Unofficial Transcript of TV News Story on Heather Wilson Removing CFYD File About Her Husband

In the last day or so, Albuquerque's KOAT-7 News apparently had YouTube remove a video of their 1995 1996 investigative TV news report on Republican Rep. Heather Wilson (NM-01) due to "copyright infringement." At least, that's what YouTube says on its site at the link where the clip had been present for some time. In the TV news story, Wilson is caught lying to the camera about removing a file on her husband, Jay Hone, from the central filing system of the NM Children, Youth and Families Department (see posts below from earlier today).

Given KOAT's action, I can't include an actual video of the story here for those who haven't seen it. But what I can do is provide an unofficial transcript of the video, which was emailed to me this evening from someone who watched the video closely. You can make your own judgments about whether or not the story has relevance in the current election cycle, and if the story should be reexamined by local print or TV news media in light of current events:

Unofficial Transcript:
KOAT 7 Target 7 TV Report on Secretary Wilson, in 1995 1996

(Scene of the KOAT 7 newsroom, with anchors Diane Anderson and Nelson Martinez)

“Children Youth and Families Secretary Heather Wilson hastily calls a news conference to discredit a Target 7 report she had not even seen. But it’s a story you’ll see in just a moment.

"Good evening, I’m Nelson Martinez. And I’m Diane Anderson. Where is a sensitive case file relating to Wilson’s husband?

"Our Target 7 team has learned that it was moved, on orders of the Cabinet Secretary herself. And one Law Enforcement official calls the incident, ‘highly inappropriate’.”

Anderson, “Target 7 investigative reporter Larry Barker has the exclusive story that prompted Secretary Wilson to go on the offensive.”

(cut to reporter Larry Barker)

Barker, “One of Governor Johnson’s (R-NM) first appointments was Heather Wilson, to head up Children, Youth and Families. And one of Heather Wilson’s first acts was to have a confidential case file, on her husband, removed from the Department’s Central Records.

"Believed to be in the file is a March 1993 Albuquerque Police incident report containing potentially embarrasing allegations against Wilson’s husband, Jay Hone. (shows picture of the police report).

"Now charges were never pressed, but the allegation was referred to State Authorities for investigation by Children Youth and Familes, where the agency had a routine file on Jay Hone. Secretary Wilson took office on January 1st last year (1995). Target 7 has learned that just 3 days later, the Secretary ordered her husband’s file removed from the Department’s Central Records room here in Albuqueque and delivered to the Deparment’s attorney, in her Santa Fe office.”

“The action was documented on this index card copy (shows the card), the original of which is now apparently missing.  Also missing is a letter, showing the file’s current location (shows similar letter with overlay quote “…wrongfully removed”). Children, Youth and Families administrators suggest that the letter may have been, quote, wrongfully removed. The Jay Hone file was taken from the Children Youth and Families Albuquerque office, which puts this incident under the jurisdiction of District Attorney, Bob Schwartz."

(Cut to video of Barker’s interview with Bob Schwartz):

Barker, “If she removed this file, relating to her husband from the file room or wherever they keep files, to the office of the Secretary – is that appropriate?"

Schwartz, “It is absolutely inappropriate. At minimum, the Secretary has an obvious conflict of interest. And being a Cabinet Secretary, what she should have done, is gone to a court, under seal, and at least asked a court to authorize this kind of removal. Because obviously she is a little too close.”

Barker’s report continues – cut to Barker interrupting Wilson in a conference room ...

Barker, “Secretary Wilson refused to discuss this matter with me, so we caught up with her at Children Youth and Families’ Albuquerque office.

Barker interviews Wilson ...

Barker, “And this is, purports to be the card, referencing your husband, right?"

Wilson, “Yes.”

Barker, “OK. And there is a notation here, that the record was removed, by your order, on this date.”

Wilson gives him a blank look.

Barker, “Does that have any meaning for you, or not?”

Wilson, “I will assume, for the purposes, that this is some kind of a copy of a record of this Department. Now where we locate files, in this Department, is none of your business.”

Barker, “Well did you order, this ... a record ... removed?"

Wilson, “No.”

Barker, “So this is totally inaccurate?"

Wilson, “Yes."

Barker, “But confidential sources claim Secretary Wilson did indeed move her husband’s case file. And that’s not the only thing she removed. Watch closely. That’s OUR investigative file (Wilson walks off with Barker’s manilla file folder). That’s right, Secretary Wilson made off with OUR Target 7 file. Now we recovered our documents moments later. Meanwhile DA Schwartz says he will demand the Jay Hone file, be returned."

Schwartz again, “These records do not belong to Secretary Wilson. These records belong to the Department and they are under the strict regulation of the law. If this file is in Secretary Wilson’s desk, then she shouldn’t be behind this desk any more, she should resign.”

Barker, signing off, “The Department confirms the Hone files does exist, but they won’t say ... where it is. Larry Barker, for Target 7.”

(cut back to the KOAT-7 studio)

Diane Anderson, “When Secretary Wilson learned that KOAT 7 planned to run the story tonight, she summoned reporters to her Santa Fe office this afternoon.”

Nelson Martinez, “There, for the first time, she publicly acknowledged having her husband’s file moved.”