Democracy for New Mexico

McCamley Fights for Voter Protection: Dona Ana County Commission Passes Election Reform Resolution

Yesterday Doña Ana County Commissioner and NM-02 congressional candidate Bill McCamley put before the Doña Ana County Commission a resolution “Urging New Mexico Gov. Bill Richardson to Include Election Reform on the 2008 Legislative Agenda.” The resolution passed 5-0.

In a presentation before the Commission, the head of the Elections Bureau, Lynn Ellins, and local attorney Peter Ossorio pointed to some of the problems caused by the recent reforms. In particular, requiring all voters to have a “unique identifier” number that will be generated randomly is an issue of major concern.

“The new requirement for a randomly generated Voter ID number is a very bad idea,” McCamley said following the meeting. “It could lead to the disenfranchisement of a large number of New Mexico voters, particularly elderly voters, low-income voters, and New Mexicans serving in the military who often vote by absentee ballot. We cannot allow this to happen. Our Resolution calls on the Governor to allow the legislature the opportunity to address this issue.”

The Resolution notes that it is the “right of every registered voter in the State of New Mexico to vote in as efficient way as possible, and not be presented with unnecessary obstacles that may discourage them from voting.” It also points out that recent changes made to the New Mexico Election Code will “effectively deprive New Mexico voters” of ways to prove their identity and will “likely result in increased complications for poll workers and longer wait times at polling places” which in turn leads to the possibility of the “disenfranchisement of large numbers of registered New Mexico voters.”

The Resolution calls for the legislature “to pass simple, clear and comprehensive changes to the New Mexico Election Code, which will protect the rights of all registered voters to vote at polls, by absentee ballot or by provisional ballot.”

“Protecting the rights of voters is absolutely essential to our democracy at the most fundamental level,” said McCamley. “As a County Commissioner, I am doing everything I can to protect voter rights, and I will continue to do that when I get to Congress.”

To learn more about the new requirements for voter ID, see this post on Heath Haussamen.
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Since declaring his candidacy in April, McCamley has raised over $200,000 and has visited all 18 counties in the Second District. He has received endorsements from eight elected Democratic officials in the Second District, as well as the New Mexico Building and Construction Trades Council, which represents over 7,000 New Mexico workers.

More information about McCamley and his campaign is available on his website: www.billmccamley.com.

NM-02: McCamley to Meet With Las Cruces Area Vets

From Don Jonker, Col. USAF Ret.
Dear Fellow Veterans: Roger Miller, VFW Post 6917, cordially invites veterans and their significant others to meet Bill McCamley (running for Congressman, New Mexico, District 2) on Friday, November 16, 2007, from 6:00 PM to 8:00 PM at 7325 N. Main Street in Las Cruces. Join your friends and find out where Bill stands on issues of great importance to veterans and their loved ones.

Personal Background and Commitment: Bill was born in South Korea where his dad, now a retired Lieutenant Colonel, was stationed at that time. It was from Bill's dad that he first learned to have a great deal of respect and admiration for all soldiers and for the sacrifices they make to keep our nation secure. It was also because of his dad's service that he first came to understand how important it is for our dedicated leaders to provide the best care and support for veterans.

A Question of Priorities: Today, there are many young men and women returning from Iraq and Afghanistan who have horrific physical and mental wounds that will take years of specialized treatment to heal, but the Veterans' Administration (VA) has many men and women who are still waiting for proper treatment from previous armed conflicts. Bill understands that veterans are not receiving the level of services and support that they need and have earned.

Promises Not Kept: The truth is that the United States is failing those who have served America. It is utterly shameful, and we must demand that the federal government take action. It has taken the government too long to ensure that VA clinicians are screening all returning Iraq and Afghanistan veterans for post-traumatic stress disorder. Finally, the VA has promised to add 23 Vet Centers to the current 209 and to increase the number of polytrauma centers (treating brain and spinal cord injuries) from 4 to 21. Unfortunately, promises made to veterans are too often broken. Bill will be a representative in Congress who will dedicate himself to ensuring that those promises are kept.

Immediate Policy Agenda: There are so many veterans' issues that need attention now and in the future. In addition to the issues Bill already knows to be important, he would like to hear about the issues that are most important to you and your loved ones. To ensure he answers as many questions as possible, please e-mail your concerns to Don Jonker, Bill McCamley's Veterans' Liaison, at dojkr@aol.com as soon as possible. Veterans can count on Bill to listen and to fight for them.

Paid for and authorized by Bill McCamley for Congress.

Editor's Notes: You can visit Bill McCamley's campaign website, which is currently being revamped, at https://www.billmccamley.com. To read our previous coverage of the 2008 Congressional race in NM-02, visit our archive.

NM-02 Congressional Candidate Bill McCamley: 30,000 Miles and Counting

I thought one of the highlights of Saturday's Democratic Party of New Mexico State Central Committee meeting was the rousing speech of Bill McCamley, who's running for the Dem nomination in New Mexico's 2nd Congressional District. I was one of the SCC members you can hear cheering in the video above and I was wearing his campaign button to boot, even though I live in NM-01 and can't vote for him.

So good to hear someone speak with a passionate, exciting and committed voice that hasn't been muffled by focus groups and talking point memos from high-paid consultants. It was clear that McCamley's message -- and all the high energy he's putting into this race -- come from the heart, from real concern about what's going on in our nation, from a dedication to making genuine change happen by putting it all on the line up close and personal.

Many candidates like to talk about "grassroot campaigning" but this guy really walks the walk (and drives the drive). As he explains in episode 1 of of his campaign video diary above, McCamley has put more than 30,000 miles on his car since April, when he entered the race to take on Repub incumbent Rep. Steve Pearce before Pearce decided to run for Senate.

NM-02 is the size of Pennsylvania and McCamley describes how he's constantly on the move, on a mission to visit every county and travel to every corner of the district to connect with voters and then reconnect.

No, McCamley's videos aren't perfectly modulated, professionally edited campaign pieces. However, I think it's clear that, more than ever, voters this election cycle are bored to death by the kind of conventional, professionally bland, overly polished pablum produced by the same old same old "media consultants" with a cookie cutter mentality. It's not so much the quality of the video production that matters -- it's the quality of the message and the sincerity of the candidate that are critical this time around.

McCamley's campaign has raised more than $200,000 so far, with more than $33,000 of that raised online via Act Blue. You can donate to keep it going no matter where you live. I did. .

Check out all of McCamley's current and future campaign videos on his watchbill channel on YouTube.

To read our previous coverage of the 2008 NM-02 Congressional race, visit our archive.

Heinrich Attends "Strengthening Our Majority" Boot Camp (So Does McCamley)

Martin Heinrich, Dem candidate for Congress in NM-01, has just returned from a special candidate training session in Chicago for top challengers from around the country. He reports on his experiences in a new blog post on his campaign website:

Wow! That's all I can say to describe the last few days. I just returned from Chicago where I attended an incredible candidate training. The "Strengthening Our Majority" Boot Camp was co-sponsored by AFSCME and the New House PAC. They invited the top challengers from around the nation and put us through the paces with two days of intense coaching on management, message, money and mobilization. I've been through a lot of political trainings, but this was in a class by itself. It was especially helpful to get to know some of the freshmen Congressmen like Ed Perlmutter who ran and won in Republican leaning districts.

In addition to being a great learning experience the conference also gave me great hope. This year's challengers are an amazing crop of candidates. They all had impeccable credentials and the fire in the belly to win. By the end of the weekend they all had an impressively polished message as well.

Believe me when I tell you that 2008 is going to be a great year for Democrats, a great year for change, and a great year for America. Watch for my classmates' names in the news:

John Adler (NJ-03), Kay Barnes (MO-06), John Boccieri (OH-16), Charlie Brown (CA-04), Darcy Burner (WA-08), Steve Driehaus (OH-01), Joan Fitz-Gerald (CO-02), Bill Foster (IL-14), Larry Grant (ID-01), Jim Himes (CT-04), Mary Jo Kilroy (OH-15), Bill Kennedy (MT-AL), Bob Lord (AZ-03), Dan Maffei (NY-25), Betsy Markey (CO-04), Eric Massa (NY-29), Bill McCamley (NM-02), Bill O'Neill (OH-14), Gary Peters (MI-09), Jon Powers (NY-26), Mark Schauer (MI-07), Dan Seals (IL-10), Ron Shepston (CA-42), John Unger (WV-02), Dick Versace (IL-18).

I believe you'll see more than a few of them in Congress just over a year from now.

Heinrich was certainly in some top-notch company at the training, judging from the names above. We got to meet several of them at the YearlyKos blogger convention we attended in Chicago this summer, including Charlie Brown (CA-04), Darcy Burner (WA-08) and Eric Massa (NY-29). Very impressive. Many of those who attended the training session with Heinrich are grassroots-netroots favorites, so he was in very good company.

Also exciting that Bill McCamley, running for Congress in NM-02, was in the mix. TWO Dem candidates from TWO Congressional districts in New Mexico. This is gonna be one exciting election cycle, isn't it?

NM Congressional Candidate Scorecard Time Again

Here's the lastest news on the political candidate musical chairs front in New Mexico. Dem Lt. Gov. Diane Denish told the Albuquerque Journal she's "still considering" a U.S. Senate run and doesn't expect to make a decision for "several weeks." She also said she'd recently spoken to several female Senators and elected officials about the possibility of her candidacy, including an unexpected call from Sen. Hillary Clinton. "I don't think it's a decision to rush. I want to work it through and make a decision," Denish said.

Former Attorney General Patricia Madrid has announced she won't run for Senate but said she's still considering running for Congress in NM-01. I'll have more on that later this morning.

On the Repub side, State Land Commissioner Pat Lyons announced he won't run for U.S. Senate due to the "crowded field." And Spiro Vasilopoulis has told the AP he's not running despite his earlier announcement that he'd do so.

I'm sure I'll be reissuing this scorecard many times before the nominations are secured on both sides of the aisle. Let me know if you have any other updates. As far as I can piece it together, here's how it stands now:

U.S. SENATE

Democrats:

• In: Santa Fe small business owner Don Wiviott; Albuquerque Mayor Marty Chavez; Santa Fe publisher Leland Lehrman; Santa Fe Community Housing Trust Finance Director Jim Hannan
• Out: Gov. Bill Richardson; former AG Patricia Madrid; Rep. Tom Udall (NM-03)
• Pondering: Lt. Gov. Diane Denish

Republicans:

• In: Rep. Heather Wilson (NM-01); Steve Pearce (NM-02)
• Out: State Land Commissioner Patrick Lyons; oil industry investor Spiro G. Vassilopoulos
• Pondering: ?

U.S. HOUSE NM-01

Democrats

• In: ABQ City Councilor Martin Heinrich; former Secretary of NM Public Health Department Michelle Lujan Grisham; attorney Jon Adams
• Out: State Rep. Al Park; State Treasurer James Lewis
• Pondering: Former AG Patricia Madrid

Republicans:

• In: Bernalillo County Sheriff Darren White
• Out:
• Pondering: State Rep. Janice Arnold-Jones; State Sen. Mark Boitano; State Sen. John Ryan; State Sen. Joe Carraro

U.S. HOUSE NM-02

Democrats

• In: Dona Ana County Commissioner Bill McCamley; retired minister Al Kisslling; conservative oilman and former Lea County Commission Chairman Harry Teague
• Out:
• Pondering: State Rep. Joseph Cervantes; State Sen. John Arthur Smith (who lost to Pearce in 2002)

Republicans

• In:
• Out: Incumbent Rep. Steve Pearce (running for Senate)
• Pondering: Dona Ana County State Senator and Minority Whip Lee Rawson; Socorro State Rep. Don Tripp; Roswell oilman Phelps Anderson; Sierra County GOP Chairman Earl Greer; K-Bob's steakhouse chain owner Ed Tinsley; State Rep. Gray of Artesia; State Rep. Bratton of Lea

U.S. HOUSE NM-03

Democrats

• In: Tom Udall, incumbent

Republicans

• In: No names floated yet

You can compare this updated scorecard with our previous version.

Vamps and Vampire Fundraiser in ABQ for Bill McCamley Campaign

The Spirits are Restless
Awaiting Their Fate
on All Hallows Eve
at
The Haunted Compound Estate
Click here 5733 Guadalupe Trail NW, ABQ NM 87107

Join Us for Fun and Eerie Delight at 7PM on
Saturday Night
October 27th, 2007
Click for FLYER (doc)

Your Hosts ON THIS Goulish Night of Fear:
Jennifer Conn, Cris Catechis & Chris Garcia
If You Dare --  Invite You to
A Vamps and Vampire Fundraiser for
Bill McCamley
Candidate for US Congress 2008 in NM-02.
Click here
www.billmccamley.com   www.youtube.com/watchbill

*Invited guest are encouraged to dress in costume attire. Suggested Contribution: $25.00 to $2,300 PLUS a canned food donation.

All contributions must be drawn on a personal account; corporate contributions are prohibited by federal law. Individuals can contribute up to $2,300 in the primary election and $2,300 to the general election for a total of $4,600 per person. Donations are not tax deductible for income tax purposes. Federal law requires us to make our best efforts to collect the name, address and employer of all contributors who donate more than $200 in one election cycle.

Editor's Note: Bill McCamley just posted his first diary on Daily Kos. You can find it here. Also, if you'd like to donate to McCamley's campaign right now, visit this page on Act Blue.

(Updated) Get Your Scorecard: U.S. Senate and House Races in New Mexico

Have you ever felt such powerful, crackling, constantly changing political lightning flashing all over New Mexico? To say the situation has been fast-paced and fluid since Sen. Domenici announced his retirement would be a huge understatement. The phone companies must be making a bundle on the traffic being generated by all the speculating, negotiating, analyzing, strategizing, gossiping and bitching that been going on every political level in all parts of the state. So where do we stand right now? Here's a basic scorecard (UPDATED 10.12.07):

U.S. SENATE RACE

DEMOCRATS:

IN: Santa Fe sustainable developer Don Wiviott; Albuquerque Mayor Marty Chavez; Santa Fe Community Housing Trust Finance Director Jim Hannan; Santa Fe publisher Leland Lehrman

OUT: Gov. Bill Richardson; Rep. Tom Udall (NM-03)

STILL PONDERING: Lt. Gov. Diane Denish; former Attorney General Patricia Madrid

REPUBLICANS:

IN: Rep. Heather Wilson (NM-01); Roswell oilman Spiro Vassilopoulos

LAUNCHED EXPLORATORY COMMITTEE: Rep. Steve Pearce (NM-02)

STILL PONDERING: NM Land Commissioner Pat Lyons

U.S. HOUSE NM-01

DEMOCRATS:

IN: Albuquerque City Councilor Martin Heinrich; Attorney Jon Adams; former Secretary of NM Department of Public Health Michelle Lujan Grisham

OUT: State Rep. Al Park; State Treasurer James Lewis; former Attorney General Patricia Madrid

STILL PONDERING: ?

REPUBLICANS:

IN: Bernalillo County Sheriff Darren White

STILL PONDERING: State Rep. Janice Arnold-Jones; State Sen. Mark Boitano; State Sen. John Ryan; State Senator Joe Carraro

U.S HOUSE NM-02

DEMOCRATS:

IN: Dona Ana County Commissioner Bill McCamley; Minister Al Kissling

STILL PONDERING: State Rep. Joseph Cervantes

REPUBLICANS:

UNKNOWN: Current Rep. Steve Pearce (may run for U.S. Senate)

MAY BE PONDERING: K-Bob's Steakhouse owner Ed Tinsley; Roswell State Rep. Dan Foley

U.S. HOUSE NM-03

DEMOCRATS:

IN: Current Rep. Tom Udall (considered a shoe-in)

REPUBLICANS:

IN: No names being floated yet

Check our archives for previous posts on these races:

• Senate
• NM-01
• NM-02
• NM-03

ActBlue Fundraising Totals for NM Dem Congressional Candidates

As of September 30, 2007 via ActBlue online fundraising:

Don Wiviott for U.S. Senate: $60,698, including $644 from local blog effort Beat Back Bush New Mexico, most of it this past quarter.

Jim Hannan for U.S. Senate: $75

Martin Heinrich for Congress NM-01: $71,954 including $530 from local blog efforts Beat Back Bush New Mexico and $1000 from DFNM Netroots for Heinrich. About $40,000 of that was raised during this past quarter. Heinrich had raised about $181,000 from all sources through the second quarter.

Jon Adams for Congress NM-01: $4,801, all of it this past quarter.

Bill McCamley for Congress NM-02: $31,225, about $20,000 of that during the past quarter.

Al Kissling for Congress NM-02: $795

Rep. Tom Udall hasn't yet raised any money using ActBlue.

Official third quarter fundraising reports from all sources for these candidates are due by October 15, 2007 at the Federal Election Commission.

ABQ United Nations Association to Present Congressional Candidate Forum on UN Issues

The Albuquerque chapter of the United Nations Association of the USA and the UNM World Affairs Delegation will present a Congressional candidate forum to address USA-United Nations issues. The focus: How should the United States of America work with the United Nations to combat terrorism, reduce povery, reduce abuses of human rights and control epidemic infectious diseases?

The forum will be held on Wednesday, October 24, 2007 at 7:00 PM at the Albuquerque Mennonite Church, 1300 Girard NE (one block north of Constitution; about 8 blocks from the UNM Law School or 500 yards north of Lomas). The event is open to the public at no charge.

All candidates in the NM primary election races for the US House of Representatives and Senate have been invited to present their views of United States-United Nations issues. Since the United Nations has so many facets, each participant may select his or her own topic to discuss. However, we have suggested concentrating on controversial subjects such as:

• Enlargement of the Security Council.
• To block a Security Council action, more than one permanent member must cast a veto.
• Should the USA become a member state of the International Criminal Court?
• Should there be a permanent UN rapid reaction force?
• What role is there for the UN in Iraq?

The moderator will be Professor Mark Peceny, Chair of the Dept. of Political Science at UNM. Each candidate would speak for 10 minutes. After each has spoken, there would be questions from the audience, from the moderator and from one another. Please contact Maureen Wright for more info: 881-4536, mgwright@comcast.net.

Editor's Note: You're urged to encourage the Congressional primary candidates of both parties in your district to participate in this forum. You know what to do!

All Three NM Repubs Make CREW's Most Corrupt in Congress List

Today, the nonpartisan Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington (CREW) released its third annual report on the most corrupt members of Congress. The report, entitled Beyond DeLay: The 22 Most Corrupt Members of Congress (and two to watch), catalogues the corruption in the 110th Congress and documents the unethical and possibly illegal activities of its most tainted members. CREW has compiled the members’ transgressions and analyzed them in light of federal laws and congressional rules.

The misdeeds of New Mexico's entire Republican Congressional delegation -- Sen. Pete Domenici, Rep. Heather Wilson (NM-01) and Rep. Steve Pearce (NM-02) -- placed them among the top 22 offenders out of 535 members of Congress.

CREW also has re-launched the report’s website, BeyondDelay.com. The site offers short summaries of each member’s transgressions as well as the full-length profiles and all accompanying exhibits. I'm providing a summary of the transgressions of New Mexico's Republicans, but be sure to click on their names to access the complete reports:

Summary: Former NM U.S. Attorney David Iglesias has claimed that Sen. Domenici contacted him before the November 2006 elections to pressure him about an ongoing corruption probe into state Democrats. Iglesias previously stated that in mid-October, he was pressured about the pace of the investigation by two NM lawmakers. Initially, when asked about Iglesias’s allegations, Domenici stated, “I have no idea what he’s talking about.” Apparently, Rep. Heather Wilson first called Iglesias and Domenici called a week later. Domenici later admitted that he called Iglesias, stating “I asked Mr. Iglesias if he could tell me what was going on in that investigation and give me an idea of what time frame we were looking at."

Summary: The former U.S. Attorney in Albuquerque, David Iglesias, stated that, in mid-October 2006, two members of Congress from New Mexico pressured him about an ongoing corruption probe of state Democrats. Apparently, Rep. Wilson first called Iglesias and Sen. Pete Domenici called a week later. After Domenici admitted that he called Iglesias, Wilson finally admitted that she too had called the U.S. Attorney. Wilson stated that she contacted Iglesias to complain about the pace of his public corruption investigation. She claimed, “I did not ask about the timing of any indictments and I did not tell Mr. Iglesias what course of action I thought he should take or pressure him in any way. The conversation was brief and professional.”

Summary: 1) Rep. Pearce was the president of Lea Fishing Tools, Inc. In the fall of 2003, Pearce sold the company’s assets to Texas-based Key Energy, in exchange for 542,477 shares of common stock, but failed to include the transaction on his 2003 financial disclosure report. In that report Pearce indicated that he was the president of Trinity Industries, Inc., “F/K/A Lea Fishing Tools, Inc.,” and that he held between $5 and $25 million of stock in the company. Given that all of Lea Fishing Tools’ assets were transferred to Key Energy, it appears that Trinity Industries may be a holding company for the Key Energy stock, but this is unclear.

After selling Lea Fishing Tools’ assets to Key Energy, Pearce was required to report the sale on his financial disclosure form as a transaction, but he failed to do so. By failing to list the sale, Pearce appears to have violated the Ethics in Government Act.

2) Rep. Pearce has been a consistent and strong advocate of drilling in Otero Mesa, NM despite environmentalists and the Bureau of Land Management’s (BLM) assertion that only a minuscule amount of oil and natural gas lie beneath the grasslands. Pearce, however, contends that drilling in the area would keep natural gas prices level and create jobs thereby stimulating the state’s economy. Initially, the BLM opposed opening the area arguing that drilling would both directly and indirectly destruct the habitat for wildlife. In 2000, however, BLM reversed its decision and proposed a plan that would open nearly 1.4 million acres to drilling. The BLM turnaround coincided with the largest lease holder in the Otero Mesa, Yates Petroleum, donating over $230,000 to the GOP over the last three election cycles.

Yates Petroleum also has been the single largest donor to Pearce’s campaign committees since 2002 with $32,490 in donations. Individually, members of the Yates family have contributed $78,379.99 to Pearce since he first ran for office in 2002. If Rep. Pearce advocated opening up Otero Mesa to drilling in exchange for campaign contributions, he may have violated the bribery statute or accepted illegal gratuities.

Bad Company
The complete list of the most corrupt members of Congress according to CREW:

Members of House:                     Members of the Senate:
Rep. Ken Calvert (R-CA)               Sen. Pete Domenici (R-NM)
Rep. John T. Doolittle (R-CA)        Sen. Mitch McConnell (R-KY)
Rep. Tom Feeney (R-FL)               Sen. Lisa Murkowski (R-AK)
Rep. Doc Hastings (R-WA)            Sen. Ted Stevens (R-AK)
Rep. Duncan Hunter (R-CA)
Rep. William Jefferson (D-LA)       Dishonorable Mention:
Rep. Jerry Lewis (R-CA)                Sen. Larry Craig (R-ID)
Rep. Gary G. Miller (R-CA)            Sen. David Vitter (R-LA)
Rep. Alan B. Mollohan (D-WV)
Rep. Timothy F. Murphy (R-PA)
Rep. John P. Murtha (D-PA)
Rep. Steve Pearce (R-NM)
Rep. Rick Renzi (R-AZ)
Rep. Harold Rogers (R-KY)
Rep. David Scott (D-GA)
Rep. Don Young (R-AK)
Rep. Jerry Weller (R-IL)
Rep. Heather A. Wilson (R-NM)

“Every year CREW creates this compendium of corruption to expose and hold accountable those members of Congress who believe they are above the law,” Melanie Sloan, executive director of CREW said today. “With the third edition of Beyond DeLay it has become abundantly clear that many public officials believe that the rules don’t apply to them.”

Several members in the study are already under federal investigation including: Reps. Calvert, Doolittle, Feeney, Jefferson, Lewis, Miller, Mollohan, Murphy, Renzi and Young, as well as Senator Stevens.

Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington (CREW) is a non-profit, nonpartisan legal watchdog group dedicated to holding public officials accountable for their actions. For more information, you can visit www.citizensforethics.org or contact Naomi Seligman Steiner at 202.408.5565 or nseligman@citizensforethics.org.