Democracy for New Mexico

DFA-DFNM Meetup Tonight: Ethics in Government

DON'T MISS THIS ONE! DFA-Democracy for New Mexico's regular monthly Meetup tonight in Albuquerque will focus on the timely issue of ethics in government and politics. Our panel includes MATT BRIX of Common Cause NM and JIM NOEL, Executive Director of the NM Judicial Standards Commission, both of whom are members of the Ethics Task Force appointed by Governor Richardson to examine what needs to be done to improve ethics and make recommendations for legislation to achieve it. Also on the panel are CARTER BUNDY of AFSCME and ELI LEE of Soltari.

We'll have a panel discussion and Q and A about reforming ethics laws in New Mexico that regulate campaign finance and the conduct of candidates and officeholders.

DFA-DFNM Meetup
Thursday, June 1, 7:00 PM
First Unitarian Church Social Hall
Carlisle and Comanche, Albuquerque

The Ethics Task Force met on May 30th and will meet again on June 28-29 up in Santa Fe. Anyone interested in reforming our state's antiquated and inadequate campaign finance, lobbying and accountability laws are urged to attend and keep the pressure on for genuine reform. Our discussion tonight can provide you with what you need to know about the process and how we can be effective advocates for ethics reform in New Mexico.

According to an article in the Albuquerque Journal, the task force set these reform priorities at their May 30th meeting:

• publicly financed campaigns
• caps on contributions
• legislative salaries
• a state ethics commission
• limits on gifts to candidates and public officials

The Albuquerque Tribune has more on this too. Governor Richardson has asked for a report from the group by November 1st and has stated he will use the recommendations of the task force to form the core of his legislative push for ethics and campaign reform at the next session in January. New Mexico is one of only five states that have no limits on campaign donations and one of only 11 that lacks a state ethics commission.

If you haven't yet RSVPed for tonight's Meetup, click here. To join our Meetup group and get on our email list, go here.

The DFA-Democracy for New Mexico Meetup was established in April 2003 as a Dean for America campaign Meetup. Once Howard Dean was out of the presidential race, we transformed ourselves into a progressive grassroots activism group and an information clearinghouse for progressives. We hold regular monthly Meetups on the first Thursday of each month. Our email list currently contains more than 680 people. We have loose ties to the national group Democracy for America but, like all DFA-related groups in every state of the country, we operate independently with no legal ties to DFA.

Mistrial Declared in Vigil Corruption Case: What Next?

The Albuquerque Journal, Heath Haussamen and Joe Monahan have the scoop on the yesterday's declaration of a mistrial in ex-NM Treasurer Robert Vigil's corruption trial. One holdout juror from Roswell refused to budge from his not-guilty mindset and put the feds in hot water on what to do next. We're hearing retrial, but the question is, when? It's expected that U.S. Attorney David Iglesias will push for a date before the November mid-term election, keeping the issue of Democratic corruption in the daily news cycle until voters go to the polls.

What does the mistrial mean for ethics and campaign reform in New Mexico? I agree with others who assert that pressure will only increase to reform our state's antiquated and toothless campaign and corruption laws. New Mexico is one of only five states that doesn't put a cap on campaign contributions, and one of 11 that lacks a state ethics commission to enforce standards. The result of this laxity is frequently on display and produced both the Vigil-Montoya and Serna scandals.

It's shocking to realize that many of the "gifts," "donations" and "contributions" that skew New Mexico politics are not illegal in any way. In essence, the system sanctions what amount to unlimited, legalized bribes that permit monied, self-interested power brokers to dominate the political scene. The narrow interests of highly paid lobbyists, powerful financial and real estate magnates and other elite and connected players repeatedly trump the needs of ordinary citizens and the common good. On both sides of the political aisle.

Big money in politics is always suspect. Unregulated money in a political system that also lacks strong transparency requirements and anti-corruption standards is the worst of all possible worlds. This is what we currently have in New Mexico and it must end. Now.

Governor Richardson has recently come out strongly for ethics and campaign reform, and has appointed an interim task force to come up with proposed legislation to attack corruption. Let's make sure it isn't another smokescreen created to give the impression that something's being done while the status quo continues unabated. Clearly we need to significantly strengthen controls on money and influence peddling in government. We need a powerful and comprehensive program to stop the corruption in its tracks and keep in there. And if we don't get it NOW, we need to hold New Mexico's Democratic leaders and officeholders strictly accountable, and -- yes -- communicate our wrath at the ballot box.

Let's all keep up the pressure by contacting the Governor, Attorney General, legislators and other office holders to urge timely and comprehensive reform. Let's attend the meetings of the ethics task force in droves, to push real change. Let's strongly support the efforts of Common Cause, which has been working long and hard on this issue in New Mexico and across the nation. If we don't do it, who will? We need to hold some feet to the fire and keep them there until we get some genuine reform. No ifs, ands or buts.

REQUEST FOR FEEDBACK: Ethics Reform Push for 2007 Legislature

This was originally a post on NM State Senator Dede Feldman's blog. Campaign finance and ethics reform may well be the most important issue today in terms of preserving and nurturing our democracy, both at the state level and nationally. The only way genuine reform will take place is if citizens keep the pressure on, pay close attention to how elected officials treat this issue and actively participate in grassroots action to ensure real change.

Senator Feldman is requesting your feedback on this issue, as well as recommendations for achieving effective reform. Please comment either on this post, or the original post on Senator Feldman's blog.

From Senator Feldman's blog: New Mexico, like many states and Washington, D.C., is experiencing an ethics scandal that seems to grow by the day.  Despite an attempt on my part, and on the part of some of my colleagues in the state legislature, the vast majority of ethics reform legislation introduced during the 2006 legislative session failed to pass.  We simply cannot let another opportunity to enact real reform pass us by during the 2007 legislative session. 

In an attempt to build momentum for ethics and campaign finance reform during the 2007 session, Governor Bill Richardson formed an ethics reform task force last week (click for more information).  The task force convenes an able group of New Mexicans who bring a diverse set of views and experiences to the table.

Governor Richardson and task force co-chair Garrey Carruthers (a former New Mexico Governor) have said that all options for reform are open (see Albuquerque Tribune article).  I certainly hope that’s the case. 

I believe the task force must consider the following reforms, as outlined by Common Cause New Mexico in a recent Albuquerque Journal opinion piece. 

“First, our state must ban gifts to public officials from persons having a financial interest in their official duties. Campaign contributions could be exempted from a ban because they are disclosed to the public. 

Second, New Mexico must develop an independent ethics oversight commission to ensure full compliance with ethics laws and rules. 

Third, campaign reports should be filed more often and should disclose more information such as the employer of every donor.  Independent expenditures, including those coming from outside of New Mexico should be reported.  Current law does not require this kind of disclosure and is the main reason the national Campaign Disclosure Project gives New Mexico disclosure laws a failing grade every year.”

“There is substantial room for improvement in the area of lobbyist disclosure.  A good start would be to require lobbyists to disclose what bills they are interested in influencing each session.”

I would add full public financing of all statewide and legislative offices, like we have for the PRC and Albuquerque city races, to the list of needed reforms. 

What do readers of this blog think are necessary steps for ethics and campaign finance reform in New Mexico?  Stay tuned for more information about upcoming meetings of the ethics reform task force.

Gov. Richardson Names Ethics Task Force

If you haven't yet checked out New Mexico political blogger Heath Haussamen, who's also a reporter for the Las Cruces Sun-News, now's the time to visit. Heath has the skinny on Governor Richardson's selections for the new Ethics Task Force that will be making recommendations for action at next January's legislative session.

I'm particularly pleased to see that Common Cause NM Executive Director Matt Brix was one of those appointed. As I'm sure you'll recall, Brix and his organization were instrumental in getting the Open and Ethical Elections measure approved in Albuquerque this past Fall. This successful ballot initiative provides for voluntary public funding for municipal candidates. Other excellent picks are ex-U.S. Interior Secretary Stewart Udall, Judicial Standards Commission Executive Director Jim Noel, Albuquerque's progressive State Sen. Dede Feldman and State Rep. Ken Martinez of Grants. Haussamen has the entire list, along with analysis of the Governor's plans.

ACTION ALERT: Call ABQ Councilors on Election Ethics Bill

From Common Cause New Mexico:
Our fight to get a public financing referendum on the October 4 ballot in Albuquerque has entered a key phase.  On Monday, June 6, the Albuquerque city council held its first hearing on the Open and Ethical Elections Code.  Councilors seemed generally supportive of placing the referendum on the ballot, but we need Common Cause New Mexico members to remain vigilant because the final vote to place the referendum on the ballot will not happen until June 20.  Until then, we must keep the pressure on the city council! 

Over the next week, Common Cause New Mexico will meet with newspaper editorial boards to publicize the Open and Ethical Elections Code and work to persuade councilors that the voters should decide how campaigns are financed in our city.  It is important that we get this initiative on the October 4 ballot.  This is the first step in what will be a long campaign, but it's a crucial step.  This is where we need your help!  We need Common Cause members and friends to light up the phone lines at the city council office.  Please contact your city councilor today.  Find your councilor by entering your address and then ask for them by name at the city council office at 768-3100.  Tell them you support letting Albuquerque residents weigh in on public financing for citywide elections.

The Open and Ethical Elections Code is about returning power to where it belongs, with the voters of Albuquerque.  Find your city councilor, call their office at 768-3100, and urge him or her to support giving voters the opportunity to decide about the future of funding Albuquerque's elections.  Over the next week, we will continue to call the city council, targeting wavering members as we get closer to the June 20 vote.

Please visit the Common Cause New Mexico website in the coming week, to track the progress of the Open and Ethical Elections Code, see what the media is saying and find out how you can take action.

Thank you for all that you do for democracy in New Mexico!

Sincerely,
Matt Brix, Executive Director
Common Cause New Mexico