![\"Vigil-Giron,](\"http:\/\/www.nmpolitics.net\/index\/wp-content\/uploads\/2009\/08\/Vigil-Giron-Rebecca.jpg\" "\\"Vigil-Giron,")
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Some Republicans are hitting Dems hard over the charges against Vigil-Giron and others, but at least one potential GOP guv candidate says corruption isn\u2019t a partisan issue<\/span><\/p>\n With the 2010 election cycle already in full swing, some Republicans are hitting Democrats hard over this week\u2019s news<\/a> that a former Democratic secretary of state and others were indicted in another massive corruption scandal.<\/p>\n \u201cThe pattern of corrupt behavior and inept management exhibited by prominent Democrat public servants, while becoming routine, has got to stop,\u201d state GOP Chairman Harvey Yates said in a news release. \u201cI congratulate the attorney general for joining the fight against corruption; it is not easy to take on one\u2019s own party.\u201d<\/p>\n The AG is Gary King<\/a>, a Democrat.<\/p>\n Potential Republican gubernatorial candidate Allen Weh<\/a> had equally strong words for the Democratic Party\u2019s leaders.<\/p>\n \u201c(Gov.) Bill Richardson<\/a> and (Lt. Gov.) Diane Denish<\/a> chose to turn their heads in the face of corruption,\u201d Weh said in a statement released by his campaign. \u201cWhen I\u2019m governor, I will not turn my head; I will take on corruption head on. People can take that to the bank.\u201d<\/p>\n Former Secretary of State Rebecca Vigil-Giron<\/a>, a Democrat, and others indicted by the attorney general — lobbyists Joseph Kupfer<\/a> and Elizabeth Kupfer<\/a> and contractor Armando Gutierrez — each face 50 counts including money laundering, fraud, soliciting or receiving kickbacks and tax evasion. They\u2019re accused of bilking taxpayers out of millions of dollars between 2004 and 2006 by falsifying invoices to the secretary of state\u2019s office.<\/p>\n The scandal involving the secretary of state\u2019s office is the latest in a long line of corruption cases that been brought forth by prosecutors in the last four years. Many have involved the theft of millions of dollars in taxpayer money. Most have involved high-ranking Democrats, including the two previous state treasurers, the former Senate president, the former deputy insurance superintendent, a current and a former member of the Public Regulation Commission, and a former lawmaker who found himself in trouble while running a state affordable housing program.<\/p>\n While some of those cases are pending, others have led to felony convictions, steep fines and prison sentences.<\/p>\n Adding fuel to the fire<\/span><\/p>\n But how will the corruption scandals affect the 2010 election? Republicans were not able to capitalize on the scandal in the treasurer\u2019s office during the 2006 election. They gained no ground in state government, which has been largely controlled by Democrats for decades.<\/p>\n And in 2008, the GOP actually lost ground in the state Legislature — and lost every seat it held in the state\u2019s congressional delegation.<\/p>\n In an interview, Yates said corruption hasn\u2019t been one of the top issues for voters in recent election cycles, but new polling done by Republicans suggests that is changing. The top three issues cited in a recent poll, listed in order of importance voters placed on them, were the economy, education and public corruption, he said.<\/p>\n Focusing on corruption has already been the GOP\u2019s line of attack to this point in the 2010 election cycle. This week\u2019s indictments only add fuel to that fire.<\/p>\n Susana Martinez<\/a>, another GOP gubernatorial candidate and Do\u00f1a Ana County\u2019s district attorney, said the indictments are \u201ca sad reminder that for too long public officials in New Mexico have used elected office to serve themselves as opposed to serving the public who entrusted them to lead our state.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cAs we move forward in examining the records of candidates seeking our state\u2019s highest-elected office, it is critically important voters match rhetoric with action, and support someone who has a track record of identifying fraud and corruption and rooting it out,\u201d she said in a news release.<\/p>\n Corruption is \u2018not a partisan issue\u2019<\/span><\/p>\n The state Democratic Party\u2019s vice chair, Annadelle Sanchez, declined to talk about the potential political fallout from the corruption scandals, but released this statement:<\/p>\n \u201cThe people of New Mexico deserve a government that is open, honest and transparent. Good government is not a partisan issue, so instead of pointing fingers, Democrats and Republicans should work together to bring about the type of reform our system needs. I\u2019m proud of Democrats like Diane Denish and (state Auditor) Hector Balderas<\/a> that are leading that fight.\u201d<\/p>\n Richardson has not released a statement about the indictments. Denish on Wednesday renewed calls for ethics reform<\/a>, but her office said the Democrats\u2019 likely 2010 gubernatorial nominee was not available for comment Thursday on the political aspect of the indictments.<\/p>\n