Democracy for New Mexico

Meet Democratic Senate Candidate Don Wiviott

Meet Democratic
U.S. Senate Candidate
Don Wiviott
Tuesday, September 25, 2007
6:00 PM – 7:30 PM

Ladera Golf Course
3401 Ladera Dr.
Albuquerque, NM

Free dinner will be served

Contact:
Theresa Trujeque, (505) 328-4000
RSVP@donfornewmexico.com
Paid for by Wiviott for New Mexico

You're Invited: Send-Off for Departing DPNM Staffers

From Ana Canales:
Join us for a party honoring Matt Farrauto and Angela Chavez. It's hosted by Bernalillo County Democratic Party Chairwoman Ana Canales and State Democratic Party Chairman Brian S. Colón along with Chris Garcia, Mike Davis and Brian Miller:

Saturday September 22, 2007
7:30 PM (after the Lobo Game)
Home of Chris Garcia and Jason Loera
6230 St Josephs Ct NW, Abq NM, 87120
505-410-0348, Map
Click for flyer (doc)

Senate Ethics Probe of Domenici Intensifies

Uh oh. According to a report by Jason Leopold and Matt Renner of Truthout, Sen. Pete Domenici could be facing more bad news about his late 2006 phone call to then U.S. Attorney David Iglesias of New Mexico. Iglesias has testified before Congress that he interpreted the call to his home as "pressure" by Domenici to rush an indictment in a corruption case as election day neared. Excerpts:

The US Senate Select Committee on Ethics has stepped up its probe of Pete Domenici, the Republican senator from New Mexico ... Over the past couple of weeks, the Ethics Committee has been interviewing witnesses - including staffers from the US attorney's office in New Mexico - who were privy to a phone call Domenici made to Iglesias last November ... according to the senior staffers.

... According to some senior staffers working for lawmakers who sit on the Ethics Committee, the six-month preliminary investigation into Domenici has turned up enough evidence to open a formal, public investigation into the New Mexico senator, having determined that Domenici acted inappropriately and that he may have violated Senate Ethics rules when he called Iglesias to ask whether Aragon would be indicted before the state's voters went to the polls last year.

But it's unclear if the Ethics Committee will end up launching a formal probe. A sticking point, Ethics Committee staffers say, is the long-standing "ethics truce" between Democrats and Republicans that dates back to the mid-1990s where lawmakers from both political parties agreed not to file ethics complaints against each other.

Oh that's a good excuse, isn't it? Just what we need, an "ethics truce." You might want to contact members of the Senate Ethics Committee to urge them to responsibly carry out their duties instead of playing patsy with their friends across the aisle.

The Truthout piece also reports that the House Ethics Committee is continuing to pursue its preliminary investigation into similar claims involving Rep. Heather Wilson (NM-01).

If you'd like to help defeat Domenici and Wilson, consider making a donation -- no matter how small -- to the New Mexico netroots Beat Back Bush New Mexico fundraising page at ActBlue that supports the candidacies of Don Wiviott for Senate and Martin Heinrich for Congress.

To read our previous posts about the firing of U.S. Attorney David Iglesias, visit our archive.

ABQ City Council Passes Resolution to End Iraq Occupation

Good news: On Monday, September 27, 2007, the Albuquerque City Council passed a resolution sponsored by Councilor Ike Benton "calling on the United States Congress to rescind the Iraq resolution and pass a resolution calling for the phased redeployment of American troops from Iraq to commence immediately." The measure passed by a margin of 5-2 with Councilors Debbie O'Malley, Ken Sanchez, Ike Benton, Michael Cadigan and Martin Heinrich voting in favor of the resolution. Councilors Sally Mayer and Craig Loy voted against it. Councilors Brad Winter and Don Harris were absent for the vote.

The resolution was very similar to one passed earlier this month by the UNM Graduate and Professional Student Association. At that time, both State Senator Jerry Ortiz y Pino and Councilor Ike Benton spoke on behalf of the GPSA resolution drafted by the group's president, Joseph J. García. According to García, one of the main purposes of the resolution was to call attention to local student and community needs that are not being fully met due to the allocation of needed funds to the US military engagement in Iraq.

By the way, I read yesterday that the occupation is now costing us approximately $12 billion a month. Imagine what that money could do if it were used for constructive purposes here in the U.S instead of funding Bush's madness.

Lastest Developments on Desert Rock Power Plant: EIS Problems and Fluor Corp.

Recent news about Desert Rock, the controversial coal-fired power plant proposed on Navajo Nation land near Shiprock, NM, centers on U.S. Environment Protection Agency (EPA) concerns about the project's Draft Environmental Impact Statement prepared by the Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA), as well as the award of the initial program management contract to Fluor Corp., a major player implicated in the Iraq and Katrina recovery contract scandals.

Problems with Draft Environmental Impact Statement
The U.S. EPA is questioning the sufficiency and accuracy of the draft environmental impact statement on the plant, which would be built by Houston-based Global Sithe in cooperation with the Navajo Nation. According to an article in today's Albuqurque Journal:

The EPA questions some of the numbers and projections in a Bureau of Indian Affairs draft environmental impact statement, which was released this summer and was the focus of 10 public hearings across the Four Corners and in Albuquerque and Santa Fe.

... In a 12-page analysis of problems with the environmental impact assessment, the EPA notes "unresolved concerns" with the BIA's analysis of groundwater contamination and air quality effects of the construction and operation of the 1,500-megawatt plant.

Representatives of Diné C.A.R.E., the San Juan Citizens Alliance and the Energy Minerals Law Center issued a joint press release dated September 12, 2007 in response to the EPA's comments. Excerpt:

"We commend EPA's recognition that Desert Rock presents unresolved environmental justice issues. The two existing power plants and three coal mines in the region have created a legacy of disproportionate impacts to the Diné people," said Dailan Long of Diné Citizens Against Ruining our Environment (C.A.R.E.), "Like its predecessors, Desert Rock will result in the permanent removal and relocation of Navajo Nation tribal members including elders many of whom only speak Navajo, do not have phones, electricity or running water, and use these areas for ceremonial, customary and medicinal purposes. The BIA and industry have to date failed to treat local Diné people humanely."

"The EPA rightfully notes that the DEIS for Desert Rock fails to evaluate the impacts of continued dumping of coal combustion wastes in Navajo Mine with no valid conclusion concerning the legacy of dumping practices in the region." said Brad Bartlett, attorney with the Energy Minerals Law Center. "Tens of millions of tons of hazardous coal combustion waste have already been dumped in the existing Navajo Mine from the existing Four Corners Power Plant. Desert Rock would expand the Navajo Mine by 17,000 acres and increase the unmitigated dumping of these wastes ten fold."

"The EPA comments on the Desert Rock DEIS reinforce unresolved environmental and economic problems for Sithe Global's proposal," said Mike Eisenfeld of the San Juan Citizens Alliance. "The notion that Desert Rock is a clean coal-fired power plant has been clearly refuted. It is now time for the BIA and the Navajo Nation to move beyond the ill-advised, conceptual Desert Rock project to economic development for the Navajo Nation that truly accounts for economic and environmental progress and success."

EPA's comments include the unevaluated impacts to groundwater from continued and expanded Coal Combustion Byproducts (otherwise known as coal combustion waste) disposal in Navajo Mine (the proposed source of coal for Desert Rock); the failure of BIA to require aquifer testing and impact assessment; the lack of a groundwater monitoring program for the project; deficient conclusions concerning groundwater; insufficient particulate matter emission calculations for air quality impacts; improper conclusions concerning mercury content of coal proposed to be burned for Desert Rock; and failure to include a public health discussion that includes the latest scientific information about air pollution and public health, including impacts from ozone.

In addition, the EPA documented several deficient Environmental Justice issues including lack of local citizen access to power and no proposed mitigation in the DEIS; the failure to identify information concerning potential relocation of minority and low income populations as a result of Desert Rock; and the failure to properly evaluate the potential impacts of Desert Rock on groundwater and agriculture.

"Disaster Profiteer" Fluor Corp. to Manage Development
Fluor Corp., a generous contributor to Republican candidates, was selected to provide initial comprehensive program management services in the development of Desert Rock starting in 2008. Fluor was also the recipient of $100 million in no-bid contracts from FEMA for services in the Katrina recovery effort. FEMA's entire contracting process is being audited by the Department of Homeland Security after complaints from Congressional Democrats and others about cronyism and serious mismanagement.

According to a September 2005 article by the Institute of Southern Studies, the corporation has also been heavily involved in questionable and costly Iraq recovery projects and other boondoggles:

A California-based engineering firm, Fluor has been one of the government's biggest go-to contractors for overseas engineering work, accumulating contracts worth $8.5 billion (source: The Center for Public Integrity) from 1990 to 2002. Iraq was no exception, where they pointed to their long history in the region (mostly Saudi Arabia) to land over $1.6 billion in contacts for rebuilding Iraq. According to an August 2004 report in the Los Angeles Times, they also had the right political connections:

Suzanne H. Woolsey is a trustee of a little-known arms consulting group that had access to senior Pentagon leaders directing the Iraq war. In January, she joined the board of Fluor Corp. Soon afterward, Fluor and a joint-venture partner won about $1.6 billion in reconstruction contracts in Iraq.

Woolsey's husband, the former CIA director, R. James Woolsey, a leading advocate for the war, also serves as a government policy adviser. He, too, works for a company with war-related interests.

The Woolseys' overlapping affiliations are part of a pattern in Washington, in which individuals play key roles in organizations advising officials on major policy issues, whileinvolving themselves with businesses in related fields.

What's their work record? Like many of the politically-connected contractors, Fluor keeps landing contracts despite a long rap sheep of scandal and abuse, including repeated claims of overcharging and gouging taxpayers. Among the most recent include charges of falsely claiming millions of dollars in costs on DoD contracts in 2001 (the company settled for $8.5 million), and in 2002 being sued for $24 million for "numerous design and construction failures" at the Refugio Mine in northern Chile.

And their work state-side? In 1994, Fluor paid a $3.2 million fine for "submitting heavily padded repair bills for work on Navy bases after hurricane Hugo."

In addition,

Fluor manages the government's Hanford Nuclear Reservation in Washington, one of the most heavily polluted sites in North America. Since Fluor took over the site in the mid-1990s, workers and local citizens have charged the company with cost cutting measures that have created potential environmental and health concerns. The company responded by firing whistleblowers and shutting down the Hanford Joint Council, a public forum established eight years ago to air employee and local government concerns over plant safety. (Ref: Gov. Accountability Project)

As reported in the New York Times, Fluor Corp. as an entity within the Fluor comglomerate, was incorporated in Delaware on September 11, 2000 after splitting with their coal production unit, which is now called Massey Energy. Massey is the nation's fourth largest coal producer according to CorpWatch.

State of NM Seeks Consultation with Navajo Nation
In late July 2007, Gov. Bill Richardson issued a statement expressing his serious concerns about the Desert Rock Plant due to the significant amounts of greenhouse gases and other pollutants the plant would emit. In a letter dated August 20, 2007 to Navajo Nation President Joe Shirley, Jr., Richardson requested "formal government-to-government consultation between the State of New Mexico and the Navajo Nation" to discuss the concerns and explore options for addressing them. Ron Curry, Secretary of the NM Environment Department, was designated as the State's lead person in the consultation. No word yet on a response from President Shirley.

Still Time to Submit Comments
Gov. Richardson also requested an extension of the comment period on the project's draft environmental impact statement and others have complained about the short time allowed for public input. The comment period, in fact, has been extended and now ends on October 9, 2007. You can electronically submit comments on the project to www.desertrockenergy.com. There is a 40,000 character limit. It's recommended that you also mail a copy of your comments to:

Harrilene Yazzie, NEPA Coordinator
Bureau of Indian Affairs, Navajo Regional Office
P.O. Box 1060, Gallup, New Mexico 87305
505-863-8287

To learn more about the Desert Rock Power Plant controversy and stay current on developments, visit the desert-rock-blog operated by Doodah Desert Rock activists, the San Juan Citizens Alliance website and the website of the Rio Grande Chapter of the Sierra Club.

Also check out the indepth commentary in this previous post, which includes links to our past Desert Rock coverage.

Guest Blog: We Didn't Cross Any Borders, They Crossed Us

This is a guest blog by JaciCee that originally appeared as a diary on Daily Kos:

Okay, maybe we did cross a couple of borders.  We marched up through Central America and Mexico and entered Native American land when we first settled here.  But since the early 1600's we haven't moved.  Who are we?  The first families and explorers that settled into New Mexico.  You know, that state that sets between Texas and Arizona and is north of Mexico and under Colorado.  We are actually part of the United States and have been since 1912.  Many Americans don't know that.  In case you don't believe me, check this out.  One of our local publications features stories about misperceptions and flat out ignorance about our state.

Let's talk a little about what happened before we became a state in 1912.  I'll give you a quick historical rundown but if you want more on our state's rich history, go here or here.

The Native American cultures were thriving here when the Spaniards first arrived.  Those incredible cultures date back to at least 1100 A.D.  The first Europeans arrived in New Mexico with Francisco Vasquez de Coronado's expedition in 1540.  Up until 1821 we lived under the Spanish flag.  In 1821 Mexico acquired New Mexico from Spain.  We then lived under the Mexican flag until 1846 when we fell under US control.  In 1862 Albuquerque surrendered to the South during the Civil War.  In 1912 we officially became a state.  We have lived under three flags without going anywhere. 

Some of our families had relatives living south of the New Mexican territory.  The borders were open. We could travel all over and see who we liked.  These relationships still exist today.

Why does this matter?  My family arrived here in 1603.  They came here with other families.  They married other Spaniards, Indians and Mexicans.  They created an incredibly diverse human landscape that is still thriving today.  These same families, whether they live in Albuquerque, Las Cruces, Santa Fe, Espanola or Taos still speak Spanish in their homes.  Many still have accents.  They are Americans. They are dark, light, tall, short, skinny and fat.  They have brown eyes, blue eyes and green eyes. Many outsiders can't tell the difference between a sixth generation New Mexican or an illegal immigrant.

I have been somewhat silent about the immigation debate. I have some pretty strong views about it but not until I saw this yesterday did I become absolutely enraged.

Some local Republicans have decided it is cool to drive a billboard around Albuquerque with the slogan "Mayor Chavez's sanctuary city for criminal illegal immigrants!"  They are pissed off because Mayor Chavez refuses to use the Albuquerque Police Department to round up "illegal aliens."  According to Allen Weh, a local Republican:

"We’re talking about public safety, and in the area of public safety, my view and our view is it’s a non-negotiable item, we’re all in this together, we all live in this city, we all live in this state, and our families should be safe,"

Safety?  I would like to see some hard facts from Mr. Weh about how many crimes are committed by illegal immigrants in New Mexico. But I doubt any New Mexican will get any facts from hatemongers.  I don't call them hatemongers lightly either.  Look at the message they are currently driving around a major US city that has a huge Hispanic population.  They are associating the workers they depend on to manicure their lawns, clean their houses, work on their roofs, care for their children, clean their hotel rooms, wash their dishes, cook their food, pick their chile crops to the level of a criminal.  I feel bad for the children of the shadow workers, who on their way to school, have to watch a billboard rolling by on a publicly funded street that equates their mother or father to a murderer.

I feel worse though that Republicans, like Weh, think they have a right to be abusive and uninformed towards a population that they know nothing about.  I am sure Weh could not tell an American citizen from an illegal in this state. 

Kudos to Mayor Marty for standing firm on this.

"And I will not have the police stopping Americans based on the color of their skin, so they need to get off it and help our congressional delegation find meaningful solutions to our immigration dilemma," said Mayor Martin Chavez.

That is my greatest fear; that someday somebody who has moved to New Mexico from a flyover state will question me or my children about our citizenship. My family has been here for multiple generations. Each of those generations has produced family members who served our nation during times of war.

Before you consider immigration reform, please think about how any of those reforms will affect American citizens, like me.

Editor's Note: This is a guest blog by JaciCee. It was originally posted as a diary on Daily Kos.

Guest blogs provide our readers with an opportunity to express themselves and may or may not represent our views. If you'd like to submit a post for consideration as a guest blog, contact me by clicking on the Email Me link on the upper left-hand corner of the page.

Reserve Now: We The People ABQ City Council Debates

WE THE PEOPLE- Live audience

COME SEE the Candidates Answer Your Questions!

ABQ City Council Candidate Forum Districts 2 & 4 

Channel 27

September 13th, 6 p.m.

The League of Women Voters, Albuquerque / Bernalillo County will moderate City Council Districts 2 and 4 Forum at 6 pm. Live audience will participate with their questions. Doors close at 5:45 pm. Reservations must be made by September 10th; there is limited seating. Meet 'n Greet following the Forum.

Please call the League office, staffed by volunteers, between 9:30 and noon: 884-8441 or 265-4336.

Community Cable Channel 27 - SW Corner of Civic Plaza

Please use the ramp in the center of the Building

Albuquerque, NM

Kindly forward this message to your friends.

TAPE the program if you cannot be present.

WE THE PEOPLE is an innovative call-in television show looking for TRUTH and TRANSPARENCY in local, state and federal governments. 

District 6 Forum - Live - Channel 27 on September 27th

!

THANKS FOR WATCHING

Mickey Bock, Host  Judith Binder, Producer 

Editor's Note: The municipal election in Albuquerque is set for October 2, 2007. City Councilors will be elected in even numbered districts, and there are a number of bond issues and ballot initiatives to be decided, as well as a recall election of Councilor Don Harris for District 9.

Learn more by checking out the online version of the League of Women Voters Guide for the 2007 Albuquerque Municipal Election or picking up a hard copy of the guide at various locations around the city.

You can also check out our previous posts on the municipal election at our archive on the topic.

Make Your Voice Heard: Panel Discussion on Ethics Reform Set for 9.15.07

From Common Cause New Mexico:
During the 2007 legislative session, Common Cause was instrumental in the passage of a judicial public financing bill and a bill limiting gifts to public officials. Despite these important victories, much work remains in the area of ethics reform: we need contributions limits, an ethics commission, more disclosure for lobbying activities and voluntary public financing for more offices. 

As a means of getting up to speed on the key ethics issues in New Mexico, I encourage you to attend an important panel discussion on Saturday, September 15 at 2:00 PM at Room 2401 at the UNM Law School.  The panel will feature three members of Governor Richardson's Ethics Task Force, as well as state legislators. Here are the details for the panel discussion:

• When:  Saturday, September 15, 2007, 2:00-4:30 PM
• Where:  UNM Law School, Room 2401 (click here for a map or driving directions)
• Invited Speakers:
  • State Senator Dede Feldman
  • State Senator Michael Sanchez
  • State Representative Mimi Stewart
  • Chief Deputy Attorney General Stuart Bluestone
  • Matt Brix, Policy Director, Center for Civic Policy
• Moderator:  Patricio Larragoite

For information, call Mary Sue Gutierrez at 899-4642 or Zora Hesse at 265-3031. Public comments and questions are encouraged. Please do not pass up this opportunity to have your voice heard! 

Thank you, I hope you can make this important panel discussion on September 15!

Sincerely,
Jack Taylor, State Chair, Common Cause New Mexico

Editor's Note: This forum is organized by Progressive Women Issues Matter. See our previous post.

News from SAGE Council

From SAGE Council:
Jam the Ballot Box Music Fest! Get Out the Vote! The Jam the Ballot Box music fest is an all ages show featuring four Native American rock bands. Come rock out as we celebrate Native voters! Call JR at 260-4696 if you are interested in volunteering at the event!

What: Jam the Ballot Box music fest
When: Saturday, September 15th, 7 PM
Where: The Compound, 3206 San Mateo NE, ABQ
Cost: $10

Native American Voters Alliance (NAVA): Get Out the Vote! Water & Urban Indian Healthcare. NAVA is off to a good start, but we need your help to make it a success! This year, we're concentrating on two issues: water, and urban Indian healthcare.

Water: Currently, Albuquerque uses an unsustainable amount of water. We are exceeding our yearly water budget by at least 18 billion gallons of precious and non- renewable groundwater. We must protect water availabilty for future generations!

Native American healthcare: Although NAVA was successful in securing funding for Urban Indian healthcare earlier this year, it is clear that much more needs to be done to ensure quality, accessible healthcare for Native Americans!

We need your help to get out the Native vote! Come with us as we go out into our community to make positive change! We phonebank Monday-Thursday from 6:00-8:00 PM and we're going doorknocking Saturday and Sunday from10 AM - 1 PM. Call the office at 260-4696 to sign up to volunteer!

We Made Our Debut at NACA! SAGE Council stepped into our first classroom two weeks ago to teach 6th, 7th, and 8th graders the concepts of community organizing. Wow! What an experience! Our class is awesome! The students are truly exceptional and went above and beyond our expectations when we discussed topics like racism and stereotypes. Their knowledge, insight, and ability to see through all the hype was amazing. Our experience so far has been challenging but also very rewarding. We'll keep you updated on how it's going! If you are interested in helping, or if you know of activities that would be fun for the class, please call our office at 260-4696.

Mark Your Calendar for Desert Rock Event! October 5th-7th! Next month after the city elections, SAGE Council will resume our role as supporters of the Dooda Desert Rock (DDR) resistance. DDR has asked SAGE to help with petition-signing and a demonstration at the Shiprock Fair. The details are yet to be confirmed, but SAGE is thinking of taking a caravan or a busload of people from Albuquerque to help gather signatures to oppose the Desert Rock power plant, and to help with the demonstration during the opening parade. Ideas, suggestions, and donations to make this trip possible are greatly appreciated! Call the office if you want to sign up to go with us!

SAGE Council is an Indigenous and people of color-led organization using community organizing to build power through action, education, leadership development and political participation. Our commitment to social change and self determination is based on values that honor the environment and all people. We want to hear from you! Let us know what you think about how we are doing at SAGE. You can sign up for our email newsletter at our website.

SAGE Council Web: https://www.sagecouncil.org
Email:  sage@sagecouncil.org 
Phone: 505-260-4696

Elevator 9 Trial: Guilty

I hope Sen. Pete Domenici, his staff and the federal government feel proud and powerful today after the "win" against Domenici's constituents. For irony's sake, it's just too bad the case wasn't tried in the new federal courthouse instead of the old one. The new one is named after Domenici. As reported in an article in the Albuquerque Journal:

A federal magistrate handed down guilty verdicts Thursday against six anti-war activists who occupied an elevator for more than five hours last year at a federal office building in Santa Fe. Magistrate Don Svet ruled that the activists "unreasonably" blocked access to the elevator when they tried unsuccessfully to deliver an anti-war message to the office of Sen. Pete Domenici, R-N.M.

The six defendants were among nine activists who remained on the elevator at the Joseph M. Montoya Federal Building from about 11 a.m. to after 5 p.m. on Sept. 26, 2006. Security guards cut power to the elevator as the activists tried to reach Domenici's third-floor office, witnesses testified.

Each faces a maximum sentence of 30 days in jail and a $5,000 fine for the class C federal misdemeanor offense of failing to comply with signs and directions. Svet said he will hold a sentencing hearing within 30 days. Svet also accepted negotiated plea agreements Thursday from two of the nine activists and ordered each to pay a $25 fine. The two are Bruno Keller and Jan Lustig, both of Santa Fe. Federal prosecutors dropped charges against a ninth activist because he is a juvenile.

The Rev. John Dear, one of the six found guilty Thursday, said Svet's ruling is an attempt to silence anti-war protest. The ruling "sent a very strong signal to people who care about" the Iraq war, Dear said outside a federal court building in Albuquerque after the daylong trial. That message is, "don't speak out against the war," Dear said.

... An attorney for the co-defendants, Todd Hotchkiss of Albuquerque, said in closing that he was "surprised by the pettiness" federal officials showed by cutting power to the elevator when the activists tried to visit Domenici's office. "That response does not speak to the heart of democracy," Hotchkiss said.

... The co-defendants testified that they intended to visit Domenici's office as a group. Guards turned off power to the elevator after the nine entered the car, they said.

I'll bet if a group of Domenici's deep pocket campaign donors wanted to ride up in the elevator to express themselves, his staff would have fallen over backwards to accommodate them. Apparently constituents have to pay to get the Senator's ear. You know how he is.

See our previous post for more info on this case.