Democracy for New Mexico

New Officers: DPNM

Part of crowd at Las Cruces High School
(Photo by Tom Solomon)

The State Central Committee (SCC) of the Democratic Party of New Mexico met on Saturday at Las Cruces HIgh School to conduct business and elect officers. Participation by attending members and proxy voters was near record levels -- more than 98%. I attended the events as a member of the SCC, and I'll have more commentary and photos from the weekend's events later today. For now, here's a listing of the new officers and elected committee members, who will serve two-year terms:

Colón (center, red tie) crunching numbers before vote
(Photo by Tom Solomon)

State Party Chair:
295 Votes: Brian Colón
68 Votes: Michael Olguin
21 Votes: Gideon Elliot

Greeting members at the Brian Colón for Chair table
(Photo by Tom Solomon)

Statewide Officers and Committees:
Chair: Brian Colón (Bernalillo County)
Vice Chair At-Large: Annadelle Sanchez (Rio Arriba County)
Treasurer: Thomas Buckner (Sandoval County)
Secretary: Christy French (Dona Ana County)
At-Large Platform and Resolutions: Ignacio Lucero (San Miguel County)
At-Large Affirmative Action (male): Francisco Apodaca
At-Large Affirmative Action (female): Lynn Jacobs (Bernalillo County)

First Congressional District:
CD1 Vice Chair (male): Chris Catechis (Bernalillo County)
CD1 Vice Chair (female): Teresa Holland (Bernalillo County)
CD1 Affirmative Action (female): Carolyne Devore-Parks (Bernalillo County)
CD1 Affirmative Action (male): Mike Rose (Bernalillo County)
CD1 Platform and Resolutions (two positions): Nancy Denker (Bernalillo County) and Zoe Economou (Bernalillo County)

Second Congressional District:
CD2 Vice Chair (male): Matt Runnels (Grant County)
CD2 Vice Chair (female): Stephanie Dubois (Otero County)
CD2 Affirmative Action (female): Doris Cherry (Lincoln County)
CD2 Affirmative Action (male): Carlos Provencio (Grant County)
CD2 Platform and Resolutions (two positions): Art Terrazas (Dona Ana County) and Cliff Reid (Dona Ana County)

Third Congressional District:
CD3 Vice Chair (male):  Martin Suazo (San Miguel County)
CD3 Vice Chair (female): Conny Maki (Santa Fe County)
CD3 Affirmative Action (female): Mary Ann Armijo (McKinley County)
CD3 Affirmative Action (male): Jose Lopez (Santa Fe County)
CD3 Platform and Resolutions (two positions): Consuela “Connie” Salazar and Bill Pfeifer

Also see our later post on the weekend's events. Click on photos for larger versions.

(Updated) Taos Democrats for Clean Elections Files Challenge to Taos County Party Election

As reported on the Democratic Party of New Mexico website, the Party's Judicial Council will be convening today at 3:00 PM by conference call to hear a challenge filed on behalf of a group called the Taos Democrats for Clean Elections. A PDF of the challenge and appeal documents can be found here on the DPNM website.

The complaint alleges that the methodology used to apportion precincts for the Taos County Central Committee was "fundamentally flawed and violated the rules of the Democratic Party of New Mexico." The challenge requests that the Taos County State Central Committee members not be credentialed for the April 28, 2007 DPNM State Central Committee meeting and that a new election of Taos County Central Committee members be held. The requests are based on the claim that the use of an invalid methodology means that all actions and decisions coming from the Taos CCC, including the election of state central committee members, are also invalid.

For more information, contact the Democratic Party of New Mexico at 505.830.3650. The meeting is open to the public but those interested in attending should call the Party to make sure where they can be accommodated.

UPDATE 1:42 PM: The Democratic Party of New Mexico has informed me that two rebuttals of the complaint have now been posted on their website and suggested that I link to them as a matter of fairness. The rebuttals can be found here.

Editor's Note: For some background on what led up to this challenge, see our previous posts:

• March 26, 2007
• April 10, 2007
• April 11, 2007

Thomas Buckner: Candidate for State Party Treasurer

As reported in a previous post, Thomas Buckner is running for the office of Treasurer of the New Mexico Democratic Party. State Party officers will be elected by State Central Committee members at their meeting this Saturday, April 28th, in Las Cruces. Tom has forwarded additional information about his candidacy and asks for your vote if you serve on the SCC. Click for Buckner's message to Democrats (.doc) and a summary of his qualifications and experience (.doc). Mr. Buckner has strong support among the grassroots and is running on a platform that stresses integrity and a dedication to timely, accurate and open accounting for the State Democratic Party.

Who Will Take On Heather Wilson? Let the People Decide

Round and round we go and where we stop, nobody knows. At least not yet. But there's been lots of recent leaking, rumors and positioning going on about Dems who may be considering a run against Repub Rep. Heather Wilson in New Mexico's CD1 in 2008. Names bandied about have included former City Councilor and Albuquerque mayoral candidate Eric Griego, current City Councilor Martin Heinrich, Economic Development honcho Rick Homans, State Auditor Hector Balderas, Binagaman' staffer Terry Brunner, NM Rep. Jerry Ortiz y Pino, State Treasurer James B. Lewis and even former UNM President Louis Caldera. In recent days, we've had a visit from the DCCC to Albuquerque and reports of Calderas seeking out their counsel in D.C.

Homans quickly withdrew from consideration after initial reports of his possible candidacy, and he's since transferred from his job running the NM Economic Development Department to heading up the new Spaceport initiative. I guess the response to his candidacy was less than enthusiastic. I know it certainly was in the core Dem segments of the Party.

For Griego's latest statements on entering the race, check out New Mexico FBIHOP's with Eric. Today, Las Cruces blogger Heath Haussamen reports that Heinrich has formed an exploratory committee for the race and taken an unpaid leave of absence from his job as NM Natural Resources Trustee. Along with Balderas, Griego and Heinrich seem the most likely to follow through with a run that might well end up in an exciting Dem primary race full of ideas and energy.

Richardson Camp Weighing In?
Unfortunately, however, the Bill Richardson camp seems to be jumping the gun and leaking their support for Heinrich way ahead of the game. See today's post on Monahan quoting "top political sources." Nothing against Martin, who is very popular and well-respected among local Dems, but remember when it was MEMBERS OF THE DEMOCRATIC PARTY who selected candidates? That's why we have a pre-primary convention and the option of a primary to settle the question of who would be the best candidate to run on the Dem side. Haven't we had enough of candidates being crowned from above based on who knows what criteria? One of the most common (and angry) complaints I hear these days is that power brokers and insiders are usurping the power of rank and file Dems, of the Party itself. Let the people decide!

Practice Makes Perfect
Some believe primaries can sap the strength (and fundraising) of the ultimate candidate in these kinds of races, but everyone I talk to thinks it would be a positive development in this race. We need the strongest, scrappiest, most articulate and honest candidate to take on Wilson, and a primary contest would permit the cream of the crop rise to the top. What's in a candidate's resume and position statements is important, but I think most of all we need someone this time who can think on their feet, and be passionate and genuine in their communications. We need a candidate with the presence of mind to confront Wilson on her weaknesses, while clearly and persuasively delineating how they would solve the problems she cannot or will not solve.

How do candidates gain these skills? By debating in public on the merits, by stumping in the primaries before those who will decide who runs. What we don't need is another candidate who avoids debates until the last minute and then fumbles because they've had no real-world practice.

We need someone proud to be a real Democrat who won't run from controversy or confrontation, and who can stand up to the usual barrage of dirty campaign tactics used by the Repubs. We need someone who can generate strong grassroots support, deal intelligently with media pressure and avoid greenhorn mistakes. How can we know which one would be the best at this unless we have a process where candidates have to first show their stuff in a primary arena? Believe me, if it's perceived that Dem bigwigs are choosing our candidate from on high, it may well hurt our chances, not help them. The grumbling has already begun over the phone lines, and nothing kills rank and file enthusiasm (and volunteer hours) quicker than a perception that our views can safely be bypassed or ignored. We need a process that drums up excitement, not resentment.

Who Best Matches the District?
Without recent and convincing local polling data, it's difficult to predict which issues will be on the minds of CD1 voters this time around, or which candidates have organic support in the district. We don't have that kind of data yet, which makes early insider cherry picking even more unwise and unwelcome. Most of all, I think voters are sick and tired of overly groomed, say-nothing, do-nothing, mealy-mouthed candidates, who take the "safe" road to nowhere recommended by Beltway consultants and powerful elected officials. We need a candidate in CD1 who can stand up to both Repub propaganda and insider Dem manipulation. We need a candidate who gets his or her strength from voters, not handicappers. We need an independent-minded leader, not someone beholden to those currently in office and their advisers.

Don't get me wrong -- I like Heinrich and believe he might well be our best candidate against Wilson. What I don't like is all the pressure being applied by those who apparently believe they know best and that Democratic Party members should be content to stay on the sidelines as a candidate is chosen.

As to Monahan's contention that "the odds have dipped dramatically" for other candidates "as the Guv's support of Heinrich will make fund-raising difficult for any other contender," I guess he's never heard of Act Blue or other ways of raising large sums via small donations for candidates who emerge from the grassroots. Money shouldn't be the problem -- getting sufficient numbers of voters to turn out will be the trick. Attempting to pre-empt the Party's process can only make this harder on those who'll be doing the doorknocking and outreach.

Let the People Decide
Let's support an open and grassroots Dem contest to decide who will next take on Heather -- one that will be chock full of passion, ideas and straight talk -- whether it takes the form of pre-primary competition or a full-fledged Dem primary in CD1. What we don't need is another candidate annointed by power brokers in the state and from inside the Beltway. I say let the people decide. What do you say?

Help Choose DFA's First 2007 Endorsement

From
Democracy for America:
Democracy for America has launched our 2007 Grassroots All-Star Campaign today. DFA's Grassroots All-Star is the candidate who shows the highest amount of people-powered support by the end of the our campaign. We choose seven excellent candidates who lost by a hair in 2006, ran solid grassroots campaigns, and have announced they will finish the job in 2008. You choose who wins!

www.DemocracyforAmerica.com/AllStars

iIn 2006, Jerry McNerney won the DFA's Grassroots All-Star Endorsement and went on to win his congressional seat. Here is what Congressman McNerney had to say about it in the e-mail we sent today:

DFA's early endorsement helped me win a seat in Congress, showing that bottom-up, people-powered grassroots organizing works. Your Grassroots All-Star vote changed the race, helping us attract significant early support from the netroots and crucial media attention.

The National Journal has this to say about Jerry's race:

Even after McNerney's impressive primary upset, the DCCC was not sold on his viability. But over the summer, he began picking up extensive "netroots" support and captured the imagination of liberal Internet activists. He also won the "Grassroots All-Star" online voting contest run by Democracy for America, a political action committee inspired by Howard Dean. The group's endorsement triggered campaign contributions for McNerney from around the country.

Now it is up to you to help us find the next Grassroots All-Star. Please vote for one of the seven great candidates right now:

www.DemocracyforAmerica.com/AllStars

You have the power to move America forward.  Thank you for using it.

Charles Chamberlain , Political Director
(Cross posted at Daily Kos )

Editor's Note: Democracy for New Mexico (DFNM) is loosely affiliated with the national group, Democracy for America (DFA). Both our local group and DFA national grew out of the Dean for America presidential campaign. Click to learn more about DFA, get on their mailing list and join DFA Link or visit their .

Domenici Got Bush Involved in Iglesias Firing

A copyrighted story in Sunday's Albuquerque Journal is getting big play in the media and on the net. Entitled "Domenici Sought Iglesias Ouster," the article's opening paragraph reveals for the first time that Bush was involved in the decision to fire Iglesias, at the direct request of Sen. Domenici:

Former U.S. Attorney David Iglesias was fired after Sen. Pete Domenici, who had been unhappy with Iglesias for some time, made a personal appeal to the White House, the Journal has learned.

The article explains the process this way:

In the spring of 2006, Domenici told Gonzales he wanted Iglesias out. Gonzales refused. He told Domenici he would fire Iglesias only on orders from the president.

At some point after the election last Nov. 6, Domenici called Bush's senior political adviser, Karl Rove, and told him he wanted Iglesias out and asked Rove to take his request directly to the president.

Domenici and Bush subsequently had a telephone conversation about the issue. The conversation between Bush and Domenici occurred sometime after the election but before the firings of Iglesias and six other U.S. attorneys were announced on Dec. 7. [emphasis mine]

Iglesias' name wasn't on an October 2006 list of U.S. Attorneys to be fired. In October, a few weeks before the November 6th election, Domenici phoned Iglesias at home and asked if indictments in the metro court investigation would be issued before the election. Iglesias said no. Iglesias' name suddenly appeared on another version of the list dated November 15, 2006. Domenici had called Rove after the election, then called Bush. Given what Gonzales told Domenici as reported in the Journal story -- that he'd fire Iglesias only on the order of the president -- it's logical to assume that Bush must have given an order to fire Iglesias sometime between November 6th and November 15th, when the list was created.

As Josh Marshall writes at Talking Points Memo:

No one disputes that Domenici's call to Iglesias was at best inappropriate. But there's been a lack of direct evidence that Iglesias's refusal to bow to political pressure led directly to his firing. Now we have that evidence. And it's not Kyle Sampson or even Alberto Gonzales whom Domenici went to to get sign off for Iglesias's ouster. It was right to the president. And the available evidence now points strongly to the conclusion that the final decision to fire David Iglesias came from the President of the United States.

Political motivation for Domenici's calls and Iglesias' firing? You might say.

Marshall also reports on an interesting exchange from today's White House press gaggle. And just think, AG Alberto Gonzales is set to testify under oath to Congress tomorrow.

Winners: Bernalillo County Dems

Congratulations to all the winners of the Democratic Party of Bernalillo County election, which took place today at Manzano High School in Albuquerque. Members of the County Central Committee elected the following officers, who will serve for two years:

County Party Chair: Ana Canales (below) won vs. Robert Aragon

County Party 1st Vice Chair: Jim Buhaug (by acclamation)

County Party 2nd Vice Chair: Cheryl Harris (by acclamation)

Mike Rose and Carolyne DeVore-Parks, who ran as a team with Robert Aragon, withdrew as Vice Chair candidates when Ana Canales won.

The DPBC also elected more than 100 members who will represent the County on the DPNM State Central Committee, which meets on April 28th in Las Cruces to conduct business and elect a new state chair. Check the DPBC website for updated election results.

Click our Flickr album of photos from today's meeting.

Big thanks to the outgoing officers who served for the last two years: County Chair Marvin Moss, 1st Vice Chair Kate Stetson and 2nd Vice Chair Daniel Ivey-Soto, along with all the hard-working volunteers who put the meeting together. Onward to Las Cruces and Victory in 2008.

Note: Photo of Ana Canales by Suzanne Prescott.

More Good News: Thomas Buckner Enters Race for Dem State Party Treasurer

From Thomas R. Buckner:
I am today announcing my candidacy for the position of Treasurer of the New Mexico State Democratic Party at the upcoming convention in Las Cruces on April 28.

You may remember me from the 2006 Primary campaign where I ran for State Auditor and obtained 43,000 votes, statewide, in the Democratic Primary. During that campaign I spoke with many of you by phone and in person.

I bring to the Treasurer Position my 47+ years of financial experience.  I am retired from the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC) and the State of New Mexico.  I have been in banking and bank regulation the majority of my professional career, having served as the Chief Financial Officer (CFO) of three commercial banks.  Additionally, I spent three years with the New Mexico Attorney General's Office working for Patricia Madrid in the Medicaid Fraud Control Unit as an accountant/investigator.  I hold a Master of Business Administration Degree (MBA) from West Texas A&M University, Canyon, Texas and a Bachelor of Business Administration (BBA) degree from the same University.

While with FDIC, I assisted in the investigation of the bank failures during the 1982-1996 time period and served as an Assistant Bank Examiner after the bank failures subsided following the election of  President Clinton.

I am married to my wife of 38 years, Sue A. Buckner.  We have three daughters, two granddaughters and one son-in-law.  Sue and I are members of Heights Cumberland Presbyterian Church where I serve on the Missions Committee.  Both Sue and I are active in the Sandoval County Democratic Party where I serve as the Treasurer of the County Party, a position I have held for two years and have recently been re-elected to.  Sue is a Master Social Worker currently employed by the Department of Aging and Long Term Care.

If elected, I will continue the process of honesty and openness of the financial affairs of the State Party as I have demonstrated in the Sandoval County Democratic Party and other organizations I have served in leadership positions on.

Dem State Party Chair Candidate Brian Colón Hits the Labor Trifecta

I'm pleased to see that three of the biggest unions in New Mexico have decided to endorse Brian Colón for Dem State Chair. They're certainly on the right track in my book. Brian has been running a spirited campaign for the Party's top elected office based on the goals of making the Party more active, transparent and inclusive. He's been criss-crossing the state, reaching out to Dems in rural and urban counties alike, generating lots of positive buzz along the way.

Mr. Colón spoke at our March DFA-DFNM Meetup, and has managed to build quite a head of steam for his campaign among the grassroots community and, from what I'm hearing, Dems of all stripes all over New Mexico. He comes across as honest, innovative, energetic, likeable, approachable and hardworking -- just the qualities we need in a Party leader at a time when it's so important to unite and build a modern Party infrastructure that will work effectively for the 2008 election and over the long haul. I get the clear sense that everyone will have a seat at the table if Brian Colón is leading the Dem Party. And we'll all have plenty of work to do!

Here's the press release from the unions on the strong support for Colón in the labor community:

In an unusual move, three of the largest unions in New Mexico have endorsed Brian Colón to be the Chair of the Democratic Party of New Mexico.  The unions are the American Federation of Teachers, the American Federation of State, County, and Municipal Employees, and the Communication Workers of America.

While all three unions are non-partisan and do support some Republicans around the state, historically the Democratic Party is where working men and women have found their strongest allies.  As a result, all three unions believe it is important to be involved in helping to select the leader of the Democratic Party.  All three unions have numerous members and allies expected to attend the State Central Committee meeting in Las Cruces on Saturday, April 28, where the new DPNM Chair will be elected.

Colón represents a new generation of progressive, pro-worker, pro-economic growth Democrats who are commited to issues like increasing the minimum wage, expanding health coverage to all New Mexicans, reigning in abuses by payday lenders, guaranteeing the opportunity for a good education to all, fighting off privatization and corruption of government services, and ensuring equal opportunity for all.

The following are contacts for each union:

AFT:  Christine Trujillo, 239-0871
AFSCME:  Carter Bundy, 463-8499
CWA:  Robin Gould, 690-9584

Editor's Notes: See our previous post on the race for DPNM Chair. If you're interested in learning more or getting involved in Brian Colón's campaign, you can contact him here: (505) 270-2154 or bsc4dpnm@yahoo.com. Click to download a campaign flyer.

Democratic Party State Central Committee (SCC) members are elected at the County Party level. The Democratic Party of Bernalillo County will hold its elections this coming Saturday, at 10 AM, at Manzano High School in Albuquerque. The election for State Party Chair will occur at the the Democratic Party of New Mexico's SCC Meeting to be held in Las Cruces on April 28th.

Another View On Unfair Apportionment in Taos County

This post was submitted by Claudia Kuhns of Colorado:
I have been following the precinct elections and the county re-organization in Taos County both this year and in 2005.  It is appalling that the gains in organization and equality have been obliterated by one group of so-called Democrats cheating to get their man elected as county chair. It is even more appalling that this appears to have been done with the complicity of the state Democratic Party which has not even followed its own rules in apportioning precinct representatives as well as allowing election fraud in some precincts while disenfranchising citizens in other precincts. Is there really any democracy in New Mexico?

This seems to follow the same pattern of oppression by some members of the Democratic Party in New Mexico in 2004 when an outrageously exorbitant fee was established for a recount in the Presidential election. This fee was established by then Secretary of State Rebecca Vigil-Giron and Governor Bill Richardson, both Democrats. It has since been statistically proved that there were gross irregularities in a significant number of precincts in New Mexico. The stopping of the recount was subsequently ruled illegal by the New Mexico Supreme Court.

More recently in the CD 1 race Patricia Madrid narrowly lost to Heather Wilson.  Again democracy was thwarted as no recount was done. In many states the narrow margin in this race would have triggered an automatic recount. One wonders why Ms. Madrid conceded so quickly.

Where are the real Democrats in New Mexico? Is the Democratic Party being run by Republicans in Democrats' clothing?  Sure sounds like that might be the case.

Claudia Kuhns
Executive Director
The Public Integrity Project
Be the Change USA

Editor's Note: See our previous posts on this topic here, here and . This post was submitted by Claudia Kuhns. Guest blogs such as these provide an opportunity for readers to express their opinions on political topics and do not necessarily reflect the views of DFNM. If you'd like to submit a post for possible publication as a guest blog, contact me by clicking on the Email Me link in the upper left-hand corner of our main page.