{"id":34697,"date":"2011-12-21T20:30:51","date_gmt":"2011-12-22T03:30:51","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.nmpolitics.net\/index\/?p=34697"},"modified":"2011-12-22T21:30:46","modified_gmt":"2011-12-23T04:30:46","slug":"meaning-of-block%e2%80%99s-e-mails-to-prc-chief-of-staff-is-%e2%80%98murky%e2%80%99","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/nmpolitics.net\/index\/2011\/12\/meaning-of-block%e2%80%99s-e-mails-to-prc-chief-of-staff-is-%e2%80%98murky%e2%80%99\/","title":{"rendered":"Meaning of Block\u2019s e-mails to PRC chief of staff is \u2018murky\u2019"},"content":{"rendered":"
\"\"

PRC Chief of Staff Johnny Montoya, who has said he is "assuming" Block's e-mails were about tickets to events.<\/p><\/div>\n

While in office, Block sent e-mails referring to \u2018tickets\u2019 \u2013 which he has implied might be references to drugs \u2013 to the PRC chief of staff and another employee. Law enforcement appears to be investigating. NMPolitics.net has seen no evidence that either employee was involved in any criminal activity.<\/h4>\n

If what former Public Regulation Commissioner Jerome Block Jr. told a television reporter is to be believed, e-mails Block sent to the PRC chief of staff and another employee in the months before his resignation may have related to drug activity.<\/p>\n

Block e-mailed PRC Chief of Staff Johnny Montoya<\/a> on June 28 to say he had found \u201cgreat seats,\u201d and on Aug. 30 he e-mailed to ask if Montoya had any \u201ctickets.\u201d In a TV report that aired Nov. 28<\/a>, Block implied to KOB-TV\u2019s Gadi Schwartz that he wasn\u2019t actually talking about tickets in those e-mails.<\/p>\n

\u201cLooks like you were asking for drugs or there is some type of drug activity between you and some very high-ranking members of the PRC,\u201d Schwartz said to Block during that interview.<\/p>\n

\u201cYou could very well be right when you say that. I\u2019ll just say that,\u201d Block replied. \u201cYou\u2019re smart and you can read between the lines.\u201d<\/p>\n

When pressed by Schwartz, Block, who admitted in August<\/a> to being addicted to the prescription drug Oxycodone, said, \u201cI don\u2019t really think I attended that many events, to be asking for that many tickets. Like I said, I was a desperate person trying to make myself, or fix myself, for the moment, for the day.\u201d<\/p>\n

Public Regulation Commissioner Jason Marks<\/a> has been looking into the situation and told NMPolitics.net that he has some \u201clingering concerns about what happened\u201d but doesn\u2019t suspect \u201cthat we have a rampant drug problem at the commission that went beyond Jerome.\u201d He said it\u2019s his understanding that a law enforcement investigation is underway.<\/p>\n

As part of a wide-ranging special audit that\u2019s ongoing, the office of State Auditor Hector Balderas<\/a> has reviewed Block\u2019s e-mails, including the two he sent to Montoya and a third he sent to then-PRC employee Javin Coriz that asks for \u201craffle tickets.\u201d Balderas said law enforcement needs to investigate.<\/p>\n

State police are aware of the e-mails, and federal investigators may be as well. It appears that a law-enforcement probe is underway, though NMPolitics.net could not definitively confirm its existence.<\/p>\n

Montoya \u2018assuming\u2019 e-mails are about tickets to events<\/h3>\n

NMPolitics.net initially obtained the e-mails Block sent to Montoya and Coriz from a source whose identity will remain confidential. NMPolitics.net later obtained those and other e-mails from the PRC in response to a public records request seeking all e-mails between Block and Montoya and Coriz.<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

The PRC and NMPolitics.net\u2019s source produced no e-mails from Montoya or Coriz that can be conclusively identified as responses to Block\u2019s e-mails; while one e-mail from Montoya to Block may raise questions, Marks says there\u2019s another, plausible explanation for it.<\/p>\n

NMPolitics.net has seen no evidence that Montoya or Coriz were involved in any criminal activity.<\/p>\n

NMPolitics.net was unable to interview Montoya for this article despite repeated attempts, and was unsuccessful in attempts to reach Coriz or Block for comment.<\/p>\n

But Montoya had this exchange with KOB-TV\u2019s Schwartz about the e-mails in November:<\/p>\n

Montoya:<\/strong> \u201cI think we\u2019re reading a little bit too much into it Gadi, honestly. I don\u2019t know what (Block) means by raffle tickets. It\u2019s really not the PRC\u2019s position to really get into code words.\u201d<\/p>\n

Schwartz:<\/strong> \u201cSo these are tickets to events.\u201d<\/p>\n

Montoya:<\/strong> \u201cI\u2019m assuming so, yeah. I hadn\u2019t seen those e-mails but I\u2019m assuming that\u2019s what they are.\u201d<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

What Schwartz didn\u2019t report at the time was that Montoya was commenting in part on e-mails Block sent to him. KOB did not name the chief of staff or Coriz in its report. It reported only that Block sent the e-mails to PRC employees, so this is the first time the two employees\u2019 names have been made public.<\/p>\n

The e-mails<\/h3>\n

None of the e-mails Block sent to Montoya and Coriz had subject lines. The e-mail Block sent to Coriz (read it here<\/a>) went out June 1 at 10:15 a.m. Here\u2019s what Block wrote:<\/p>\n

\n
\n
\"\"<\/a><\/dt>\n

\u201cCan you lend me a few of those raffle tickets until the morning when my paycheck comes in. \u2026 I\u2019m not feeling good at all.\u201d \u2013 Former Public Regulation Commissioner Jerome Block Jr. in an e-mail to Javin Coriz<\/h4>\n<\/dl>\n<\/div>\n

\u201cI need a huge favor man. Can you lend me a few of those raffle tickets until the morning when my paycheck comes in. I\u2019ve been fighting with my wife, staying at mom and dads, that\u2019s why I don\u2019t have mine. She locked me out of our account at the bank, but I get a pay check tomorrow. I guarantee I will give it to you first thing in the a.m. I\u2019m not feeling good at all.\u201d<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

One of the e-mails Block sent to Montoya went out June 28 at 9:06 a.m. (read it here<\/a>). Here\u2019s what he wrote:<\/p>\n

\u201cHomy just emailed me. He only has 13 left and they are going fast. They are great seats for a great deal.\u201d<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

The second e-mail Block sent Montoya, on Aug. 30 at 8:48 a.m. (read it here<\/a>), asked this:<\/p>\n

\u201cDo you have any tickets at all? Even \u2018BOX\u2019 seats?\u201d<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

Montoya sent an e-mail to Block without a subject line 17 minutes later, at 9:05 a.m. on Aug. 30 (read it here<\/a>). In it, Montoya asked this:<\/p>\n

\u201cHave you heard \u2018TAPS\u2019??????????\u201d<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

Again, NMPolitics.net wasn\u2019t able to talk with Montoya or Block about the e-mails to ask whether Montoya\u2019s \u201cTAPS\u201d e-mail was in response to the \u201cBOX\u201d e-mail Block sent moments earlier or ask other questions.<\/p>\n

Marks said he spoke with Montoya about the situation, and there\u2019s another plausible explanation for his \u201cTAPS\u201d e-mail to Block.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe explanation is some gallows humor about an employee who was being talked about, potentially being terminated,\u201d Marks said.<\/p>\n

The meaning behind the e-mails Block sent to Montoya, on the other hand, is \u201cmurky,\u201d according to Marks. He said Montoya told him he doesn\u2019t recall receiving the e-mails.<\/p>\n

\u2018He\u2019s not talking about raffle tickets\u2019<\/h3>\n

On the other hand, Marks called the e-mail Block sent to Coriz, who no longer works at the PRC, \u201cvery damning.\u201d<\/p>\n

\n
\n
\"\"<\/a><\/dt>\n

\u201cHe\u2019s not talking about raffle tickets. … The (e-mail) to Coriz, I think the most plausible explanation is that (Block) was asking for some help with some drugs.\u201d – Public Regulation Commissioner Jason Marks<\/h4>\n<\/dl>\n<\/div>\n

\u201cHe\u2019s not talking about raffle tickets,\u201d Marks said. \u201c\u2026The one to Coriz, I think the most plausible explanation is that (Block) was asking for some help with some drugs.\u201d<\/p>\n

Overall, Marks said he is satisfied that there\u2019s not \u201ca rampant drug problem at the commission that went beyond Jerome\u201d but said he has \u201csome lingering concerns about what happened.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cUnfortunately, I don\u2019t have all of my questions answered, but I understand that there are other entities looking into it with more tools than I have,\u201d Marks said.<\/p>\n

Other commissioners had little to say about the situation. Commissioner Doug Howe<\/a>, who replaced Block on the PRC, said only that he understands \u201cthat these issues and related e-mails are currently under investigation.\u201d Commissioner Theresa Becenti-Aguilar<\/a> said she would review NMPolitics.net\u2019s e-mail asking for comment \u201cand monitor it,\u201d but didn\u2019t respond to a follow-up e-mail seeking clarification. Commissioner Ben Hall<\/a> didn\u2019t respond to a request for comment.<\/p>\n

Commission Chairman Pat Lyons<\/a> had the PRC\u2019s spokesman send an e-mail stating that the agency \u201chas cooperated fully in this matter in compliance with state law.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cBecause the content of the aforementioned documents is currently subject to a \u2018special audit\u2019 being conducted by the Office of the State Auditor, PRC personnel will refrain from making any statements on the matter at this time in order to preserve the integrity of the ongoing investigation,\u201d spokesman Arthur D. Bishop said.<\/p>\n

That reference to \u201cPRC personnel\u201d refraining from comment may apply to Montoya, though it doesn\u2019t explicitly state that. Montoya told NMPolitics.net before Bishop sent that statement that he would discuss the e-mails with NMPolitics.net once the PRC released them. But Montoya has not responded to a voicemail or an e-mail left after the PRC released the e-mails.<\/p>\n

An investigation \u2018should be conducted\u2019 by law enforcement<\/h3>\n

Block had already been battling felony charges related to allegations that he abused the state\u2019s public financing system<\/a> during his 2008 election when KOB-TV began reporting on other problems, starting in August with questions about Block\u2019s use of his state-issued gas card<\/a>.<\/p>\n

\n
\n
\"\"<\/a><\/dt>\n

\u201cI strongly believe an independent and comprehensive investigation should be conducted by law-enforcement authorities.\u201d – State Auditor Hector Balderas<\/h4>\n<\/dl>\n<\/div>\n

In the end, Block admitted being addicted to the prescription drug Oxycodone and pleaded guilty to multiple felonies<\/a> stemming from several investigations in a deal with Attorney General Gary King<\/a>.<\/p>\n

The plea bargain allowed Block to avoid jail time if he complied with terms including completion of a drug-court program, but Block was recently booted from that program for noncompliance<\/a> and could face prison time. To date, Block has faced no charges related to illegal drug use.<\/p>\n

Marks said he was told that the AG has copies of the e-mails Block sent to Montoya and Coriz and is currently looking into the situation, but the AG wouldn\u2019t confirm that. Spokesman Phil Sisneros said, \u201cPer policy, we do not publicly discuss our investigations.\u201d<\/p>\n

Balderas said his office has reviewed those and other \u201cquestionable\u201d e-mails and referred some of them to the state Department of Public Safety \u201cand other regulatory agencies\u201d for investigation.<\/p>\n

\u201cI strongly believe an independent and comprehensive investigation should be conducted by law-enforcement authorities,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n

State Police Chief Robert Shilling confirmed that his agency received e-mails from the auditor related to the \u201ctickets\u201d issue and said state police are involved in an investigation headed by the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration.<\/p>\n

But when asked to confirm that the DEA probe relates to the PRC e-mails, Shilling said he was not authorized to do that, even though he brought up the investigation in response to questions about the PRC e-mails.<\/p>\n

DEA spokeswoman Diana Apodaca said she could not confirm the existence of an investigation.<\/p>\n

Marks sounded confident that law enforcement is investigating. He said, as a regulator, he\u2019s taken his own probe as far as he can. Now, he said, it\u2019s up to those with subpoena power to get to the bottom of things.<\/p>\n

\u201cAt this point, the investigation is in the right hands. If they come up with something that requires me to act, I\u2019ll certainly do so,\u201d Marks said. \u201cI think this thing\u2019s going in the right direction. Let the professional criminal investigators look at that, and we at the PRC will move forward with doing our regulatory business.\u201d<\/p>\n

This article has been updated for clarity.<\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

If what former Public Regulation Commissioner Jerome Block Jr. told a television reporter is to be believed, e-mails Block sent to the PRC chief of staff and another employee in the months before his resignation may have related to drug activity.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[11],"tags":[142,217,107],"class_list":["post-34697","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-news-and-analysis","tag-crime","tag-prc","tag-roundhouse"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/nmpolitics.net\/index\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/34697","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=34697"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/nmpolitics.net\/index\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/34697\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/nmpolitics.net\/index\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=34697"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/nmpolitics.net\/index\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=34697"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/nmpolitics.net\/index\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=34697"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}