capital outlay bills early enough that Richardson<\/st1:city><\/st1:place> had to act on them before the end of the session.<\/p>\n

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

Senators held Richardson\u2019s proposals until he gave them what they wanted, approving one of his renewable energy bills only after he signed the bill restoring last year\u2019s capital outlay cuts, and holding his coveted minimum wage bill until he signed the budget and capital outlay bills.<\/p>\n

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

Richardson<\/st1:place><\/st1:city> called lawmakers back for a special session, trying to take back control and gain approval of a few high-profile bills that would boost is presidential r\u00e9sum\u00e9, but he got next to nothing. The big questions in 2008 will be whether Richardson<\/st1:place><\/st1:city> can regain power when the Legislature convenes for a 30-day session in January, and, more basic than that, whether he\u2019ll even be around to try.<\/p>\n

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

5. Spaceport moves forward, but slowly<\/span><\/p>\n

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

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

Spaceport America<\/st1:place><\/st1:country-region> continued to move closer to becoming a reality in 2007 despite some big hurdles. In March, the Legislature provided another $10 million to build a road to the spaceport from Interstate 25, and Virgin Galactic signed a nonbinding memorandum of agreement it said was a precursor to a lease. Voters in Do\u00f1a<\/st1:placename> Ana<\/st1:placename> County<\/st1:placename><\/st1:place> narrowly approved a gross-receipts tax increase in April that will provide $49 million, about 25 percent of what\u2019s needed to build the spaceport. In addition, UP Aerospace conducted its first successful launch into space in April.<\/p>\n

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

But there were signs even then that all was not well. The Legislature\u2019s approval was only begrudgingly given. And approval of the tax in Do\u00f1a<\/st1:placename> Ana<\/st1:placename> County<\/st1:placename><\/st1:place> was so narrow that state officials realized they had a rough road ahead securing approval of tax increases in the more conservative Sierra and Otero counties. Though a tax in either county wouldn\u2019t provide much money for the spaceport because neither is very populous, under state law Do\u00f1a<\/st1:placename> Ana<\/st1:placename> County<\/st1:placename><\/st1:place>\u2019s money can\u2019t be spent unless another county also approves a tax increase.<\/p>\n

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

In July, an accident at the California<\/st1:place><\/st1:state> site where Virgin Galactic is building its spacecraft killed three people, reminding the commercial space industry of the dangers involved in its work. And spaceport Director Rick Homans, whose vision and tireless energy had carried the spaceport to that point, left for another job.<\/p>\n

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

The plan is still moving forward. The state hired an architect to design the main terminal and Virgin Galactic\u2019s facility in August, and, earlier this month, hired a new spaceport director. Sierra<\/st1:placename> County<\/st1:placetype><\/st1:place> commissioners have agreed to hold an election on the proposed tax increase in April. Officials are still optimistic, saying they\u2019ll secure approval of the FAA license and break ground next year, but they must still sell the tax increase to Sierra<\/st1:placename> County<\/st1:placetype><\/st1:place> voters.<\/p>\n

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

4. Citizens stand up to area growth policies<\/span><\/p>\n

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

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

The first sign that not all Do\u00f1a<\/st1:placename> Ana<\/st1:placename> County<\/st1:placename> residents were on board with the area\u2019s growth policies came in April, when rural voters mounted a serious challenge to the proposal to raise the gross receipts tax to help fund Spaceport America<\/st1:place><\/st1:country-region>. It took some $150,000 from backers of the proposal to secure a 1.6-percent margin of victory.<\/p>\n

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

Then in May, when the Las Cruces City Council was ready to quickly approve a massive East Mesa annexation that could double the city\u2019s size, residents protested in force, arguing that there wasn\u2019t enough public input and complaining about what they viewed as insider deals between the developer and public officials. The council approved the annexation and master plan for the development.<\/p>\n

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

Opponents calling for \u201csmart growth\u201d organized. In November, they unleashed a well-funded and organized campaign and kicked Mayor Bill Mattiace and Councilor Jose Frietze out of office. A candidate they backed also picked up an open seat being vacated by Steve Trowbridge. Only Councilor Dolores Connor survived the onslaught.<\/p>\n

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

The battle isn\u2019t over. Ken Miyagishima\u2019s mayoral victory means his council seat is up for grabs on Jan. 15. Those who backed Miyagishima are working hard to elect their candidate, but supporters of those who were kicked out of office in November got a big wake-up call and are working equally hard to elect the candidate they like. This will be another hotly contested race.<\/p>\n

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

3. U.S.<\/st1:country-region><\/st1:place> attorney scandal<\/span><\/p>\n

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

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

When fired U.S. Attorney David Iglesias\u2019 e-mail to a friend stating that he was \u201cfragged\u201d was leaked to the media in February, it set off a firestorm that eventually led to congressional hearings into whether the firings of eight U.S.<\/st1:place><\/st1:country-region> attorneys were politically motivated. Contradictory statements and misinformation released by various members of the Bush Administration led many to wonder if there was something more nefarious being covered up.<\/p>\n

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

The deeper question was whether the Bush Administration had allowed politics to influence investigations and indictments at the Justice Department. According to one scholarly analysis, six times as many Democratic public officials have been investigated and indicted during Bush\u2019s tenure as Republicans.<\/p>\n

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

The scandal helped contribute to the resignation of then-Attorney General Alberto Gonzales.<\/p>\n

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

Iglesias says he was fired for refusing pressure applied by Domenici and Rep. Heather Wilson to issue indictments in a public corruption probe involving high-ranking Democrats in time to sway voters in the November 2006 election. They say they didn\u2019t pressure him. We may never know for certain.<\/p>\n

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

2. Richardson<\/st1:city><\/st1:place>\u2019s presidential run<\/span><\/p>\n

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

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

Support in the polls for the first serious presidential candidate from New Mexico<\/st1:place><\/st1:state> fluctuated between insignificant and marginally significant during 2007, and he never quite broke into the top-tier of candidates \u2013 at least to date. With his misstatements and self-deprecating humor, Richardson<\/st1:city><\/st1:place> had a difficult time convincing the national media and political insiders that his campaign should be taken seriously. With the Iowa Caucus approaching on Jan. 3, it doesn\u2019t appear that Richardson<\/st1:place><\/st1:city>\u2019s presidential campaign will last more than a few weeks into 2008.<\/p>\n

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

Still, it\u2019s too early to count Richardson<\/st1:city> out and, even if he does lose, the governor can return to New Mexico<\/st1:place><\/st1:state> with his head held high. He has worked at least as hard as any of the other candidates. His campaign produced clever and, at times, brilliant television commercials. He has raised a respectable amount of money.<\/p>\n

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

If he loses, the question will be whether he will he remain governor of New Mexico<\/st1:state> or seek another high position in Washington<\/st1:state><\/st1:place>. He insists he\u2019ll remain governor until term limits force him out in 2010, but many doubt that a man some want to be vice president or secretary of state will instead choose to stay in New Mexico<\/st1:place><\/st1:state>.<\/p>\n

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

1. Domenici\u2019s retirement<\/span><\/p>\n

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

What else could top this list? A degenerative brain disease forced Domenici to announce in October that he will retire in 2008 after 36 years in office. That one decision set off a domino effect that is reshaping New Mexico<\/st1:state><\/st1:place>\u2019s political landscape. At the top, all three of New Mexico<\/st1:state><\/st1:place>\u2019s representatives in the United States House are seeking the Senate seat. The four open seats in Washington<\/st1:state> mean New Mexico<\/st1:place><\/st1:state> is about to experience an unprecedented loss of experience and seniority, and it makes the state a huge focus of the national parties in 2008.<\/p>\n

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

But the effect filters down far beyond that. Politicos seeking the U.S. House seats are leaving other elected positions, and the reshuffling filters all the way down to the local level.<\/p>\n

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

Domenici, a giant in state and national politics who has helped shape national energy policy and brought lots of cash to New Mexico<\/st1:place><\/st1:state> for more than three decades, is leaving a huge void. This state will sorely miss having him in Washington<\/st1:place><\/st1:state>.<\/p>\n

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

There is no way to overstate the effect of this one man\u2019s retirement.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

What do Gov. Bill Richardson\u2019s presidential run, the U.S. attorney scandal, the statewide cockfighting ban, Spaceport America and Sen. Pete Domenici\u2019s retirement have in common? They were stories that kept New Mexico in the national news in 2007. The attention on the Land of Enchantment will continue in 2008: With voters deciding whether to send […]<\/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-2669","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-uncategorized"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/nmpolitics.net\/index\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2669","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=2669"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/nmpolitics.net\/index\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2669\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/nmpolitics.net\/index\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2669"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/nmpolitics.net\/index\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2669"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/nmpolitics.net\/index\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2669"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}