(Updated) NM Senators Leave Citizens, Ethics in the Lurch

UPDATE 3.25.07: We now know 3 Dems voted with Repubs to adjourn: Senators Linda Lopez, Tim Jennings and John Arthur Smith. We also know 4 Dems were absent: Senators Cisco McSorley, Ortiz y Pino, Cynthia Nava and Mary Kay Papen. Adjournment was achieved by an 18-17 margin. According to this morning's Sunday Journal article it appears that Governor Richardson and the NM House leadership intend to keep going. Richardson is quoted as saying he'll basically keep a Special Session going until the Senate gives him an up or down vote on the bills he specified in his proclamation. Senate Majority Leader Michael Sanchez and some others appear to favor a cooling down period, with a break before another Special Session is called. The Governor doesn't agree, saying:

"I don't want them to go home and get comfortable and then find excuses not to come back," Richardson said. "If there are some senators that would rather politic and make excuses than do their work, I think the people are going to respond at the polls.

"I want the Senate to ask: What do they say to victims of domestic violence? What do they say to the (people) of New Mexico that wants roads in their cities and counties? What do they say to gay couples that want a fair shot? What do they say to controlling the meth problem in the state? And what do they say about ethics? I mean, we've had all these scandals, and the Senate doesn't even want to vote?"

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Kate Nash reports briefly:

UPDATE 11:23 AM The clerk is calling the roll. At 11:30, Senate Minority Leader Stuart Ingle made a motion to adjourn. It was a voice vote, which is being challenged. The clerk is now calling the roll. There were enough votes, by one, to adjourn. The Senate is clearing out.

They voted on nothing except adjournment, failing to pass even a feed bill to pay themselves. I'd love to know which Democrats voted to adjourn so I could personally thank them for the valiant efforts they made to show Governor Richardson who's boss, to stick it to the majority of New Mexicans who support ethics and campaign finance reform in the wake of ongoing ethics scandals, to make it clear to New Mexican families who critically need the very basic civil law protections of the domestic partnership bill that their civil rights aren't considered important and, well, you get the idea. Shameful. In my view, if there's ever been an argument to be made for terms limits, this is it.

Thanks, Senators! You've shown your true colors.

No word yet on whether the NM House intends to join in the adjournment. If they don't, the Senate would be forced to reconvene again in three days. This could go on for 30 days beyond the start of the Special Session, at which point the Governor could issue another call for a Special Session. We'll see what happens. 

To access all our past coverage of the 2007 NM Legislature, visit our archived posts on the topic.