Democracy for New Mexico

The Bad Guys Win (for Now): AG King & SOS Herrera Side with Shannon Robinson on NMYO; Shannon's Tirade on Senate Floor

No surprise here. Secretary of State Mary Herrera (right) decided to accept Attorney General Gary King's advice about changing New Mexico Youth Organized's legal status. Herrera evidently made her decision based on King's secretive determination, using undisclosed criteria, that the non-profit NMYO had crossed some undefined political line with its mailings about the voting records and campaign donors of certain lawmakers months before the June 3rd primary election.

Letter from the Secretary of State
Herrera issued her letter yesterday instructing Keegan King, the Director of New Mexico Youth Organized, to comply with the reporting requirements of a political committee rather than a nonprofit. You can read her letter here. Note that Herrera couldn't even get the letter's salutation right -- starting the letter with "Dear Mr. Keegan." The brief letter reveals no details about why the decision was made or the criteria used to make it. It simply says NMYO "appears" to be acting like a political committee, and gives the nonprofit ten days to explain and correct its alleged "violation" and complete and file documents that were attached to the original letter.

Herrera doesn't even bother to name or describe what she calls the "apparent violation," perhaps because she really doesn't know what it is. What we know is that defeated status quo insider Shannon Robinson complained to the AG back in May about NMYO. We know that the AG's office quickly jumped in response and sent Herrera an inaccurate, horribly researched letter two weeks before the primary. I'm sure that Robinson probably thought that would help him in the election. It had become quite clear that he was way behind.

We know that the AG's office then asked the SOS to ignore the letter and that there was a odd lull after that. We know that AG King finally did directly advise Herrera in a private meeting last Friday. And that today she jumped, without explanation or definition of the "violation" committed by NMYO. Nobody from the SOS's office or the AG's office has to date met or spoken with anyone representing NMYO or the Center for Civic Policy (its parent organization) about the matter.

Response by the Center for Civic Policy
Eli Il Yong Lee, Executive Director of the Center for Civic Policy, the parent group of New Mexico Youth Organized, issued this statement yesterday in response to the SOS's letter:

"The Center for Civic Policy and New Mexico Youth Organized strongly disagree with the decision made public today by Secretary of State Mary Herrera and Attorney General Gary King. We will pursue all legal remedies at our disposal.

With our educational mailings, we upheld our responsibility to make sure New Mexicans knew what actions have been taken on issues important to them by their elected officials. Any effort to restrict this legal activity would muzzle New Mexico nonprofits from doing the very important job of keeping public officials accountable. Public information is just that…public. Any attempt to hide this kind of information is not in the interests of the people of New Mexico. It is surprising that any public official would actually advocate for this irresponsible course of action."

If It Swims Like a Fish ...
So, is Mary Herrera caving under the same status quo political pressure that may be steering Attorney General Gary King on this matter? Nobody knows, but this whole thing sure looks fishy. And if it swims like a fish and blows bubbles like a fish, it probably IS fishy, right?

Don't forget that the press release issued by AG King to explain how he came to his legal position said, "If it walks like a duck and quacks like a duck, then it’s probably a duck. And I think we know a duck when we see one." Imagine an attorney general in any other state making a similarly vacuous and unprofessional statement to the press about a decision that could impact the majority of nonprofits operating in the state.

Super Heroes to the Rescue in the Windmill Tilt
I've been a Democrat all my life. It pains me that two of the top Democratic elected officials in the state seem to be acting without a logical, legal explanation or any semblance of fairness in furthering Shannon Robinson's Quixotic quest. It's hard for me to believe they take the paranoid Robinson seriously when he blames his thorough drubbing at the polls on some nefarious plot.

Everybody knew Robinson was probably finished when he was called out repeatedly by the Albuquerque Journal for steering legislative appropriations to the rugby team he coaches. He was caught in the act abusing public funds. He had no convincing explanation. Voters noticed.

But in Robinson's mind, it's Shannon against the world, and Mary and Gary are the super heros he calls forth to help him protect truth, justice and the American way. Well, if the American way means voting the wishes of your campaign donors, ignoring the pressing needs of your constituents and refusing to accept the results of an election.

Scare Tactics
Make no mistake about it. This particular attack may be against NMYO, but it sure seems designed to scare, intimidate and threaten other nonprofits from doing their jobs in educating the public about the behavior of their elected officials. The hit job also seems aimed at gobbling up the resources, time and attention of a number of nonprofits to lessen their effectiveness in educating the public.

Shannon Jumps the Shark
You'd think that Shannon Robinson's reprehensible behavior on the Floor of the State Senate last Friday, as well as other crazy statements he's made of late, would be highly embarrasing to both King and Herrera. This is the point of view they are both apparently defending.

Check out these gems reported by the NMI's Trip Jennings as Sen. Shannon Robinson's utterances on the Senate Floor last Friday during the New Mexico Special Legislative Sessiion:

Robinson said, "I'm on a manhunt. And I am going to track it down. Follow the money.... These nonprofit watchdogs are anything but that. They don't have a right to be a nonprofit. They are going to have to face charges of tax evasion. This is a scheme to avoid taxes We are going to see in the next few months ... the state Supreme Court will back us up on that. I think the AG will back us up.

During his speech, Robinson appeared to accuse Sen. Gerald Ortiz Y Pino of participating in a conspiracy of silence. "Sen. Ortiz y Pino will not comment," Robinson said. "He knows if he talks about it he can get indicted."

Robinson then turned questions toward Sen. Cisco McSorley, D-Albuquerque. McSorley would have none of it, however. "I dont know of anything of what you are talking about. I have no idea of what you are talking about," McSorley said to Robinson. "There you have it," Robinson said.

Here's the Albuquerque Journal's account of what they term Robinson's half-hour "tirade" on the Senate Floor. Quote:

In his blistering tirade, which included references to the devil, George Soros and the FBI, Robinson also accused city and state agencies of wrongdoing but gave no details. And he asserted that two senators have ties to the nonprofit, the Center for Civic Policy.

... On the Senate floor Friday, Robinson said, "That organization put out obscene literature. It shows a picture, supposedly of me, taking the oath of office with my left hand. Now only the devil swears in with his left hand." He also said Soros, a philanthropist and social activist, was financing the group — a charge Lee denies. [emphasis mine]

... McSorley said, "I don't think anybody has any idea about what you're talking about here. Robinson's response: "Okay. There you have it. And you know what? If you live by the sword you die by the sword. And if you lie under oath, eventually what happens is, the FBI shows up."

You have to give Robinson credit for chutzpah. He personally attacked two of the most ethically responsible and highly respected Senators in the chamber, right to their faces. You may or may not agree with the politics of Ortiz y Pino and McSorley, but there has never been even a whiff of scandal connected to either of them. Yet somehow, in Shannon's mind, they're in on the plot to get him. It's a pretty wide-ranging plot, after all.

The Plot Thickens
And now the "conspiracy" is spreading -- to federal races in New Mexico -- according to Robinson's rambling statements in an interview with Peter St. Cyr just before Shannon headed to Santa Fe for the Special Session. You really must listen to the entire audio file yourselves to get the full flavor of just where Robinson is headed with his "conspiracy" talk. It's no longer merely wacky. It's no longer merely odd. It's downright scary in my book. Listening to this interview made my hair stand on end. Maybe that's it. Maybe people are afraid to go too hard on him, you know?

See our previous post on this matter and the lawsuit filed by Robinson and two other losing primary candidates. That post contains a list of links to other posts related to the attack on the primary winners and various nonprofits. Also see another recent post that provides a statement by the Southwest Organizing Project on the attacks by Robinson.

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ABQ McCain Staffers Trash 'Happy Birthday Social Security' Cake

Politico has the story and so does . But where are the pictures and videos? Isn't it time for someone at the Dem Party and all the campaigns, third-party groups and unions to start carrying around a very reasonably priced Flip Video, or at least a cheap digital camera, to record debacles like this? Come on folks, your local blowgowsfeer bloggers can't be everywhere, cameras at the ready. Think how many events are going on daily now, and then think how much synchronicitous action will be going on post-Labor Day. We need help in documenting the scene. Help! A video of the McCain staffers getting all chanty and destructive would be valuable indeed. Why don't we have one?

MUST READ: SWOP Responds to Lawsuit by Shannon Robinson et al.

Southwest Organizing Project (SWOP) issued the following statement today in response to the recent lawsuit against them, other nonprofits and three Dems who won their primary legislative races. The suit was filed by incumbent Democrats who lost their primary races to reform candidates on June 3, 2008 -- namely Sen. Shannon Robinson, Sen. James G. Taylor and Rep. Don Silva. All three lawmakers have a reputation in many quarters for putting the desires of entrenched interests before the needs of their constituents, the common good and ordinary New Mexicans. The very poorly written lawsuit claims fraud and conspiracy and takes a tone that's come to be known as tinfoil-hat, if you know what I mean.

Also See: Besides reading the entirety of SWOP's moving and convincing response, make sure you check out the op-Ed by Eli Il Yong Lee, Executive Director of the Center for Civic Policy, published in today's Albuquerque Journal. Let's hope that fair-minded individuals, including Democrats in positions of power, will read these materials carefully and consider what is at stake here, including their own reputations. It's not only progressives who are angry about the attacks on reform candidates and well respected nonprofits. The political futures of a number of Dems are on the line here, and the public will vote accordingly if this ill-considered charade continues to try and protect the status quo to the detriment of the common good. 

From the Southwest Organizing Project (SWOP):

See our full response here.

Since 1980, the mission of the SouthWest Organizing Project has been to empower the disenfranchised to realize equality and justice. These aren’t just nice words on paper meant to make us feel good, we actually believe this is possible.

Our primary purpose is to help low-income, communities of color organize themselves to build healthy, pollution free communities. One of the primary ways we do this is through public education so that New Mexicans have the information they need to urge action by their elected representatives.

Invariably, in the course of trying to achieve our mission, we face tremendous opposition from those maintaining the status quo – a status quo that has left New Mexicans ranked at the bottom of practically every social indicator from education to healthcare.

For us, it is not enough that the nonprofit sector simply work to alleviate the symptoms of poverty and racism. In addition to organizing, it is our duty to question the actions of decision makers that perpetuate relentless poverty and growing inequality.

Our theory of action is that we create opportunity for disenfranchised communities to insert their own voices into the crucial public debates that profoundly affect their lives. These opportunities derive from direct campaigns developed with communities of people to affect change. Making our voices heard, for us, has happened in a number of ways over our 30-year history. Sometimes it’s with a bullhorn in the street, other times it's sitting at the table with policy makers, and at other times it’s through direct communication via mail, telephone or radio to decision makers.

Along the way, we have consistently communicated to our constituents the voting records and campaign contributors of elected officials, urging them to communicate with their elected officials directly. We call this accountability and speaking truth to power.

Go to our blog for the full response: here
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See our previous post on this matter and the related confusion prompted by Attorney General King's sorta kinda official opinon on whether the legal status of the nonprofit New Mexico Youth Organized should be changed, in essence, to a PAC. That post contains a list of links to other posts related to the attack on the primary winners and various nonprofits.

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NM-02: Tinsley's 'Cut Your Throat' Remark - From One Post on DFNM to Olbermann in Less Than 24 Hours

Countdown and ACI forum clips

The effectiveness and speed of the pipes and tubes of the internets can still shock me at times. I posted a YouTube video clip and accompanying story last night at 7:22 PM. As far as I can tell, I was the first person to cover the story. After any number of stops on the information highway (as they used to call it), the story ended up as part of Keith Olbermann's Worst Person in the World segment on tonight's Countdown. Zoom. From the little DFNM blog in out of the way New Mexico to the nation's TV screens in less than 24 hours. There really is nowhere to hide in this election cycle.

The clip from YouTube shows NM-02 GOP Congressional candidate Ed Tinsley and Dem candidate Harry Teague at an ACI candidate forum held last week in Las Cruces. The candidates are discussing Iraq, and Tinsley, without an iota of evident shame, brings up his nephews who are serving in the military in the Gulf and says this:

"How am I supposed to call my two nephews over there right now ... and tell them I'm running against a guy who will cut your throat!"

This low-life personal attack on Teague -- and blatant politicization of his own nephews' service -- is what earned Tinsley tonight's Worst Person in the World slot. Not Worse, Not Worser -- WORST. That's saying something.

Unfortunately, Olbermann didn't mention Teague by name in the segment. You know, Harry Teague, who's going to be the next Congressman from New Mexico's Second District. But it sure helped the cause to get Tinsley's words out there -- nakedly obscene to the world. CUT YOUR THROAT. Right.

It's also too bad that Olbermann didn't play Teague's measured and right-on-target come back to Tinsley's personal attack. If you haven't see it yet, it's right here in my original post and in the combo clip up top. Tinsley's self-serving and over-the-top words were met with robust boos. Teague's with spirited clapping and cheering. Now the 3,590 people who have so far viewed the video on YouTube, plus the nationwide audience for the TV show, plus all those who watch the video on the MSNBC site will know the truth about Tinsley and why no thinking, feeling person with a conscience should vote for him.

Voters in New Mexico's Second District -- what do you think? Should a guy like Tinsley -- who will  use his own nephews' military service as political fodder and use the term "cut your throat" in the same breath -- really be anywhere near the U.S. House representing you? I guess we'll see on November 4th.

To learn more about Harry Teague, visit his website. I also recommend taking a look at one of our previous posts that describes our recent visit with Harry in Hobbs on our way back from Netroots Nation.

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Lt. Gov. Denish, Obama Campaign Discuss Blueprint for New Mexico

Obama campaign reaching out in Taos

On a conference call today with reporters and bloggers, Obama officials discussed where the Campaign for Change stands in New Mexico and the tactics they'll employ to win this Fall. Participants included Lt. Gov. Diane Denish, who's now a NM Co-Chair for Obama after previously backing Hillary Clinton, State Director Adrian Saenz, Deputy National Campaign Manager Steve Hildebrand and others.

The main differences between the Obama campaign and past Dem prez efforts here: vastly increased and proactive voter registration activities, an emphasis on contacting registered Dems who don't vote regularly and outreach in every corner of the state, not just along the I-25 corridor.

An Unprecedented Hunger for Change: Lt. Gov. Denish spoke about her recent trips around the state, where she encountered what she called "an unprecedented level" of grassroots support for change and lots of activity already happening on the ground. She mentioned the registration advantage Dems have long had in NM and the importance of powerful GOTV efforts to reach Dems who vote only sporatically, as well as independents -- especially outside major population areas. Denish said that she'd never witnessed such a "massive mobilization" by a presidential campaign here, and it's only just begun.

Agressively Reaching Out to Rural Voters: NM Campaign Director Adrian Saenz said the campaign is "aggressively" going after voters in rural communities and small towns. Of the 23 field offices now open, 17 are in rural areas, including a recently launched office in Shiprock. Tomorrow an Obama campaign will open in Espanola. There'll be even more to come.

Saenz said the reception in areas of the state almost always ignored by presidential candidates has been "phenomenal," with large numbers of volunteers clamoring to join up. Saenz worked in New Mexico during the 2004 election and said he was amazed at how many volunteers were active then, but that this year's turnout to date "blows away" the totals for '04.

Now Active: The campaign had more than 1000 canvassers out this weekend all over the state, with the largest number showing up to walk in Raton, in Northern New Mexico. There are more than 4000 active volunteers for Obama here, with about a quarter of those in rural areas. About 34,000 are on the New Mexico email list, about a third of which are from less populated cities and towns.

Early GOTV for Early Voting: There is a big push to convince supporters to vote early by mail. Extensive GOTV efforts will start early, because folks can start voting on October 1st at County Clerk offices and on October 18th at satellite locations before the November 4th election.

Special Focus on SE New Mexico: One area that will get special attention is Southeastern New Mexico, where Bush won big in '04. There will be campaign offices in most of the towns there and the campaign is finding a strong volunteer base shaping up in that region already. The Obama campaign clearly thinks they can increase Dem vote totals substantially in the area if they reach out to enough new voters, moderates and Dems who seldom vote.

Check out this document (pdf) for more on Obama's blueprint for change in New Mexico.

Get Involved Now: You can learn more about what's happening around the state and sign up to be a part of it at the New Mexico for Obama page. The New Mexico event calendar lists 115 events at the moment. Sign up for one or start your own. The clock is ticking.

Photos from Taos courtesy Obama Campaign for Change.

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Guest Blog: State Senate Candidate Victor Raigoza

This is a guest blog by Victor Raigoza, the Democratic candidate for State Senate in District 10. This race is ranked as one of the most important legislative pick-up opportunities this cycle for New Mexico Democrats, and Victor is a formidable candidate who deserves our strong support. We can win this one!

Brother and Sister Democrats,

I am ecstatic and honored to be the Democratic nominee for New Mexico's 10th State Senate district. I am especially excited at the prospect of being a part of this historic election cycle. Recently, stories which would indicate that we are not a united party have been reported in the press and blogs.  We have always been a party that prides ourselves on the size and inclusiveness of our tent and team. I believe we are Democrats because we all share a core set of values.

I am a Democrat because with every fiber of my being, I believe we have a responsibility to take care of each other. We have a responsibility to make sure that children are never hungry or denied access to quality education. We have a responsibility to protect our workers and our environment, our elders and our veterans. We have a responsibility to protect a woman's right to decide what happens to her own body. And, we have a responsibility to ensure that every human has access to quality and affordable healthcare. But I, as a Democrat, do not see these responsibilities as a burden. Rather, I embrace them and the opportunity they give us to make our community a better place.

If you agree, I am asking you to support my bid to become a New Mexico State Senate by clicking here to make an online donation now. Your contribution of $75, or whatever you're comfortable giving, will go a long way toward helping me bring our voice to the Legislature.

Now is the time to stand up and be loud, to be proud of our values and our beliefs.  We can no longer sit silently and allow the media or people who think we are wrong to dictate the agenda. We must be vocal and persuasive about how important this election is from the top of the ticket to the bottom. Now is the time for our Democratic family to come together! As a united front, we will be victorious! We are on the verge of history; but it can only happen if we all work together to achieve it.

Please help me, and my fellow Democrats, with contributions of time and money. With your support, I know we can make New Mexico the blue state it truly longs to be!

To find out more about how you can help, please email me at Victor4Senate@gmail.com or call my campaign at (505) 332-4128.

Thank you for your help and support,

This is a guest blog by Victor Raigoza, the Democratic candidate for State Senate in District 10. To learn more about his candidacy, click for Victor's Bio or visit his campaign website at https://victor4senate.com/.

Guest blogs provide an opportunity to express your opinion on pertinent political issues or to communicate directly with readers of the blog. If you'd like to submit a piece for consideration as a guest blog, contact me by clicking on the Email Me link on the upper left-hand corner of the page.

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Nonprofits Respond to AG King's Odd Behavior, Threaten "Unnnecessary" Litigation

I'll try to bring you up to date on the story of the manufactured outrage over direct mail pieces distributed by nonprofits to call attention to the voting records of certain long-time incumbents in the New Mexico State Legislature. And the legal wrangling going on as the story evolves.

The Letter from AG King's Office
Besides a recent lawsuit, we have a situation where Attorney General Gary King's office issued a letter in May to the Secretary of State advising that, in essence, New Mexico Youth Organized's status should be changed from a nonprofit to a PAC. The letter was sent the day after State Sen. Shannon Robinson reportedly complained to the AG's office about NMYO. The day after that, the office of the SOS reportedly got a call from the AG's office advising them to ignore their letter about NMYO. That's where action by the AG's office stopped -- until a recent story in the New Mexico Independent apparently prompted them to issue a press release on Friday standing behind the original letter from the AG's office. More on that below.

On What Criteria and Facts Did King Base His Opinion?
By any standard legal measure, it clearly appears the nonprofits -- including New Mexico Youth Organized -- followed the law in their activities. Their goal was to educate the community about who gave money to legislators and how legislators voted, as is their right and even their duty given the goals of the organizations. It certainly looks like they followed the rules and honored the traditional communication timelines. Moreover, they've said that their top-notch legal advisors thoroughly vetted their every action.

As far as I know, none of that has been challenged on specific, documented legal grounds by AG Gary King, either in his office's original opinion letter to the Secretary of State about the matter or in the Friday press release.

Putting the Cart Before the Horse
Oddly, although the AG's office issued an advisory letter to the Secretary of State in May and backed that letter in their Friday press release, they have also said that the matter is still under advisement and that they are performing "due diligence" to study the matter. Why would the AG's office issue an opinion letter and then dig into the case AFTERWARDS? I guess political pressure does strange things to some people. Big time muckety-muck.

Duck Soup
King issued what I think is an incredibly embarrassing press release Friday in lieu of any legal communication with the parties and stated he believes the legal status of New Mexico Youth Organized should be changed to a PAC because, to quote him:

“There’s an old saying that if it walks like a duck and quacks like a duck, then it’s probably a duck. And I think we know a duck when we see one.”

Quite the legal language for the people's top lawyer, isn't it? AG King offered no legal citations or factual documentation in the release to back up his view that the status of New Mexico Youth Organized should be changed. By his own account, King just knows an alleged offense when he sees it. He doesn't define how NMYO crossed the legal line, but apparently he knows in his heart they did. King's statement boggles my mind -- so I can only imagine what it does to minds trained in the law. And since when does the AG's office issue opinions in the media instead of using standard legal channels?

Two Nonprofits Rebut King
The Center for Civic Policy and New Mexico Youth Organized (NMYO), two of the local nonprofits being targeted, issued statements yesterday rebutting King and his advice to the Secretary of State:

The United States Supreme Court has made it abundantly clear that election officials are only permitted to regulate public statements that explicitly address elections.  They are not permitted to regulate public statements that relate to officeholders' conduct, even though those officeholders may be running for re-election.  This is fundamental to the First Amendment's guarantee of freedom of speech.  The Attorney General's statement that he recognizes what can be regulated on the basis of whether it 'walks like a duck' is an indication that he doesn't understand the law in this area, and he is inviting entirely unnecessary litigation against the State of New Mexico." [emphasis mine]

--John Boyd, Counsel for Center for Civic Policy and New Mexico Youth Organized, Freedman Boyd Daniels Hollander Goldberg and Cline

--Sara Berger, Counsel for Center for Civic Policy and New Mexico Youth Organized

"We are disappointed by Attorney General King's uncharacteristically glib assessment of a serious matter.  At stake is the ability of nonprofits throughout New Mexico to hold elected officials accountable for their actions and to advocate for issues that are critical to their missions.  Further, we are disappointed that the Attorney General is issuing a verdict through the media prior to his office completing its research on this matter."

-- Eli Il Yong Lee, Executive Director, Center for Civic Policy

Why Is All This Happening?
Ever since it became evident that three progressive reform candidates were making headway against entrenched, business-as-usual incumbents in the recent Democratic primary, the minions and mouthpieces of the lobbyists and big donors have been bent on discrediting the nonprofits and the three eventual winning candidates. They've planted rumors and statements on the blogs. They've complained about cheating and nefarious plots. The losing candidates filed a bogus lawsuit. And now this.

Why all the ruckus? Because genuine ethics and campaign finance reform legislation is coming closer and closer to passing. Because genuine health care reform is coming closer and closer to passing. Because domestic partnership legislation is coming closer and closer to passing. Et cetera.

The complainers -- named and unnamed -- and the primary losers have been reliable opponents of change and reform, within the legislature and in its hallways. They've functioned as stoppers, protecting the power blocs that oppose anyone rocking the corporate-steered boat. And now the people are learning the truth and voting accordingly. Damn right the status quo is feeling vulnerable. They're on the run as more and more election challengers and issue-based activists feel strong enough to go up against them. That's a good thing.

But what isn't good is that the erratic, opaque and secretive behavior of Attorney General Gary King related to this matter tends to suggest that he's taking his cues from political bigwigs rather than from the dictates of the law. I'm not saying it IS that way, but it sure LOOKS that way, doesn't it? It looks like certain parties are feeling cornered so they're trying to put the thumb on those who have a tendency to give in easily for one reason or another. I hope that's not true, but there it is. As they say, timing is everything.

Some previous posts on these and related issues:

• August 6, 2008: Griego and Keller Release Statements on Lawsuit by Incumbent Primary Losers; Robinson Talks Melodrama
• August 3, 2008: More Details Revealed on Lawsuit by Defeated Dem Incumbents Robinson, Taylor & Silva
• August 2, 2008: Robinson, Taylor, Silva: Fallen Dem Incumbents File Sour Grapes Lawsuit Alleging Campaign Finance Fraud
• July 30, 2008: Backlash Erupts Against Victories in NM by Ethical Progressives and the Growing Power of Reform Groups
• June 3, 2008: 2008 New Mexico Primary Winners; Upset Victories for Griego, Keller, Chavez
• May 30, 2008: SD 17: Shannon Robinson Hits New Low with Campaign Mailers; Gets Contributions from Vested Interests
• May 30, 2008: SD 14: What is James Taylor Hiding? Fails to Submit Campaign Donation Report
• May 29, 2008: SD 17: Tim Keller Earning Unprecedented Dem Support
• May 20, 2008: SD 17: "Alligators" Uninterested in Shannon Robinson Scandals?
• May 13, 2008: Strong Local Support: Griego Raises Nearly $60,000 for Dist. 14 State Senate Race
• May 7, 2008: Todos Para Tim! Launches to Support Tim Keller for State Senate
• April 3, 2008: NM House District 13: Guest Blog by Dem Challenger Eleanor Chávez
• April 1, 2008: Fooling Around: Hey Joe, Where's That Ethics Contest Winner?
• February 27, 2008: More Crocodile Tears Over "Failures" of Ethics Advocates
• February 11, 2008: Ethics: Aren't You Sick of the Unnamed Alligators?

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Griego and Keller Release Statements on Lawsuit by Incumbent Primary Losers; Robinson Talks Melodrama

Eric Griego tells it like it is:
"I thank voters once again for electing me as the Democratic nominee to the State Senate in District 14 with a wide margin, 62% to 38%. I am confident their vote for change in the June Primary will not be undermined by the unfortunate lawsuit filed Friday.

My team and I ran a strong, ethical, issue-based, grassroots campaign that spoke to real concerns.  Along with over 100 volunteers, I knocked on over a thousand doors and spoke to hundreds of voters.  I raised almost $90 thousand from nearly 500 contributors, many of whom gave $50 or less, all of which was timely and thoroughly disclosed.

I was endorsed by numerous community organizations including: New Mexico Professional Firefighters Association; Albuquerque Area Firefighters Local 244; National Education Association, New Mexico; American Federation of Teachers; Albuquerque Teachers Federation; Sierra Club; Conservation Voters New Mexico; South Valley Regional Association of Acequias; Democracy for New Mexico; and, Hispano Round Table. 

The voters and their desire for change determined the outcome of the election.  I am confident the Court will not overturn the will of the majority of the voters. I look forward to representing District 14 in Santa Fe as state senator."

Tim Keller speaks truth to power as he did in his campaign:
Having recently lost the June Democratic Primary election in Senate District 17 by a two to one margin, Shannon Robinson filed on Friday, August 1, 2008  in District Court to contest the election results claiming that voters were defrauded and a new election should be held. Robinson is also representing defeated incumbent legislators Rep. Dan Silva and State Senator James Taylor.

"The substance of this case is baseless. We are prepared to let the legal system take its course. We expect the case will be dismissed and the will of voter's decision will be upheld," says Tim of the lawsuit. "Our campaign followed the rules and spirit of campaign finance."

"I received the support of respected leaders like Senator Jerry Ortiz y Pino, City Councilor Rey Garduno, former Congressional candidate and State Senator Richard Romero; and longstanding pillars of the community like the Albuquerque Teachers Union, Albuquerque Fire Fighters Union, Albuquerque Journal and the Sierra Club.

"Each night my volunteers, family and I were on the doors, talking to voters about the policy issues affecting our district. I'm proud of the grassroots campaign I ran and honored to have received the support of elected and neighborhood leaders, donors and most importantly, an overwhelming number of voters in my district. I look forward to representing the people of Senate District 17 in Santa Fe."

On June 3, Tim Keller captured 66% of the vote in the Democratic Primary and defeated 20 year state senator Shannon Robinson in Senate District 17. More about Tim can be found at his website www.timkellerfornewmexico.com.

Paranoia Strikes Deep in Robinson
Primary loser Shannon Robinson, on the other hand, is still spreading his garbage in the blogsphere. Now he's claiming that some unnamed "insiders" from the alleged "conspiracy" to wrong him and fellow losers Dan Silva and James G. Taylor are "snitches" -- and he explains to Heath Haussamen that's how he got the basis for his frivolous suit. He insists it'll be the "snitches" who prove his case.

Even weirder, the suit claims that it's GEORGE SOROS and some mysterious others who funded the "conspiracy" to the tune of $1.5 million. I'm not kidding. A long-standing boogieman to the right-wingnuts, Soros has been accused of funding almost every liberal cause and candidate in the universe at one time or another. Now his eye just happened to be on three Democratic statehouse primaries in New Mexico. Amazing. With all the political causes and candidates seeking help in this election cycle, George chose three primary legislative races (and other unspecified contests) in the Land of Enchantment to be the beneficiaries of his secret largesse.

I knew that the defeated incumbents often voted like Republicans, but I didn't know they bought into the cliched conspiracy theories of the right about scary, scary Soros. I wonder if Robinson et al. are also awaiting The Rapture. Remember that late in the primary race Robinson put out the word that Tim Keller was actually a Republican, despite his many endorsements from prominent progressive politicos and organizations. Maybe Robinson was looking in the mirror when that strategy came into his head.

And don't forget THE ILLEGAL ALIENS! Yes, folks, the lawsuit also claims that non-citizens were rounded up, registered and "encouraged" to vote for the primary winners:

46. Contestants alllege that non-citizens were knowingly and recklessly registered by the non-profit defendants and their agents and Contestees and then encouraged those same non-citiizens to participate in the election and vote for Contestees.

Yes, the English is atrocious. Robinson must have been in a hurry. Or something. In fact, the lawsuit is rife with grammatical and factual errors. One big oopsie -- it falsely claims that Neri Holguin managed the campaigns of Griego, Keller and Eleanor Chavez. Chavez was never a client of Holguin. It also wrongly asserts that Holguin is the treasurer of Conservation Voters New Mexico. As Matt Brix of the Center for Civic Policy said to Haussamen, "There are so many completely outlandish allegations that we don't even know where to begin. Everything in the lawsuit is categorically untrue."

As to the chances for success with the suit, Robinson told Haussamen, "We're going to do real well. All you have to do is follow the money" He added that the situation is "like playing cards when the other side has a marked deck. Eric Griego says he knocked on 1,000 doors. Good for him. Then why did he have to cheat?" Earth to Robinson -- he didn't. He beat James G. Taylor hands down because of his convincing and personal outreach to the voters -- something you haven't done in years -- and his impressive track record of integrity.

Message to Ringleader Shannon Robinson -- First, admit to yourself that you were beaten because you no longer care one iota about your constituents and haven't served them responsibly in years. They noticed. Then go play some rugby and cool down in some dark joint with the wall leaners and influence peddlers you've come to know and love. You can all commisserate together about the unfairness of elections where the voters know the score because they've actually met candidates dedicated to service to the comunity, and they support them.

Robinson's actions seem like something out of those old screen melodramas. The problem is, he's the villainous guy twirling a greasy mustache and trying to tie innocent people to the tracks. In the end, the bad guy always loses and virtue always triumphs in those sensational plot lines. Remember?

Read the complaint here and here (PDFs). To see our previous coverage of these (and other) legislative primary races, visit our archive.

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Guest Blog by Alex Flores: Marty's At It Again

This is a guest post by Alex Flores, who blogs at Alex on Politics. Alex is from Corrales, NM and will start work on a Master's at Princeton this Fall.

I've only been in politics a short time but it hasn't taken long to start associating Martin Chavez with Joe Leiberman. Both are the type to disparage other Democratic candidates for personal gain. A few days ago, the always-excellent web reporter Heath Haussamen wrote a piece quoting Martin Chavez - here are my favorite excerpts:

1. "The real question in my mind is whether Senator Obama is going to be able to capture Hispanics by a significant margin," Chávez was quoted in the article as saying. "That's a big 'if,' because he's clearly an urbanite."
2. "(Obama) walked into the Flying Star and did an event with the latte crowd," the magazine quoted the mayor as saying. He added that Obama needs to "get outside Albuquerque."
3. He pointed out to the news magazine that, when Obama recently visited Albuquerque, he met at a coffeehouse with working women but didn't reach out to Hispanics. Chávez said Obama probably has the edge in New Mexico but has yet to make his case with Hispanics.

Let's address these in order!

1. First of all - how is being an "urbanite" relevant to public policy and running for office? It's not. It has nothing to do with being President of the United States and it has no place in the ongoing discourse. But I'll play anyway: Mayor Chavez - he's an "urbanite" too! Here's what I found on his upbringing:

Born in Albuquerque and of Hispanic heritage, Chávez attended both parochial (St. Charles Borromeo and Holy Ghost) and public (Van Buren Junior High and Manzano High) schools. After graduating from Manzano High School, Chávez earned a Bachelor's Degree from the University of New Mexico and a Juris Doctor from Georgetown University, following in the footsteps of his father.

Well, the Mayor should know that Albuquerque isn't the smallest town in the west. In fact, we're a huge city! It wasn't always this big, due in some part to his leadership, but he's still not exactly a country bumpkin. Albuquerque currently ranks around 34th in US cities with about 520,000 people - making us bigger than Sacramento, Omaha, Miami, Oakland, Minneapolis, St. Louis, Pittsburg, Newark, and Orlando - just to name a few (data as of ). Wasn't it under Mayor Marty's leadership that Albuquerque was named to Forbes magazine's list as the number-one place to do business?

Mayor Chavez grew up here - and he governs here. He also spent a few years, like me, in Washington DC. So let's stop calling the kettle black and own up to our own identities. This attack angle just isn't going to work for him.

2. Obama needs to get outside Albuquerque? That's advice to someone about how to win a statewide election. But the history isn't really on the Mayor's side (we'll tie number 3 back into this one, too). In 1998, he ran against Gary Johnson to be Governor of the state and lost, 55-45. Recently, he considered running for Governor but decided he couldn't beat Lt. Governor Diane Denish. So he switched over to the Senate race, and before the Primary ever got under way - was already losing to Tom Udall - an undeclared candidate - by 30 points.

Marty has been a great Mayor - his biography on the Albuquerque website and the tangible benefits of growth we see all around us are testaments to that. He's just not the authoritative source on statewide elections or how to win them.

3. Obama has yet to make his case with Hispanics. Really? Ok, let's go back to number 2. In 1998, Chavez was the Hispanic who ran against Republican Johnson. He was the de facto Hispanic candidate against Denish for 2010. Chavez was the headline Hispanic candidate against Don Wivviot and Tom Udall for the Democratic nomination for Senate this year. Every time, he lost - as the sole major Hispanic candidate in the race. The 98 race was lost by 10. The 08 Senate race is more recent - here are the 5 polls I remember:

• SurveyUSA Poll #12737, between 10/05-10/07, 2007, commissioned by KOB-TV, shows Udall beating either Republican candidate for Senate and Chavez only competitive.
• SurveyUSA Poll #12878, between 10/27-10/30, 2007, commissioned by Roll Call newspaper, Washington DC. Chavez beats both Rep. Wilson and Rep. Pearce but within the margin of error.
• Fairbank, Maslin, Maullin & Associates, between 10/23-10/27, 2007, shows Chavez losing to Udall in a 3-way race, 50%-30% with Udall winning Hispanics by 8 points.
• Research 2000, between 11/05-11/07, commissioned by DailyKos, shows Chavez losing to both Pearce and Wilson but within the margin of error.
• SurveyUSA Poll #12979, between 11/16-11/18, 2007 commissioned by KOB-TV, shows Udall over Chavez for the Democratic Senate nomination, 62%-32%. In this poll, Chavez tied Udall among Hispanics.

So maybe Mayor Chavez isn't the biggest authority on how to reach Hispanic voters, either. Especially not after this:

According to a nationwide survey by the reputable Pew Hispanic Center of 2,015 Latinos in June and July, registered Latino voters support Barack Obama for President over Republic John McCain by 66%-23%!

Want more? Here's more of my analysis from when the poll was released. More numbers about Obama and Hispanics follow later in this post. Let's not forget that Senator Obama is spending more money and resources to register Latinos to vote and get them to the polls than any other candidate in HISTORY. Period. Let's not forget that back in September of 2007, Obama appointed former Denver Mayor and Clinton Cabinet Secretary Federico Pena to be national co-chair of the campaign. Or that in February of 2007, when the campaign began, Obama appointed Cuauhtemoc "Temo" Figueroa to be the NATIONAL Field Director. Previously, you may recall, Temo was the Administrator of AFSCME Council 18 - RIGHT HERE IN NEW MEXICO!

And lastly, let's not forget Senator Obama's commitment to do more in the Latino community than any other Presidential candidate in history; in July, the campaign launched a massive $20 million Latino Vote program. The program will greatly benefit New Mexico and a number of other states. After all of that - here's why I'm really angry with Mayor Chavez. This kind of underhanded attack against members of his own party rings all-too familiar. Remember that article in The Politico from November 10, 2007? Jog your memory:

In an interview with Politico on Saturday, Chavez said his achievements as mayor would compare well with what he called Udall's lackluster record in the House. [You can read why this simply isn't true here.]

And this from Steve Terrell, a New Mexico reporter, on November 8, 2007:

"Philosophically, he's so far to the left," Chávez told Las Cruces political blogger Heath Haussamen last month. In an interview with the Washington, D.C., publication Roll Call published Thursday, Chávez said, "The contrast in records between me and the Congressman won't situate him well for the general election."

Well Mayor Chavez might have been right - Udall was farther left, but the voters approved of it. Now, the Mayor is falling back into his same old habits - attacking those who he doesn't support or agree with - even if they all call themselves Democrats. So Mayor - please stop spending time attacking Democrats who aren't voting against our Party's values. Please stop attacking Democrats for personal gain. And please stop speaking as an authority where you haven't thought it all through. Here are more numbers from the Pew Poll:

Three times as many respondents said being black would help Obama (32%) with Latino voters than said it would hurt him (11%); the majority (53%) said his race would make no difference to Latino voters.

Obama is rated favorably by 76% of Latino registered voters, making him much more popular among that voting group than McCain (44% favorable) and President Bush (27% favorable). Hillary Clinton's ratings among Latino registered voters are 73% favorable and 24% unfavorable; Obama's are 76% favorable and 17% unfavorable. Also, more than three-quarters of Latinos who reported that they voted for Clinton in the primaries now say they are inclined to vote for Obama in the fall election, while just 8% say they are inclined to vote for McCain. That means that Obama is doing better among Hispanics who supported Clinton than he is among non-Hispanic white Clinton supporters, 70% of whom now say they have transferred their allegiance to Obama while 18% say they plan to vote for McCain, according to a recent survey by the Pew Research Center for the People and the Press.

Latino registered voters rank education, the cost of living, jobs and health care as the most important issues in the fall campaign, with crime lagging a bit behind those four and the war in Iraq and immigration still farther behind. On each of these seven issues, Obama is strongly favored over McCain--by lopsided ratios ranging from about three-to-one on education, jobs, health care, the cost of living and immigration, to about two-to-one on Iraq and crime. In addition to their strong support for Obama, Latino voters have moved sharply into the Democratic camp in the past two years, reversing a pro-GOP tide that had been evident among Latinos earlier in the decade. Some 65% of Latino registered voters now say they identify with or lean toward the Democratic Party, compared with just 26% who identify with or lean toward the GOP. This 39 percentage point Democratic Party identification edge is larger than it has been at any time this decade; as recently as 2006, the partisan gap was just 21 percentage points.

This is a guest blog by Alex Flores of Corrales. He currently is a member of the Platform and Resolutions Committee of the Democratic Party of New Mexico. He'll serve the New Mexico delegation as a page at the Democratic National Convention in Denver on August 25-28. Also check out Alex's previous guest blog on DFNM.

Guest blogs provide our readers with an opportunity to express their opinions on pertinent political issues. If you'd like to submit a piece for consideration as a guest blog, contact me by clicking on the Email Me link on the upper left-hand corner of the page.

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More Details Revealed on Lawsuit by Defeated Dem Incumbents Robinson, Taylor & Silva

Even though it's Sunday, I thought I'd follow up on yesterday's post about a suit filed in state district court by Shannon Robinson, Dan Silva and James G. Taylor that alleges campaign finance fraud in connection with the victories of three Dem challengers to long-time incumbents in the June 3, 2008 Dem primary. Today's Albuquerque Journal includes an article by Sean Olson that reveals more details about the suit, which was filed late Friday afternoon.

According to the article,

The lawsuit names the Center for Civic Policy and its director Eli Lee; Conservation Voters New Mexico, its director Javier Benavidez and its president Ned Farquhar; the SouthWest Organizing Project and its director Albert Ozawa Bineshi; and New Energy Economy Inc., its president John Fogarty and director Keegan King as the nonprofits allegedly working with the winning Democrats in the campaign.

The three incumbent losers and their backers must be miffed indeed by their defeats to go after some of the most respected nonprofits and issue advocates in New Mexico.

"Our organizations have a long and proud history of working for ethics reform, good government, health care and a clean environment," Lee said in an e-mail Saturday. "As nonpartisan, not-for-profit organizations, it is our responsibility to educate the public about the votes and contributions of our elected officials."

Then again, it's not usual for the forces that defend business-as-usual practices in Santa Fe to harbor resentments against those seeking reform and progressive solutions to our problems. They like things just the way they are. The last of the good ol' boy machine clings to its power base.

Olson describes the suit as "alleging a conspiracy among [the defeated lawmakers'] opponents and local nonprofits to defraud voters and skirt campaign finance laws." More:

Sens. Shannon Robinson and James Taylor and Rep. Dan Silva all seek to have the primary election annulled in the state District Court lawsuit. The lawmakers, all Democrats, allege in the lawsuit a "secret campaign" among opponents Eric Griego, Tim Keller and Eleanor Chavez to distribute literature, make phone calls to voters and funnel at least $180,000 of undisclosed campaign funds using local nonprofits.

The three incumbents would not have lost the election without the alleged fraudulent activity, the lawsuit states. "You can't create a scheme to violate campaign finance laws. ... It's fraud," Robinson said Saturday.

The Challengers Won by Large Margins
Is it just me, or do you find it hilarious (if sad) that the three primary losers are asserting that they would have won if certain nonprofits had not revealed their voting records and positions on the important issues like health care, a raise in the minimum wage and ethics and campaign finance reform? After all, the incumbents were beaten by large margins in their primaries.

In SD 14, Eric Griego beat James G. Taylor, a Senator since 2004 and before that a State Rep, by 62%-38%. In SD 17, Tim Keller defeated Shannon Robinson, who's been in the Senate since 1989, by 66%-34%. Eleanor Chavez beat Dan Silva, who served in the House since 1987, by 54%-46%. Not exactly squeakers.

Response
The Journal article also relates some statements by those named in the suit that were first revealed last May in the paper when similar complaints were made about the actions of the nonprofits:

Officials for the Center for Civic Policy said in May they had sent out literature for the Legislative Accountability Project in conjunction with several other nonprofits, including the SouthWest Organizing Project. They said they sent the materials out as mailers starting after the end of the last legislative session as educational materials for voters based on the legislators' voting records, not as campaign materials intended to unseat lawmakers.

The mailers, which criticized the losing officials for their voting records and campaign contributors, were stopped more than a month before the primary to avoid the appearance of any partisanship, they said.

AG King's Involvement
Again according to the Journal the suit implicates the since disbanded New Mexico League of Young Voters and points the finger at New Mexico Youth Organized as its alleged successor group:

The lawsuit claims the $180,000 was distributed to the listed nonprofits to put out negative campaign materials without notifying the Secretary of State of any contributions or spending in the campaign. The $180,000 was originally distributed by the New Mexico League of Young Voters to the other organizations, it states.

The League of Young Voters group, however, disbanded last year and re-formed under a different capacity as New Mexico Youth Organized, a division of the Center for Civic Policy. It is directed by King.

Back in May, the office of the New Mexico Attorney General sent a letter to the Secretary of State advising that it was their opinion that New Mexico Youth Organized should be reclassified as a PAC. New Mexico Youth Organized claims the AG's office never contacted them to ascertain the facts:

The Attorney General's Office sent a letter to the secretary of state in May advising that New Mexico Youth Organized be recategorized as a political action committee, not a nonprofit, based on a complaint from Robinson. The secretary of state has not yet responded to the letter.

An attorney for New Mexico Youth Organized said at the time that the AG's letter was based on inaccurate information provided by Robinson, and the group was never contacted by the AG's Office for any fact-checking before the letter was issued.

Help Me Re King Quote
I swear I recall reading in the Journal that when Attorney General Gary King was later questioned about the letter from his office to the Secretary of State, he claimed not to know much about it as he was out of the country when it was sent by one of his deputies. Unfortunately, I can't find anything on the Journal site about this. Unfortunately, that's often the case when I use their incredibly poor search tool. Anyone else remember the quote by AG King?

What Evidence Did the AG's Office Rely On?
There has been no response yet from the Secretary of State's office or the Attorney General's office about this lawsuit by the incumbents. Isn't it time for AG King to come clean about the findings his office made that prompted someone in his office to send the letter to Mary Herrera about changing New Mexico Youth Organized's status? For starters, what were the criteria and evidence used in the AG's decision?

Gov. Richardson Contributed to the Incumbents
As an FYI, another Journal article from May of this year reports on primary candidate contributions made by Gov. Bill Richardson via his state campaign fund:

Receiving contributions from Richardson were: ... Rep. Dan Silva, D-Albuquerque, $2,000; ... Sen. James Taylor, D-Albuquerque, $5,000; ... Sen. Shannon Robinson, D-Albuquerque, $5,000.

For more background, see this Journal op-ed by Eli Il Yong Lee and Keegan King about the free speech activities by New Mexico Youth Organize. Also check out yesterday's AP article on the suit.

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