Democracy for New Mexico

BushWorld: Another Day in the Life

BAGHDAD, Iraq - Two suicide bombers blew themselves up Tuesday in a crowd of Shiite pilgrims streaming toward the holy city of Karbala, killing 93 people in one of several attacks targeting the faithful ahead of a weekend holiday.

The attack came a day after U.S. forces suffered their deadliest day in nearly a month — nine American soldiers were killed in explosions north of Baghdad, the military said Tuesday. -- Yahoo News 3.6.07

Subpoena Day for Fired U.S. Attorneys

UPDATE: All this, plus we learn that Scooter "Liar" Libby has been found guilty of 4 out of 5 counts in the Plame leak case, including perjury and obstruction of justice. The chickens are definitely coming home to roost, aren't they? Think Progress has video clips.
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Today hearings are taking place in committees in both the U.S. House (this afternoon) and Senate (this morning) featuring the testimony of many of the fired U.S. Attorneys. Las Cruces blogger Heath Haussamen is live blogging them them with frequent updates. The Senate Judiciary Committee is first up. You can also watch on C-SPAN 3 TV or online. The four former U.S. attorneys who will testify today before Senate Judiciary are David Iglesias of New Mexico; Carol Lam, former U.S. attorney for Southern California; John McKay, former U.S. attorney for Western Washington; and H.E. “Bud” Cummins II, former U.S. attorney for Eastern Arkansas.

As reported by Haussamen, here's testimony from Iglesias prompted by Sen. Chuck Schumer at this morning's Senate Judiciary hearing:

Iglesias told the committee that Domenici and Wilson were the two who called him in October, the first time he has said so publicly.

The first call was made “on or about Oct. 16,” he said, by Wilson. He said the call was “quite brief.” He then said that the second call, “approximately two weeks later,” on Oct. 26 or Oct. 27, came from Domenici. He said Domenici Chief of Staff Steve Bell called him at home to tell him Domenici wanted to speak with him.

Bell indicated “there were some complaints by citizens,” then handed the phone to Domenici. Domenici, he said, asked about pending public corruption cases.

“He said, ‘Are these going to be filed before November?’”

Iglesias told Domenici they would not, he said. Domenici, he testified, said, “I’m very sorry to hear that,” and hung up the phone.

“I felt sick after that,” Iglesias said. “… I felt leaned on. I felt pressured to get these matters moving.”

He said it was “unprecedented” for a senator to call him at home.

As for the initial call from Wilson, Iglesias said Wilson said she had “been hearing about sealed indictments, and asked, ‘What can you tell me about sealed indictments?’”

“You cannot talk about indictments,” Iglesias testified. “… I was evasive and unresponsive.”

He said he tried to explain to her why he could not talk about the indictments.

“She was not happy… and she said, ‘Well, I guess I’ll have to take your word for it,’” and ended the call, Iglesias testified.

And in response to questions from Sen. Arlen Specter:

Specter asked Iglesias about Domenici’s and Wilson’s statements, in which they have admitted to calling but denied pressuring Iglesias.

“Is Sen. Domenici wrong?” Specter asked.

Iglesias said Domenici didn’t directly threaten him, but “the fact that he would call and ask about any specific investigation was a threatening call.”

The timing of the call was a factor in making him feel threatened, Iglesias said. Iglesias said his prosecution of the treasurer scandal had become the focus of the First Congressional District campaign.

“Public corruption was a huge battle being waged by Patricia Madrid and Heather Wilson, and I assiduously tried to stay out of that,” Iglesias said, adding that Domenici’s inquiry, because of that, was inappropriate and threatening.

Iglesias admitted that Domenici said no more than Domenici asserts – that he called to ask about the case – but “the fact that the line went dead” after that led to him feeling pressured.

In a statement released Monday night, Wilson asserted that she called Iglesias to inquire about an allegation that he was denying prosecutions in a public corruption case. She said she didn’t ask about the timing of indictments, tell him what she thought he should do or pressure him, and said the allegation was made by someone else.

Asked if Wilson said anything else during the conversation, Iglesias said Wilson never told her the allegation came from someone else. And she left out a key fact in her statement, Iglesias said.

“She wanted to talk about the ‘so-called’ sealed indictments – something I could not talk about,” Iglesias said.

Iglesias said he felt the calls were inappropriate but admitted not reporting them.

“Sen. Domenici had been a mentor to me… and Heather Wilson was a friend,” he said, adding that he felt a conflict between his loyalty to them and his duty to report what he claims happened.

Now go read the rest at Haussamen.

Think Progress has some video clips of Iglesias' testimony this morning.

More Local Blog Coverge:
Avelino Maestas over at Live From Silver City has some excellent commentary and analysis, and counters the desperate spin being applied by a couple of local Republican bloggers. As usual, Joe Monahan has the inside track on what his notorious political "alligators" are saying around the state on the case, and always has something compelling to add. We're blessed with some excellent political blogs here in the Land of Enchantment these days, so visit them often to get a good idea of what New Mexicans are thinking and saying about the important stories emerging locally.

NM Impeachment Resolution to Move to Senate Floor

From Desi Brown, aide to NM Sen. Gerald Ortiz y Pino:
With joy and relief I can now announce that SJR 5 has passed through the NM Senate Judiciary Committee on a 5-1 vote! As a member of Senator Ortiz y Pino's staff, I can tell you that at times it felt like we were herding a bunch of wild cats in trying to get members of the public on the same page as what he and his co-sponsor Senator Grubesic were trying to portray to their fellow Senators. But yesterday you ALL (well, almost all) were PERFECT! Those who chose to speak in the hearing were eloquent, concise, and impassioned. Those in attendance were uniformly respectful and attentive to the process (almost!).

What We Need Next
Now, take a deep breath, relax, stretch for a minute and congratulate yourselves! Alright, time to get back to work and help us push through our next step -- the Senate Floor -- and beyond! Take your focused energy, your renewed faith in the process, your understanding of what this bill is about -- and try to stay away from the Senators this week! Now is a stressful time for all of them and the sponsors of this legislation will most assuredly be working hard behind the scenes to try to ensure there will be enough votes when SJR5 comes to the Senate Floor. What you can do is:

• Continue to call all 42 of the NM Senators' offices to simply show your support for the Resolution. (Click for contact info.)
• Particularly try to contact constituents and local civic/democratic groups in Senator Smith's, Jennings', and Carraro's (yes, he's a Republican!) districts to see if they will support SJR5 and forward that info to those three Senators. We are leery of direct contact between them and the public at this point so please try not to approach any of the three directly. Please honor this request by Senator Ortiz y Pino.
• Begin casual contact with Representatives on the House side in the event of passage off of the Senate Floor.
  • Keep in mind everything we have been discussing before!
• Really try to ramp up public input through letters to the editor of local and national papers, call in to radio shows, talk to everyone you know and continue spreading the word.
  • While of course staying on topic and focused on the process, not the end result.
  • Our mantra is that we are asking Congress for an investigation into possible Impeachment via a legally recognized and constitutional means provided to the people of the U.S. thanks to Thomas Jefferson and the founders of our nation.

If this Resolution passes the Senate Floor, there needs to be an IMMEDIATE and INTENSE upswing of public support in order to get it through the House side of the Legislature. We are counting on each of you to make that happen! Thanks again -- you have all been wonderful to work with so far!

I hope that those in attendance last night appreciated Senator Rod Adair's comments and respected the fact that others are entitled to their own opinions, even if they are quite different from our own. This is the first time that a Republican has openly spoke out against this Resolution and you should note that he didn't seem concerned with it on its own merits.  Rather, he focused on the rare mistakes and miscues by speakers that strayed from the direct message of the Resolution.

On behalf of both Senators and their staffs, I would like to send out a sincere thank you for all of your public support. Without your daily presence at committee hearings, without your phone calls, without your letters and e-mails, without you stalking the legislators in the halls of the Roundhouse; this Resolution would not have passed and made it as far as it has. THANK YOU!!!

Wish us and yourselves continued good luck in the coming days of this legislative session,

Desi Brown, (505)256-0668, desibrown@comcast.net

Editor's Note: See our live blogging thread from last night for a rundown on the votes. To access all our previous posts about this initiative, visit our impeachment post archive.

Breaking: Heather Wilson Admits Calling Iglesias

Rep. Heather Wilson (R, NM-01) claims she was trying to "help" U.S. Attorney David Iglesias when she called him about his public corruption investigations. Click for her complete statement. A Washington Post article also reported:

Rep. Heather Wilson (R-N.M.) acknowledged today that she contacted a federal prosecutor to complain about the pace of his public corruption investigations, as the Senate Ethics Committee signaled that it had opened a preliminary inquiry into a similar communication by the state's senior senator, Pete V. Domenici (R).

... "I did not ask about the timing of any indictments and I did not tell Mr. Iglesias what course of action I thought he should take or pressure him in any way," Wilson said in a statement to the Washington Post. "The conversation was brief and professional."

... Wilson said in her statement that many of her constituents had complained about "the slow pace of federal prosecutions" in corruption cases and said she was told by one unidentified constituent that "Iglesias was intentionally delaying corruption investigations."

Wilson also said she was trying to help Iglesias: "If the purpose of my call has somehow been misperceived, I am sorry for any confusion. I thought it was important for Mr. Iglesias to receive this information and, if necessary, have the opportunity to clear his name."

... Iglesias, one of seven U.S. attorneys fired by the Justice Department on Dec. 7, is expected to testify to Congress tomorrow that Wilson and Domenici were indeed trying to sway the course of his investigation. [emphasis mine]

(Updated, We Win Again!) Live Blogging from NM Impeachment Hearing

UPDATE: As reported in the comments section by LInda in the hearing room, the NM Senate Judiciary Committee passed the impeachment resolution this evening! The measure passed by a margin of 5-1 along party lines with one Democrat, Sen. Lidio Rainaldi (D-Gallup), not voting and only one Republican, Sen. Rod Adair (R-Roswell), present and voting no. Voting yes were Senators Cisco McSorley (D-Albuquerque), Richard Martinez (D-Espanola), John Grubesic (D-Santa Fe), Linda Lopez (D-Albuquerque), and Michael Sanchez (D-Belen). Big thank you to all who voted for passage! Next the resolution will go to the Senate floor for a vote by all the State Senators. Another victory for truth and justice -- the third Senate Committee to pass the resolution. Thanks to all who are working so hard on this!
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Linda is at the Senate Judiciary Hearing of SJR 5, the NM resolution requesting that the U.S. House investigate Bush and Cheney to determine if impeachment is merited, this afternoon in Santa Fe. She's been entering her comments under the previous thread so I thought I'd put them together here under a thread about the hearing. Click on comments and read what Linda has to say and/or type in your own comments. You can read our previous posts on this issue in our impeachment post archive.

By the way, here's a recent article in The Nation by Elizabeth Holtzman, who testifed via video at today's NM Senate Judiciary Committee hearing. She was involved in the Nixon impeachment. She lays out the reasons we need to do this in a clear and convincing way. The momentum builds.

Domenici: I'm Sorry, So Sorry; CREW Files Ethics Complaint Against Pete

What a load of double talk. First Pete Domenici claims he doesn't know what Iglesias is talking about when revelations are made about Pete's pressuring calls to the U.S. Attorney. After days of stonewalling, Domenici suddenly has an epiphany and remembers the calls, but claims they were innocuous, innocent, run-of-the-mill inquiries checking on progress. Then he ends with an apology, saying he should never have made the calls (see statement). Why would he be saying he's sorry about calls that were perfectly justifiable and ethical in nature, according to his own characterization? And why would the Senator himself be making calls to Iglesias about mundane, how-are-things-going matters when he's got a bunch of staffers to handle business as usual queries like that?

It's obvious Domenici stayed quiet until he counld rendezvous with Alberto's Justice Department hacks and get his story aligned with their carefully crafted excuses. Oh, nobody, Domenici included, was pushing anything political or doing anything unusual in the unprecedented mass firings of eight U.S. Attorneys. After all, it's not like the Bush administration has any record of operating completely in the political realm on every issue or anything. It's just a coincidence that political operative supreme Karl Rove occupies a space cheek by jowl with The Decider in the White House. No, all the fuss was merely about rooting out poor performers and getting more immigration and drug prosecutions. The fact that many of the fired attorneys were involved in politically sensitive cases was just happenstance. Nothing to see here folks, move along.

As Josh Marshall at Talking Points Memo has mentioned, if a federal prosecutor gets a personal call from a powerful homestate Senator about an open case that has huge political implications, it's a little more signficant than a howdy do. The Senator doesn't have to be verbally specific during such a call to make it known that pressure is being applied in no uncertain terms.

Ethics Charge Filed Today Against Domenici
Naomi Seligman Steiner of Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington had said that if Iglesias named Wilson and Domenici, then CREW would "certainly" draft an ethics complaint against Domenici in the Senate and ask the House ethics committee to investigate Wilson. Today, they followed through with a complaint against Domenici, based on his own admissions of making calls to Iglesias.

In their press release, CREW notes that:

In a discussion of Senate Rule 43, the Senate Ethics Manual states that “[t]he general advice of the Ethics Committee concerning pending court actions is that Senate offices should refrain from intervening in such legal actions . . . until the matter has reached a resolution in the courts.” The manual also indicates that Senators are not to communicate with an agency regarding ongoing enforcement or investigative matters.

And as reported in an article in Sunday's Washington Post:

Stanley Brand, an ethics lawyer who served as House counsel in the 1980s, said Iglesias's allegation could result in internal congressional ethics probes. "It's going to precipitate a huge problem," Brand said, warning also of a potential review by the Justice Department.

Finally, here's what Talking Points Memo, which has become THE provider of online info on this case, has to say today about what we can expect during tomorrow's hearings in both House and the Senate committees.

On the matter of Mr. Iglesias's testimony on Tuesday, let's remember a few things. Sen. Domenici (R-NM) and the political appointees at the Justice Department have strong motivations for supporting each others claims about management shortcomings during Mr. Iglesias's tenure -- despite the fact that there appears to be little if any evidence for this prior to Iglesias's ouster. Domenici has already if not lied than intentionally misled the public about his contacts with Iglesias. Remember, when first asked about Iglesias's claims about calls to his office from members of the New Mexico, Domenici said "I have no idea what he's talking about." It's only by the most generous and clement interpretation that that statement doesn't peg Domenici as a liar. So he's already misled the public and taken an action which even by the most innocent reading appears to violate congressional ethics rules. He doesn't have much credibility. The folks at Main Justice don't have much either when you consider that they've run through several different explanations at this point for why Iglesias was fired.

So let's see what Iglesias says. He's levelled extremely serious charges. So he deserves scrutiny too. But let's not miss that we're about to witness that most familiar of Bush era storylines, the whistleblower heading into the buzzsaw, with the full panoply of DOJ, Republican senators, National Review yakkers and RNC smearlords ready to crank up the noise machine to make sure Iglesias is too bashed and bruised by the end of the week to make his charges amount to anything.

NM Impeachment Hearing Videos

Video of 2.27.07 hearing of SJR 5 at NM Senate Public Affairs Committee at Roundhouse, Santa Fe. Footage provided by  Concentric Media, Arthouse Productions, Vivo Studio, Mother Media.

Notice the diversity of the citizens testifying at the committee hearings. The Bush defenders like to pretend that the only citizens concerned about the administration's actions are from the far left. These videos tell a very different story.

Video of 2.16.07 hearing of SJR 5 at NM Senate Rules Committee at Roundhouse, Santa Fe. Footage provided by  Concentric Media, Arthouse Productions, Vivo Studio, Mother Media.

The impeachment resolution is scheduled to be heard by the Senate Judiciary Committee on Monday, March 5, 2007. Click to read what you can do to help. All of our posts on the impeachment effort are contained in our impeachment archive.

(Updated) Domestic Partnership Bill Heads to NM Senate Committee

UPDATE 3.6.07: The Domestic Partnership Act was removed from today's agenda for the Senate Public Affairs Committee because Sen. Ortiz y Pino, one of the bill's supporters, will be absent due to a death in the family. Our thoughts go out to the Senator in his time of grief. Hearing of the Act will be rescheduled for sometime in the future.
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From Equality New Mexico:
HB 603, the Domestic Partner Rights and Responsibilities Act, is scheduled for its first hearing in the Senate in the Public Affairs Committee on Tuesday, March 6th, at 2:30 PM. (Given the Senate schedule these days, we anticipate that the committee will not actually begin until at least 4:00 PM.)  We need as many people there as possible to show their support and provide testimony for this important piece of legislation. The bill has already gained passage in the NM House.

The Radical Right is extremely mobilized to kill this Bill.  Senators are already receiving thousands of phone calls and e-mails telling them to vote NO!!!

If we are to have any chance of passing this legislation, we need people to contact their individual Senators and ask them to support HB 603. The Senators need to hear from people in their own Districts.

The campaign below will allow you to send an e-mail or fax to your specific Senator. Please personalize the message. It will make a difference.  Tell you Senator your personal story and how HB603 will help you, your family, your friends, your neighbors, etc. 

CLICK HERE TO SEND A LETTER TO YOUR SENATOR.

Below is a list of 12 Senators whose votes will be crucial to passing this legislation. If you live in their Districts, please call their offices, send them e-mails, and if there is any way that you can come to the Roundhouse, pay them a personal visit and ask them to support HB603. If you know anyone who lives in their Districts, please contact them immediately and ask them to contact their Senator to ask them to support HB603. 

• Sen. Ben Altamirano (D- Catron, Grant & Socorro-28), 505.986.4733
• Sen. Sue Wilson Beffort (R- Bernalillo, Sandoval, Santa Fe & Torrance-19), 505.986.4395, sue.beffort@nmlegis.gov
• Sen Pete Campos (D- Guad, Mora, San Miguel, Santa Fe & Torrance-8), 505.986.4311, petecampos@newmexico.com
• Sen. Carlos Cisneros (D- Los Alamos, Rio Arriba, Santa Fe & Taos–6), 505.986.4863, carlos.cisneros@nmlegis.gov
• Sen. Mary Jane Garcia (D- Dona Ana–36), 505.986.4726, maryjane.garcia@nmlegis.gov
• Sen. Tim Jennings (D- Chavez, Eddy, Lincoln & Otero-32), 505.986.4362
• Sen. Lynda Lovejoy (D- Benalillo, Cibola, McKinley, Rio Arriba & Sandoval-2), 505.986.4859
• Sen. John Ryan (R-Bernalillo & Sandoval-10), 505.986.4373, johnchrisryan@yahoo.com
• Sen. Bernadette Sanchez (D- Bernalilo -26), 505.986.4267
• Sen. John Arthur Smith (D- Hidalgo, Luna & Sierra -35), 505.986.4363, john.smith@nmlegis.gov
• Sen. Diane Snyder (R- Bernalillo-15), 505.986.4374, hdsnyder@spinn.net
• Sen. David Ulibarri (D- Cibola, Socorro & Valencia–30), 505.986.4265

There is not much time left. Take Action Now!

Equality New Mexico is holding its Lobbying Day at the Legislature on Monday, March 6. Click here to learn more. All citizens are encouraged to participate!

NM Rep. Begaye Declares Tax Subsidy for Desert Rock Power Plant Dead

Credit: HK Dixon/Jan.7.2007 (Click image for larger version.)

Dooda! That's what the NM House Energy and Natural Resources Committee said this past Wednesday with its vote to once again table HB 178. The bill would grant Sithe Global Power $85 million in tax breaks for its filthy, coal-fired Desert Rock power plant planned for the Farmington area, on Navajo land. Dooda means 'no' in the Dine language, and as used in the name one of the citizen groups -- Dooda Desert Rock Committee -- that has been working long and hard against both the power plant and this giveaway of our taxpayer dollars to the company aiming to build it.

Here's a detailed report of what happened from Friday's Gallup Independent.

The Senate version of the bill, SB 431, is still alive and referred to the Senate Finance Committee. However, without significant amendment to place more stringent environmental controls on the power plant, it would have little chance of passage in the House if it made it through the Senate. As the Gallup Independent article reports:

"It's not going anywhere," said Rep. Ray Begaye, D-Shiprock. "This is dead."

... A similar bill in the Senate might have a better chance there, Begaye said, but wouldn't make it through the House without some amendments the Senate would never accept.

"This has got zero chance of getting through this session," Begaye said.

Still, given that things can change abruptly and unexpectedly in the last two weeks of the legislative session, activists are urging those opposed to the tax giveaway to contact members of the Senate Finance and remain vigliant.

According to a press release from Conservation Voters New Mexico, which has also been fighting the bill, the House Energy and Natural Resources Committee (HENRC) voted 7-6 along party lines with 7 Democrats voting to table the bill. The Legislators serving on the HENRC committee who voted to table include Chairman James Roger Madalena (D-Jemez Pueblo), Rep. Jim Trujillo (D-Santa Fe), Rep. Miguel Garcia (D-Albuquerque), Rep. Peter Wirth (D-Santa Fe), Rep. Antonio Lujan (D-Las Cruces), Rep. Joni Gutierrez (D-Mesilla), and Rep. Jeff Steinborn (D-Las Cruces).

“I especially wish to commend Chairman Madalena and Rep. Gutierrez for taking a courageous and visionary stand for protecting New Mexico’s air, land, water and public health,” stated Sandy Buffett, Executive Director of Conservation Voters New Mexico. 

The plant, if built, would emit 10 million tons annually of greenhouse gas emissions and would contribute hundreds of pounds of mercury annually to a region already considered a mercury hotspot.

Some basic facts about Desert Rock:

• Total carbon dioxide emissions in the state will increase 16%, with 10 million tons emitted annually from this plant;
• The greenhouse gas emissions from this plant will cancel out the Governor’s numerical targets for curbing global warming;
• On February 5, 2007, hundreds of citizens of New Mexico, including over 50 Navajo activists and elders, gathered at the New Mexico State Legislature to protest the proposed Desert Rock power plant;
• Sithe seeks to build the plant to export electricity to Nevada and Arizona. However, the plant would not meet California’s new clean energy import standard, precluding the plant from being able to sell to the largest power market in the west.

Desert Rock would be 3rd coal-fired plant polluting Four Corners region

Beyond the tax subsidy issue, opposition against allowing the construction of the plant itself continues. As reported in Colorado's The Durango Herald:

Desert Rock faces determined opposition from local Navajo residents living in the plant's prospective shadow. Busloads of Navajos have trekked twice to Santa Fe to express their dismay about the project, despite the project's support by the official government of the Navajo Nation.

Beyond its eternal quest for taxpayer handouts, Desert Rock faces immediate hurdles in securing the necessary permits. The Environmental Protection Agency is still grappling with the critical technical opposition raised to the draft air quality permit last year, and the Bureau of Indian Affairs keeps delaying release of the project's environmental impact statement. Meanwhile, opposition continues to grow both within the Navajo reservation and in communities throughout the Four Corners.

To stay current on the fight against the power plant or learn more about how you can help, visit:

• Desert-Rock-Blog
• NM Coalition for Clean Affordable Energy
• Conservation Voters New Mexico
• Sierra Club Rio Grande Chapter
• San Juan Citizens Alliance

(Updated) Senate Judiciary Hearing on NM Impeachment Resolution Delayed Until Monday

UPDATE 3/6/07: The impeachment resolution was finally heard by the NM Senate Judiciary on March 5, and passed by a vote of 5-1. The resolution will be heard next by the full Senate.

From Leland Lehrman of Mother Media:
The Senate Judiciary hearing on the NM impeachment resolution SJR 5 has been rescheduled for Monday, March 5th, after the Floor Session, around 2:30 PM. Sex offender bills may precede the resolution so check with Chairman McSorley's office regarding the estimated time the bill will be heard. Capitol Phone: 505-986-4300.

After a long and uncertain day on Saturday, the entire Judiciary Committee hearing was rescheduled. Fatigue was one factor after a long and involved floor session, but votes were another, as two Democratic Senators -- Linda Lopez and Senator Richard Martinez -- were absent for personal reasons. Without those votes, the resolution would not have passed, a reminder of the importance not only of counting your votes in theory, but counting your votes in person and in the building.

At this point the situation is so sensitive that there is push back from the Senators regarding aggressive lobbying so keep the calls and visits going, but be discreet and respectful. We can have it both ways. There are ways to express ourselves honestly without offending. Senator Ortiz y Pino also requests that we focus on the need for an investigation of alleged impeachable offenses, rather than requiring Senators to assert the President is already guilty if they vote for the Resolution. For this reason, the language of the resolution is going to be minimally amended with more "may haves" and "allegedlys."

To read the rest of Leland's latest advice on lobbying and more, visit his website, Mother Media.

To review all our posts on the NM impeachment resolution initiative, visit our impeachment post archive.