NM Sen. Michael Sanchez, Ethics Reform, the DFNM Blog and Me

As anyone who's been paying attention this Session has discovered, Democratic Sen. Michael Sanchez is getting a reputation for publicly bad mouthing ethics and campaign finance reform measures and their supporters on the Senate Floor and in some committee hearings. According to Sen. Sanchez's rants, the proposed reforms allegedly have no purpose beneficial to New Mexicans and are primarily meant to unfairly besmirch the ethics of Sen. Sanchez and the Senate as a whole.

To Sen. Sanchez and his allies, it's all a nefarious plot to embarrass and harass the noble and beyond-reproach Senators for things they would never even think of doing.

Calls for transparency, accountability and common sense rules are apparently seen as an affront by the Senate Majority Leader and some of the Senators he helps lead. Never mind that the majority of states have adopted most of the ethical protections being proposed. Here in New Mexico, Sanchez and others believe we don't need any such safeguards because ... well, it can't be because we've never had any ethics scandals here. I think Senate leaders take a combative view because they don't want anything rocking the boat. Change is scary. Business as usual is safe. The easiest way to hold onto power is to protect the status quo. But the people feel differently.

We've watched as banks fail, crooks thrive and ordinary people suffer due to the greed and immorality of public figures and corporate powers. We've witnessed elected officials from the White House on down lie to the people without remorse. We're in the throes of intertwined and unprecedented emergencies, most of them caused or abetted by corruption. Of course we want to rock the boat and rock it hard. We want accountability and we want it now.

The Debate on SB 163
On Saturday the Senate took up a modest little bill (SB 163) sponsored by Sen. Eric Griego that would require former legislators to wait a year before serving as paid lobbyists at the Roundhouse. During the debate, Sen. Michael Sanchez launched one of his now trademark attacks against reform and reformers. His take seemed to be that Senators are being picked on by attempts to enact ethics and campaign reform, and that nobody but loud trouble-makers who dislike Senators are supportive of reform anyway. He singled out the Democracy for New Mexico blog while he was at it (although he misnamed the blog as Democracy for America):

... maybe it’s just we’re bending to a point where we say that loud group of people who doesn’t like us anyway — by the way – as legislators. Doesn’t trust any of us as legislators because they don’t think we do anything right — as legislators. They think that we’re out partying every night. They think we’re doing things in backrooms somewhere. I get some real interesting comments from Democracy for America [meaning the DFNM blog] and some really interesting blogs that they put out in terms of what we’re doing down here on this floor and what we try to do as a body. But I think by passing a piece of legislation like this, we’re just telling them, “yeah, you know what, that goes on here.”

And eventually, ladies and gentlemen of this body, we have to stand up for the body. It doesn’t happen the way people say that it happens. I know it’s not a popular thing to say. And I’m sure tomorrow in whatever publication that comes out, I’m going to be viewed as a person against ethics reform. I guess I’ve stopped all of the ethics legislation according to that blog I just named a minute ago. But you know what? Stand up. Take a stand in terms of what we do here as men and women elected officials.

... Our constituents send us up here because they trust us to do what’s right.

Oh I get it. Sanchez and others in the Senate are working against ethics and campaign reform bills -- and have been for years -- because it would be an admittance of guilt to support them. And it would play into the hands of people like me -- who obviously just have some kind of morbid mistrust and deep-seated dislike of legislators. Supporting much-needed reforms in a state that's long been known for way too many ugly instances of corruption would only serve to dim the sparkling reputation of New Mexico politicos. We get elected, so trust us!

Sen. Sanchez's odd defense of his fight against ethics reform continued:

But because there’s this push by groups of people who are the loudest group out there, we back off and we cower a little and we say, “Oh goodness, what in the world if we vote against this bill what’s going to happen to us?” Oh, our names are going to be here. Somebody’s going to say we’re this, somebody’s going to say we’re that. Well, ladies and gentlemen, it’s time to stand up for this body. It’s time to say, “you know what? We’re not bad people.”

... Something like this is not ethics reform. It’s the popular thing to do because certain groups are saying you have to do it or else. I’m sorry. It’s the ”or else” for me because I don’t think this is the right thing to do. I hope this body stands up for itself and says “enough is enough” and vote this measure down

So, the tortured logic holds that only "bad" Senators would vote to support the most basic of ethics safeguards. Therefore, "good" Senators would fight to keep things as they are, regardless. Amazing.

Not surprisingly after that monologue, the majority of Senators sided with the powerful Majority Leader and defeated SB 163 by a vote of 14-22. You'll note many of the Senators who voted against the Dem Caucus choice for Senate Pro-Tem and for Sen. Tim Jennings also voted no on this reform bill. I don't think it's a coincidence.

Another View
An on-target analysis of what's going on with the Senate Majority Leader and ethics reform is contained in this post on Clearly New Mexico. But I want to take a more personal tack.

Message to Senator Sanchez
I want Sen. Michael Sanchez and other Democrats to know it's not easy for me to be publicly critical of their efforts related to ethics reforms. I've been a loyal Democrat since the first day I could vote. I've volunteered for Democrats, donated money to Democrats and been elected to offices within the Democratic Party. I was selected by the DNC to be the official Dem blogger from New Mexico at the Democratic Convention in Denver this past summer. I'm no slouch in the world of Democratic politics.

So I resent any suggestion by Sen. Sanchez or anyone else that I'm just some loud, unthinking voice of petty criticism, out to play some gotcha game. As I think is abundantly clear by now, nothing could be farther from the truth.

Trying to Remain Proud to be a Democrat
Why am I critical -- often pointedly so -- of a number of my fellow Democrats? Because some of the things Democrats have done in recent times have made me ashamed. Because ethics and corruption scandals involving Democrats have upset me deeply. Because I've learned a lot about local politics over the past five years or so. Because the patterns of corruption and the tactics used to cover it up or allow it to continue have become clear to me over time. And I can't let it stand.

I strongly believe the majority of Democrats (and New Mexicans) want basic ethics and campaign finance reforms that will help ensure the scandals won't happen again. So we can be proud of being Democrats. So we can convince others to join with us. So we can say Democrats were the ones to fix the problems, that Democrats were willing to go on record to say -- in no uncertain terms -- never again.

So when some Democrats in positions of power fight against needed reforms, mock the reformers, join with Republicans to keep reforms at bay -- I feel compelled to point that out and say it's wrong. Because it IS wrong.

I'm willing to stick my neck out, to put my opinions out here publicly on a blog with my name on it, as Barbara Wold -- as a Democrat being true to my values. I believe I have a right -- and even a duty -- to do so, especially when so much is at stake. And I'll be damned if I'll be cowed or silenced by anyone -- including the NM Senate Majority Leader.

Sen. Sanchez, I want you to understand why I feel the need to be critical. You know what's right and what's wrong. And so you must know that standing in the way of critical reforms is wrong. Ultimately, I hope you'll do what's right for the future of the Democratic Party, and for all New Mexicans. Help renew the people's faith in state government and the legislative process. Put aside your fears and listen to your conscience. Be part of the change, not part of the problem.

For previous posts on this topic, visit our ethics archive and our legislature archive.