Democracy for New Mexico

Excuse Game Continues on Iglesias Firing

A front page story by Miss Laura at Daily Kos provides a nice summary of the latest in the firing of eight U.S. Attorneys, including David Iglesias. The White House admits it approved the decisions and claims it made a mistake in not explaining, upfront, that the firings were due to the attorneys "not doing enough to carry out President Bush's policies on immigration, firearms and other issues." Right, that's why there was so much secrecy and misinformation surrounding them. Note that the Bushies are now claiming those relieved of their duties were selected based on complaints to the Justice Department from various officials. Pete Domenici is mentioned as being one of the complainers who raised concerns about the performance of Iglesias, particularly on immigration, although he still won't admit he called Iglesias. I wonder if the excuses being offered by the administration will change again, like their ever-fluid reasons for attacking and occupying Iraq.

In related news, Christy Hardin Smith over at firedoglake is threatening to help organize an email/fax-in targeting the House and Senate Ethics Committees if they don't open investigations into the pressuring phone calls to Iglesias by Heather Wilson and Pete Domenici. The ethics rules clearly prohibit such intervention in federal investigations and prosecutions.

Now and Then: Shift Happens

For more info on this presentation, visit FarrFeed, which also provides our daily FotoFeed at the top right-hand corner of DFNM. Remember when 1984, Brave New World and 2001: A Space Odyssey were amazingly futuristic? Now we can easily partake of genuine, up-close photos of Saturn from NASA's Cassini project, including a batch of recently released dazzlers:

Blinding Saturn
Tourniquet Shadows
Symmetry in Shadow

Technology can be fabulous (or incredibly damaging). Unfortunately, it's our flawed and still primitive human character that most needs improvement and evolution, not our machines. Will our conciousness ever move up an octave, exponentially, like our science? 

Click on images for larger versions. Click on captions for source photos and descriptions.

(Updated) Saturday Morning Bulletin on Today's NM Impeachment Action

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.

UPDATE: The Senate Judiciary hearing on the impeachment resolution was rescheduled until Monday, March 5. Click for more info.
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Please visit the Mother Media website for a last-minute bulletin from Leland Lehrman on what's anticipated at the Santa Fe Roundhouse today, as the NM Senate Judiciary Committee and/or entire Senate deals with SJR 5, New Mexico's impeachment resolution. Bottom line: if you can, be at the State Capitol by 1:30 PM today, ready to stay into the evening if necessary. Leland has much more you need to know about planned strategies and expectations, so be sure to check his website and read all about it. Today's actions may well make or break the impeachment resolution initiative. Time for the big push.

Tune in Today to 1350 AM Radio's Insight New Mexico

Albuquerque's weekly progressive talk radio show, Insight New Mexico, airs every Saturday from 3:00 to 4:00 PM on 1350 AM. The shows are rebroadcast on Sunday mornings from 7-8:00 PM. Host Eric Griego and sidekick Suzanne Prescott will bring you another serving of interviews, listener call-ins and political news. Today's show will feature NM House Majority Leader Kenny Martinez reporting in from the Legislature in Santa Fe where the action is nonstop this weekend, talented Live From Silver City blogger Avelino Maestas, who is also a staff writer for the Silver City Daily Press, and the in-the-know Heather Brewer, Executive Director of NARAL Pro-Choice New Mexico.

Eric is expecting a direct report from the NM Senate on today's impeachment resolution action. AND, he's getting ready to make a MAJOR ANNOUNCEMENT, which he MAY or MAY NOT be making on the air today. Don't miss it.

Visit the Insight New Mexico website for more info on the show its guests, helpful links, blogging and podcasts (mp3s) from previous shows. You can call in live during the show with your questions and comments at 338-4090.

(Updated) 10:30 PM Friday Update on Impeachment Hearing(s) Saturday

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.

UPDATE, SATURDAY MORNING: A last-minute bulletin about Saturday's actions was issued by Leland Lehrman of Mother Media. Visit his website to read it.
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From Desi Brown, Aide to Sen. Ortiz y Pino: Please forward to all interested

Here is the latest: The Resolution will be heard for sure tomorrow (Saturday)! As of now (10:30 PM), it is still being heard in the Senate Judiciary Committee at some point in the afternoon (any time after 2:30 PM – could be as late as 9 PM). There is a slight possibility that the resolution will be pulled from Judiciary and put on the floor calendar for the day as well.  If this occurs, then the bill would most likely be the last bill heard during the floor schedule – which could be anywhere from 1:30 PM or later.

Unfortunately, we will not know which will happen until mid-morning at the earliest. If you are planning to come to the hearing, I would suggest calling Senator Ortiz y Pino’s office directly at about 11 AM to see if we have any new news: 505-986-4380.

We hope to have available a 22 minute recording of the live video testimony we conducted today with former congresswoman Elizabeth Holtzman who was on the Judiciary Committee that Impeached Nixon.  It is quite good.  We plan to have a viewing place set up somewhere in the Roundhouse by about 1 PM.  Info will be available in Room 414 (Senator Ortiz y Pino’s Office).

There will be a sign up sheet for speakers available in Room 414 (and outside of the committee room).  Initial indications are that there will be a limited time for citizen input again.

That’s all for now – 6 more bills to go tonight!!!!

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

Editor's Note: For previous posts on this, visit DFNM's impeachment post archive.

Patricia Madrid Weighs in on Iglesias Firing

Las Cruces blogger Heath Haussamen has an exclusive interview about the David Iglesias firing with former Attorney General Patricia Madrid, who was Rep. Heather Wilson's Democratic opponent in the November 2006 election in NM-01. Just go read it. Quite the scoop. Former reporter Haussamen is doing some stellar work these days ....

(Updated) URGENT: NM Impeachment Resolution May Go Straight to Senate Floor

UPDATE 2: Latest news from Desi Brown of Sen. Ortiz y Pino's office as of 10:30 PM Friday, 3.2.07 here.

UPDATE 1: I just found this hopeful tidbit quoting Senate Majority Leader Michael Sanchez over at Steve Terrell's Legislature Blog:

He believes Senate Joint Resolution 5, which calls for the impeachment of President Bush and Vice President Cheney, will pass the Senate by a party-line vote. Although earlier in the session he said he didn’t back the resolution, he said tonight that he’d probably vote for it. His earlier opposition wasn’t over the merits of the resolution, but because of his questions whether the state Legislature was the proper place for it.

Sanchez said he hopes the Senate Judiciary Committee would pass the resolution out without recommendation to the full Senate, which he said could hear it as early as Saturday. [The resolution would still have to gain passage in the House to be successful.]

Based on reports from Leland Lehrman of Mother Media:
The NM impeachment resolution, SJR 5, may bypass the Senate Judiciary Committee on Friday, March 2nd, and go straight to the Senate Floor. Attorney Randall Cherry -- Senator McSorley's staff analyst -- is the source of this information as directly relayed by citizen Terrence McCarthy of Vivo Studios and corroborated by Jim Williams of KUNM and Dorothy Fadiman of Concentric Media.

Since both the bill sponsor and the Committee Chairman are already in favor, they can make a motion on the floor in open session that the resolution bypass Judiciary. However, this motion must receive unanimous consent -- not likely -- or then win either a voice or roll-call vote. According to Charlotte Roybal, longtime Democratic Party delegate, if the Senate votes to take the resolution out of Judiciary, floor debate on the resolution will still have to wait until Saturday, perhaps around 10AM. Stay tuned via either the sponsors Ortiz y Pino and Grubesic's office, Judiciary Chairman McSorley's office or the Majority Leader Sanchez' office. Again, all can be contacted at 505-986-4300.

Support in the Senate
It's now time to count our votes on the Senate floor. If all the Republicans vote together and are present (likely), we can afford to lose only three Democratic votes against or five abstentions.

Possible negatives: We know that Sen. John Arthur Smith (D-Hidalgo, Luna, Sierra) was solidly against. Tim Jennings (D-Chaves, Eddy, Lincoln, Otero) may take his cue from Smith, but is on the fence, having told me personally: "You can't impeach someone for stupidity." Sen. Lidio Rainaldi (D-Espanola) is known for conservatism, and declined an information packet recently offerred saying that he already knew how he was voting, but not saying how that was. Senator Phil Griego (D-Los Alamos, Mora, Sandoval, San Miguel, Santa Fe, Taos) is also well-known for skepticism.

Unknown: The views of the following Senators are not known and could be swing votes: John Pinto (D-Tohatchi), Lynda Lovejoy (D-Crownpoint), Nancy Rodriguez (D-Santa Fe), Pete Campos (D-Las Vegas), James Taylor (D-Albuquerque), Shannon Robinson (D-Albuquerque).

Who to Call: Given that that the timetable for the floor vote has been accelerated, it is now time for the full-court press. Please contact every Democratic undecided Senator, all the time, especially the swing votes: Sen. Michael Sanchez above all, the rest of the above undecideds and some say Altamirano. Although he voted for the resolution in Rules Committee, Senators do not always vote for a bill on the floor the way they did in Committee, for various reasons. The Capitol Switchboard can connect you with anyone in the Roundhouse: 505-986-4300.

On the Senate Floor: If you're attending the session, please also note decorum without feeling overly restricted. No clapping after speeches or votes in committee or from the gallery, in particular. We won't get a second chance.

The number and type of speakers are being left to the sponsor and Chair this time. The sponsors are now suggesting that we focus on the "asking for an investigation" part and avoid rendering verdicts in our testimony. I agree there may be some merit to the cautious approach at this time. Apparently it may help us with swing voters. Take this under advisement, but it is not meant to stifle your initiative, which is the most precious of all the human qualities found on this team.

Contacts in Santa Fe: Citizens will be onsite at the Roundhouse on Friday and Saturday to assist if you would like to hit any of the key offices in person. Please look for us either on the floor, outside the Majority Leader's office, or in the Media Gallery overlooking the House floor on the East Side of the Capitol Building. I can be paged at the Information Desk on the East Side. I will be also be leaving updates with Arwen Gwyneth Hubbard at (505) 603-6084 and may be reachable at that number. I can be reached at home at 505-982-3609 or office 505-473-4458, and emailed at leland.lehrman@gmail.com.

Editor's Note: To learn more about this effort check out DFNM's impeachment post archive. Click to see a video of the impeachment resolution hearing in the February 16, 2007 NM Senate Rules Committee. Video of last Saturday's hearing before the Senate Public Affairs Committee should be available soon and posted on Google Video.

NM House Passes Minimum Wage Bill

From ACORN NM:
Today the New Mexico House of Representatives approved SB 324, sending the legislation--which the House amended to reach $7.50 by January 1, increase annually with the cost of living, and preserve the right of cities to pass their own increases--back to the Senate where it originated.

This is a tremendous victory for working New Mexicans. Please call Speaker Ben Lujan and your local legislator to thank them for ushering through one of the strongest minimum wage bills in the country. (Click for contact information.)

Our work is not done. We expect the Senate to reject the House's changes, sending the bill into conference committee. Stay tuned for more information on how to insure that New Mexico gets a minimum wage law significantly better than what Congress is debating. For more information, contact Matthew Henderson at nmacorn@acorn.org.

(Updated) Video of Iglesias KRQE Interview and More on Wilson - Domenici Ethics Scandal

UPDATE: Albuquerque's KOB-TV Eyewitness News 4 has video of their interview with David Iglesias.
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Albuquerque's KRQE News 13 aired a live one-on-one interview yesterday with fired U.S. Attorney David Iglesias conducted by news anchor Dick Knipfing. Click to watch video. Iglesias states that he got two separate calls on two separate days during the period of mid-to-late October 2006, each by a different member of the NM Congressional delegation, not staffers. Iglesias also said:

"I felt leaned on, I felt pressured to take immediate action."

"It's the only time during my five and a half year tenure as U.S. Attorney that I got a call from any member of Congress discussing any specific case or investigation.

"No recordings, and I'm reviewing possible documents I may be taking to the house for their review."

[Iglesias was asked] "When was the corruption matter going to be made public? When was I gonna go forward on prosecutions?"

A U.S. House Justice subcommittee has issued subpoenas to Iglesias and three other fired U.S. Attorneys and will hear their testimony on Tuesday. In addition, the Senate Judiciary Committee is sending letters to the same four asking them to testify voluntarily on Tuesday. If their testimony provides even a hint of possible unethical behavior related to their firings by a U.S. Justice Department headed by Bush toady Alberto Gonzales, Congressional Democrats are expected to launch one or more full-fledged ethics investigations into the matter. If that happens, the headlilnes nationwide and locally will no doubt be extremely damaging to the political futures of both Rep. Heather Wilson (NM-01) and Sen. Pete Domenici (D-NM). A post on Talking Points Memo has C-SPAN video of Sen. Chuck Schumer talking about the firing of Iglesias in terms of "politics of the worst sort."

The latest dispatch from McClatchy Newspapers, which broke much of the initial information on the firings, quotes two unnamed sources "familiar with the contacts" by members of the NM Congressional delegation about the calls:

Wilson was curt after Iglesias was "non-responsive" to her questions about whether an indictment would be unsealed, said the two individuals, who asked not to be identified because they feared possible political repercussions. Rumors had spread throughout the New Mexico legal community that an indictment of at least one Democrat was sealed.

Domenici, who wasn't up for re-election, called about a week and a half later and was more persistent than Wilson, the people said. When Iglesias said an indictment wouldn't be handed down until at least December, the line went dead.

As for how the growing scandal might affect the expected prosecution of alleged criminal offenses related to the construction of two state courthouses in NM, McClatchy reported:

The alleged involvement of the two Republican lawmakers raises questions about possible violations of House of Representatives and Senate ethics rules and could taint the criminal investigation into the award of an $82 million courthouse contract.

NPR also interviewed Igelsias yesterday. Click to listen. Excerpts:

The first call was in mid-October. The caller was asking –- this was not a staff member, an actual member of Congress -- the person was asking about “I want to know if there are any sealed indictments.” And I said, “Sealed indictments? We only do that for juvenile cases or national security cases. It’s fairly unusual.” Instantly red flags went up. I didn’t want to talk about it. Federal prosecutors can’t talk about indictments in general until they’re made public. So I was evasive, I shucked and jived like Walter Payton used to for the Chicago Bears, and the call was ended rather abruptly....

Approximately a week and a half later I got a second call from another member of Congress wanting to know about when the corruption matters were going to filed. Again, red lights went on. It was a very unpleasant phone call, because I know that members of Congress should not be making phone calls about pending matters, pending investigations, indictment dates, things of that nature.

Asked why he didn't want to name the callers, Iglesias said:

Because frankly, I’m afraid of retaliation. I live in a very small state with a very small legal community. And I’m frankly afraid if I go public right now, that there could be retaliation in terms of me being blacklisted, blackballed… you pick your adjective.

Repeal of NM Death Penalty to Senate Public Affairs Today

From the NM Coalition to Repeal the Death Penalty:
Our repeal legislation (HB 190) will be heard in Senate Public Affairs on Friday, March 2, after the Senate floor session. It's almost impossible to predict what time the committee hearing will begin or what time HB 190 will be heard. But we suspect it will be late afternoon or evening. On Tuesday, the committee began hearing bills at about 5:30 and ended at 9:00 PM. Below is a list of Senate Public Affairs members with their office phone numbers.

The two most important legislators to contact are Sen. Gay Kernan (R-Hobbs) and Sen. Steve Komadina (R-Corrales). Everyone should contact these two legislators, but if you know anyone in Hobbs or Corrales please have them contact them too!

Members of Senate Public Affairs Committee

• Senator Gay Kernan (R); 986-4274; ggkern@valornet.com
• Senator Steve Komadina (R); 986-4377; komadina@stevekomadina.com
• Senator Dede Feldman, Chair (D); 986-4482
• Senator Mary Jane Garcia, Vice Chair (D); 986-4726
• Senator Stuart Ingle (R); 986-4702
• Senator Steve Neville (R); 986-4266
• Senator Gerry Ortiz y Pino (D); 986-4380
• Senator Mary Kay Papen (D); 986-4270
• Senator David Ulibarri (D); 986-4265

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Kathleen MacRae, Director
NM Coalition to Repeal the Death Penalty
PO Box 8552, Santa Fe, NM 87504
505-986-9536 or 505-681-3920
kmacrae@nmrepeal.org

Editor's Note: This bill was already passed in the NM House by a margin of 41-28. It's been assigned to two commitees in the Senate -- Public Affairs and Judiciary.