Democracy for New Mexico

DPBC to Hold Candidate Forum 2/16

The Democratic Party of Bernalillo County invites you to attend our:

Candidate Forum to be held on Thursday, February 16, at 6:00 PM at the UNM Law School, Room 2401, at 1117 Stanford NE in Albuquerque. 

We are inviting candidates for the following offices: Attorney General, Secretary of State, State Auditor, State Treasurer, and State Land Commissioner. There will be a series of questions for each candidate as well as several minutes for each candidate to introduce themselves. We hope you will be able to attend this informative meeting.

Terri Holland, Executive Director
Democratic Party of Bernalillo County
130 Alvarado NE, Suite 400
Albuquerque, NM 87108
terri@bernalillodems.org
O-505-256-1855
Fax - 505-265-0327
C - 505-417-3972

Madrid: Wilson Call for Wire-Tap Hearings Too Little, Too Late

As you probably know by now, Rep. Heather Wilson has suddenly become concerned about our constitutional rights and is criticizing the NSA illegal domestic wiretapping program. Click for the New York Times story. Wilson's newfound conscience may well be emerging because a new poll puts her in a dead heat with her Democratic opponent, Attorney General Patricia Madrid, in the 2006 CD1 congressional race.

This from the Madrid Camp: AG Patricia Madrid today called Rep. Heather Wilson’s rhetoric on wire-tap hearings too little too late and said that Wilson, as a member of the House Intelligence Committee, should have acted sooner instead of supporting the policies of President Bush and Vice President Cheney.

“Rep. Wilson could have stood up to this illegal program sooner,” Madrid said. “As Chairwoman of House Intelligence Subcommittee on Technical and Tactical Intelligence, Wilson had direct oversight of this program and she did nothing. She could have – and should have – taken action sooner.”

Madrid also criticized Wilson’s rhetoric as an election-year effort to separate herself from President Bush and Vice President Cheney. Further, despite Wilson’s election-year rhetoric of concern about wire tapping, she voted in 2003 to allow random “sneak and peek” searches on American Citizens as part of the Patriot Act.

“Rep. Wilson is now and has always been a rubber stamp for the policies of the Bush-Cheney Administration,” Madrid said. “Having served seven years as New Mexico’s Attorney General, I believe that the Bush-Cheney domestic wire-tapping scheme is illegal and unacceptable. I support a full, open, independent investigation in which the investigators have full subpoena power and in which the witnesses will be placed under oath. Americans have to have confidence that this is an open and thorough investigation.”

Madrid, an attorney and two-term New Mexico Attorney General, is running against Wilson in the race to represent New Mexico’s First Congressional District.

“New Mexicans are ready for a change,” Madrid said.  “We don’t need someone who talks about independence, we need real leadership that is independent. While I’ve been enforcing the law in New Mexico, Rep. Wilson has been sitting on the House Intelligence Committee apparently ignoring abuses of the law until nine months before an election.”

Conservation Voters NM Endorses David Coss for Mayor of Santa Fe

From Conservation Voters New Mexico:
CVNM is pleased to announce its endorsement of David Coss for Mayor of Santa Fe.

“David Coss is a conservation champion who has demonstrated a commitment to protecting the qualities that make Santa Fe special,” said Sandy Buffett, Executive Director of CVNM. “We look forward to having a true conservationist as our next Mayor here in Santa Fe.”

As a city councilor and chair of the City’s Water Conservation Committee, David co-sponsored the ordinance requiring real estate developers to bring water rights to the community’s system before beginning new construction.  David also helped develop a long-range water plan for Santa Fe with emphasis on sustaining Santa Fe’s water supply sources for the next 100 years.

“I am so proud to have the support of such a leading environmental group. CVNM is a strong voice for protecting New Mexico’s natural environment and way of life,” commented Coss after being informed of his selection. He added “I hope to work with them closely as Mayor of Santa Fe.”

Conservation Voters New Mexico, a nonpartisan organization, works to protect New Mexico's natural environment and our cherished way of life. CVNM’s mission is to make sensible conservation policies a top priority for elected officials, political candidates, and voters across the state.

Sandy Buffett, Executive Director
Conservation Voters New Mexico
320 Aztec Street, Ste. B
Santa Fe, New Mexico  87501
tel:   505.992.8683   cell: 505.270.5743
sandy@cvnm.org

Support CVNM's efforts to hold NM elected officials accountable for their environmental decisions and to elect a pro-conservation majority!!  https://www.cvnm.org

Editor's Note: David Coss has also been endorsed by the Democracy for America (DFA) Meetup group in Santa Fe.

Support Coss for Santa Fe Mayor

From Committee to Elect David Coss for Mayor of Santa Fe:
Our campaign for mayor of Santa Fe is heating up, and I am writing again to request your financial support for our campaign.

I am very excited about how our campaign has taken off since the New Year began. We have truly built an organization that reflects our city. We have over 500 community members who have publicly endorsed our campaign, representing a wide spectrum of your friends, neighbors, and family. We have over 450 dedicated volunteers whom you may have already seen knocking on doors and making phone calls every day until the election just 8 weeks from now.

There are very important issues at stake with candidates who have real differences on how the city should be run.

My campaign is about creating a city that works for all of us.

For Santa Fe, we must restore the Santa Fe River and watershed, do much more on conserving water and protecting our environment, pool our health care costs and other City expenses with the County and State to hold the line on City spending, and take serious steps to eliminate domestic violence. We also have to work with and nuture our local businesses so that we can achieve the goals of our economic plan to make Santa Fe the alternative energy and arts and culture capitol of the country.

In order to achieve our goals, we also have to know how to get things done. Recently, I helped resolve the Civic Center issue, working with Pueblo leaders, local merchants and civic leaders. In that spirit, by working together, we can and will make Santa Fe a city that works for all of us.

We need funds to get our message out to voters. Please give what you can, either online or by mailing a check payable to the Committee to Elect David Coss for Mayor, P. O. Box 6078, Santa Fe, NM 87502.

Thank you so much,

P.S. The election is just 55 days away! Please contribute today!

Editor's Note: The Democracy for America Santa Fe Meetup group has endorsed David Coss for Mayor.

NM Secretary of State Candidate Envisions Open Door Policy

Letitia Montoya has attended several DFA-DFNM Meetups to talk about her candidacy for New Mexico Secretary of State. She'll be one of those running in the June Primary to get on the ticket on the Dem side. She passed along a recent Taos News article on her candidacy that's worth a read if you're interested in her take on the Secretary of State job. A few excerpts:

... "Back when I decided to run for secretary of state, I noticed a lot of problems that were going on with our voting issues," she said. "I started my campaign a year ago."

Montoya said she seems to be the only candidate stumping for votes and petition signatures throught the state. She realized that voters were beginning to question whether their vote was being counted. In the last General Election, 6,000 provisoinal votes were thrown out in Bernalillo county -- the state's largest group of voters.

"That's 6,000 votes that could have gone for the Democratic candidate," Montoya, a Democrat, pointed out. "That's scary" ...

... "When I become secretary of state, it's public record. I would allow you to come in and check the machines so that you feel good and you know your vote is counted", she said. "When you shut that door, people ask why you won't let them in (on the process)."

The Bernalillo county Clerk has taken the opposite action, Montoya said. She now faces a lawsuit from voters who are demanding an audit of the machines that were used.

"I don't blame these groups. It's the largest county," she said. "I'm a Democrat, and she's a Democrat, but she's not opening the door. It bothers me, and what I've been learning about these machines scares me for the next election."

The Hammer is Nailed

Celebrations are in order. Tom (The Hammer) DeLay will permanently give up his prior post as House Majority Leader. Reports are that "DeLay acted hours after a small vanguard of Republicans circulated a petition calling for leadership elections and citing DeLay’s legal problems" as well as his long ties to corrupt lobbyist Jack Abramoff.

The panic and fallout from the Abramoff guilty plea and squealing has begun. Long may it live.

Bingaman Campaign Kicks Off Petition Drive This Saturday

From Bingaman 2006:
The Bingaman 2006 campaign will be kicking off a series of petition drives this Saturday, January 7, and we could really use your help. This is a great opportunity to show your support for Senator Bingaman’s effective leadership for New Mexico and ensure that we get him on the ballot for the June Primary.

Please join us this Saturday as we hit the streets of Bernalillo County (organized petition drives in other counties will take place later in January) to gather signatures on what is supposed to be a beautiful and unseasonably warm day: sunny and in the low 60s.  If you have even an hour or two to spare this weekend, please come by the Bingaman 2006 Albuquerque headquarters – 1301 San Pedro NE at the DPNM offices – between 9 AM and 2 PM to pick up petition forms and receive a door-to-door walk list or location assignment. Someone will be at HQ all day, and we’ll have refreshments there for you to enjoy.

If you have any questions, don’t hesitate to contact us.  We hope to see you and thank you for your support!

Kara Shair-Rosenfield
Volunteer Coordinator
Bingaman 2006
Work: (505) 830-3650, x29
Cell: (617) 869-5869
kara.shair-rosenfield@bingaman2006.com

Celebrate Opening of New Campaign HQ for David Coss

From David Coss for Mayor (Santa Fe):
Join me tomorrow (Saturday 1/6) from noon to 3 PM for the celebration of the opening of our new Campaign Headquarters, in the Silver Saddle Motel, 2810 Cerrillos Road, next to Jackalope. We will have a chance to talk and get ready for the weeks ahead. You can pick up bumper stickers, sign up for yard signs, and see what other ways you can help.

I am very excited about the campaign. Next week we will be issuing the platform that many of you have helped develop over these last months. Please take time to read it, discuss it with your friends, and tell others about it.

Finally, I want to thank so many of you who have signed up as endorsers. During this last week we have added 100 endorsers. Take a look at our on-line list by clicking here. You will recognize friends, family, and neighbors.

Come by tomorrow and help us make Santa Fe a City that works for all of us - un lugar para todos.

Visit www.davidcossformayor.com
2810 Cerrillos Road, next to Jackalope
P.O. Box 6078, Santa Fe 87502
505.984.1637

Editor's Note: The DFA Meetup in Santa Fe has endorsed the candidacy of David Coss.

Richardson & Denish Open Campaign HQ

The election headquarters of Governor Richardson and Lt. Governor Diane Denish are now open at:

Richardson for Governor 2006
111 Lomas Blvd. NW # 120
Albuquerque, NM 87102
First State Bank Building, First Floor

Call 505-828-BILL (2455) for more information or to volunteer to help. Nominating petition signatures are currently being gathered.

Q & A With Patricia Madrid at Next DFA-DFNM Meetup

NM Attorney General Patricia Madrid will be speaking to our group and answering questions at the next DFA-DFNM Meetup on Thursday, January 5th, at 7:00 PM at the First Unitarian Church Social Hall at Carlisle and Comanche in Albuquerque. Click to join our Meetup group or RSVP.

As you surely know by now, Madrid will be challenging Rep. Heather Wilson for the CD1 seat in 2006. Chris Cillizza of the Washington Post ranks the competitiveness of this race ninth in the nation and says this will be Heather's "toughest race since she claimed the seat in a 1998 special election."

The 2005 campaign fundraising filing period ends on December 31 and Madrid's campaign would like to see a strong showing to demonstrate that thousands of New Mexicans are willing to step up and support her challenge to the awful policies of Bush and his rubberstamp, Heather Wilson. You can make an online donation right now at her new website.

Heather Wilson is nothing more than an enabler for the radical agenda of the Bush/Cheney/DeLay machine. She voted for them and time and again she votes with them on legislation that puts the interests of wealthy elites ahead of the people. This may be our last and best chance to stop her before she becomes SENATOR Heather Wilson! Let's get involved.

MoveOn is already targeting the race with a tv ad criticizing Wilson's position on the Iraq War. In MoveOn's recent petition campaign demanding an Iraq exit strategy and timeline, Wilson's office was presented with 2500 signatures, the most of any candidate targeted. Her response? According to the Albuquerque Journal, another parroting of the BushCo line: "As the Iraqis stand up, we can stand down." Wilson spokesman Joel Hannahs dismissed MoveOn.org's effort as that of a "left-wing" political group. We know where Wilson stands.

On the other hand, Madrid is advocating establishment of a definite, clear timeline for troop withdrawal that begins bringing our men and women serving in Iraq home by December 2006. She's also taking strong positions on healthcare, prescription drugs, tax policy and government reform. We're excited that we'll have a chance at Meetup to get detailed answers directly from Attorney General Madrid about her views on these and other issues like election reform.

Contribute a few bucks at her website before the end-of-year deadline and then come on down to our Meetup on Thursday, January 5th and take advantage of an excellent opportunity to meet the candidate and find out face-to-face what she stands for. A large attendance will demonstrate that Madrid's early reachout to the progressive community is much appreciated. Hope to see you there.