Democracy for New Mexico

NM Featured on Travel Channel Show Tonight, Saturday

And now for something completely different. After all the turmoil roiling the blogs and news outlets this week related to negative campaigning of one sort or another, it's satisfying to post something about New Mexico, nature and outdoor adventures. Peter St. Cyr sent along the following info about a new TV show on the Travel Channel. By the way, if you haven't yet checked out St. Cyr's new blog, Word for Word, be sure to do so. St. Cyr, who is KKOB's morning news reporter, does some PR work and writes for Albuquerque magaine, is uploading complete interviews and other audio material that only gets aired in short clips on the radio.

Into America’s West debuts this week on the Travel Channel. Emmy Award Winner Jeff Corwin’s trail of discovery and adventure shows off the state of New Mexico to an international audience.

Corwin and his crew explore the Land of Enchantment with a visit to the Taos Pueblo, a National Historic Landmark and World Heritage Site, a ride on the Sandia Peak Tram, and a snowmobile race through Red River Ski Area. Corwin gives viewers a close look at a den of Western Diamondback rattlesnakes after he climbs inside a rock cave. He also photographs and shows off a huge Gila Monster.

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NM-Sen: Udall to Air First Two TV Ads in Tandem

"Doing What's Right" on NM roots and record as prosecutor and AG

"Same Opportunity" on veterans' benefits

These two ads will begin airing tomorrow across New Mexico according to the Tom Udall for U.S. Senate campaign. They're the first of what promises to be a long election season for Rep. Udall. As is conventional, they're designed to communicate biographical and experience information -- to introduce the candidate. As we know, Tom Udall doesn't need much introduction to many voters, but I'm sure there are young voters and newcomers out there who aren't aware of the info the ads provide.

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Michelle Obama, George Bush, John McCain Heading to New Mexico

Get ready for the general election onslaught -- even though we're technically not yet out of primary season. Bush, McSame and Michelle Obama will all be at events in New Mexico next week -- the start of what will no doubt be an unprecedented torrent of A-list politicos, surrogates galore and 24/7 campaign ads blanketing our political landscape. With three open Congressional seats and one Senate seat up for grabs, and with New Mexico expected once again to be a much sought after swing state in the prez race, this should be a doozy of a general election cycle in Enchantment Land.

The Failed President
Bush himself will be here next Tuesday, March 27, at a $1000 per person fundraiser for Senate candidate Darren White and the New Mexico Repub Party. It looks like the event will be held at a private residence in Los Ranchos de Albuquerque. Could it be that the GOP bigwigs will gather once again at the home of Los Ranchos Mayor Larry Abraham? Bush appeared at a fundraiser there for Pete Domenici back on August 27, 2007, when Domenici still claimed he was running for another Senate term.

If so, it would be ironic given that the ACLU has filed suit against Bernalillo County Sheriff Darren White and others for their actions during Bush's August '07 visit. The suite complains that law enforcement officials kept protestors out of sight, more than 150 yards away, while a group of people holding a banner reading “God Bless George Bush! We Pray for You!” were allowed within feet of Abraham's house.

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(Updated) NM:03: I Take It Back - Shame on Shendo (and Wiviott Weighs In)

UPDATE 5:40 PM: Benny Shendo has issued a statement explaining his aims and reasons for confronting Lujan about "lifestyle." You be the judge.
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I posted yesterday about my decision not to cover the negative campaigning that's erupted in the NM-03 Congressional race. I said I believed that any one of the top three candidates -- Don Wiviott, Ben R. Lujan, Jr. and Benny Shendo, Jr. -- would make a wonderful Congressman for the Third District. I take it back in the case of Shendo. As far as I'm concerned, he's gone way over the line with comments he made last night about Lujan's personal life. Shendo's attack is lower than low in my book, representing the very worst of what a campaign for public office should be about.

Shendo raised the issue of Lujan's "lifestyle" -- read sexual orientation -- in a candidate forum yesterday in Farmington. He provided no documentation for his accusation. Kate Nash and Steve Terrell of the Santa Fe New Mexican report:

Benny Shendo Jr. caused a stir at a Monday night candidate forum in Farmington when he asked a question of Ben Ray Luján that implied Luján is gay. "You say that you stand up for the people of New Mexico," Shendo said, "and I want to know how you can stand up for the people of New Mexico if you can't stand up to your mom and dad about your lifestyle."

The question was supposed to continue, but Shendo said he was cut off by raucous members of the audience.

Lujan responded at the forum:

"Mr. Shendo, I'm very honored to have parents like I have as you are with your parents as well. It's with great honor that I'm before you because of my great parents. I'm not sure what you are referring to, Mr. Shendo, but I honor my mom and dad, and I believe that I represent them well."

The Lujan campaign quickly responded:

Luján's campaign manager, Carlos Trujillo, said Tuesday: "For a fringe candidate like Benny Shendo to use such a personal issue to try to gain political points is despicable and has no place in this race. Obviously Benny's been unable to gain traction in this race so he's decided to stoop to a whole new level."

... Trujillo said .. Ben Ray Luján has "a loving and committed relationship with his girlfriend."

Continue reading "(Updated) NM:03: I Take It Back - Shame on Shendo (and Wiviott Weighs In)"

Video-David Iglesias on Darren White: "A Shoot from the Hip Kind of Lawman"; Also Disses Heather Wilson

Here's a blockbuster clip of New Mexico's former U.S. Attorney, David Iglesias, answering a question about Bernalillo County Sheriff Darren White at a recent appearance at Bookworks in Albuquerque. Iglesias, a Republican, was discussing his new book, In Justice: Inside the Scandal That Rocked the Bush Administration. White, also a Republican, is running for Congress in NM-01.

Iglesias quotes from his book to describe White as "a shoot from the hip kind of lawman" who "shoots first, aims later." Iglesias also says,"I've been very disappointed in Darren. He doesn't understand his duties as a Sheriff. He put, and, this is what I'm very critical of people like [Alberto] Gonzales [as well], they put loyalty to their party at a higher level than their loyalty to the Constitution. Darren did the same thing. So I hope the voters understand that, come November."

He then discusses White's unprofessional behavior in pushing him to file voter fraud charges despite their being no evidence of such fraud in New Mexico.

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Must See: Guild Cinema to Host Phil Donahue and "Body of War"

Tomas Young and family at March on Washington

Albuquerque's Guild Cinema will screen the new documentary, Body of War, on May 25-27, 2008. Legendary talk-show host Phil Donahue and award-winning filmmaker Ellen Spiro, the film's producers/directors, will appear at a live Q & A session at the 6:30 PM showing of the movie on May 27. Call for showtimes: (505)255-1848

The critically acclaimed antiwar film, which was three years in the making, tells the story of Tomas Young, a 26-year-old veteran, who was shot and paralyzed after serving five days in Iraq. Body of War is an intimate human drama wrapped in a political documentary -- full of emotion, humor and hope. As Tomas deals with his disability, he evolves into a new person, finding his own passionate voice against the war. Body of War also captures the historic debate in the Congress in the fall of 2002 authorizing the war and celebrates those that stood up against the rush to invade.

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NARAL Pro-Choice NM Presents ...

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(Updated) NM-03: A Tough Situation

5.21.08 UPDATE: I changed my mind about the campaign of Benny Shendo, Jr. See my later post.
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I'm gonna be honest. I have a hard time writing about the Dem primary race in NM-03 up north. I get many emails, phone calls, whispers and blog comments about the problems of the other candidates and the strengths of the one being pushed. I get fact sheets and complaints from the various candidates about the other candidates and how they are running their races. I just can't seem to make a firm decision to support one candidate to the detriment of some of the others and go at it with the passion of commitment.

Why? One reason is that I think we have more than one candidate with the qualities needed to be a top-notch member of Congress. Each of the top three contenders has strengths and weaknesses, of course, but I think the core values and talents of Don Wiviott, Ben R. Luján, Jr. and Benny Shendo, Jr. are all impressive. That's why I'm sad that the race seems to be heading irrevocably into negative-land in the final weeks of the campaign.

Negativity to the Forefront
You could say Wiviott's campaign started the negative trend with his new ad critical of Luján's experience and credentials, but negative stuff has been flying under the radar for many moons now, from all three of the campaigns. All three have had surrogates or campaign people out there ragging on the others for indiscretions real or imagined. There's some truth in any number of the criticisms leveled, but that's true with almost any candidate in any race. Most of them have screwed up in the past in some way. They're human. They aren't saints -- they're ambitious and complicated people even if they're new to politics.

So far, I don't see anything in any of the criticisms of Wiviott, Luján or Shendo that amounts to proof they wouldn't or couldn't do a good job in Washington representing NM-03 and Democratic values. If I consider each of them as individuals, I see mostly positives. Strong positives. So I don't feel like taking any potshots. That's my conundrum.

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NM-01: Another Labor Endorsement for Heinrich

Today, the New Mexico Building Trades Council officially endorsed Martin Heinrich for Congress in NM-01. The Building Trades Council is an organization with 16 affiliated unions representing ironworkers, plumbers and pipefitters, electrical workers, asbestos workers, bricklayers, craftworkers, painters, sheet metal workers, elevator constructors, laborers, operating engineers, plasters & cement masons, roofers, sprinkler fitters, teamsters, boilmakers and more. Check out the many unions that have endorsed Heinrich's campaign here.

And, just for fun, check out Martin's post on Duke City Fix about his ten favorite things about Albuquerque. It's getting lots of action.

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SD 17: "Alligators" Uninterested in Shannon Robinson Scandals?

Longtime incumbent Dem State Senator Shannon Robinson is facing a tough primary challenge from political newcomer Tim Keller, who's campaigning hard in District 17 on issues like ethics and campaign finance reform, health care, education and local small business development. Robinson has been accused by many in the District of being out of touch with residents and neglectful of the community's needs for balanced economic development and investment. They say Robinson has been so caught up in finding less than respectable ways to fund his hobby -- the UNM Rugby Club -- and paying too much attention to serving the needs of politicos with power that he's no longer effectively serving his constituents.

The brouhaha about Robinson's (left) shortcomings and questionable practices has broken through into the media, with extensive coverage of his Rugby Club shenanigans related to funding from UNM and the Legislature, as well as his failure to report a rather long list of misdemeanor run-ins with the law in his answers to questions posed to him by the Albuquerque Journal. These scandals have also gotten their fair share of coverage in the local blogs. A good summary of the scandals -- and Robinson's history of fighting reform -- is contained in this post  by Heath Haussamen. However, one blogger has been strangely silent about the matter.

Joe Monahan and his "Alligators" have taken a "see-no-evil" stance when it comes to Robinson's transgressions. I see that this morning Joe finally mentioned Shannon Robinson's big problems with ethics and credibility, but only in passing:

Robinson has been the subject of some unfavorable newspaper pieces in recent weeks, but friends say he is off the couch and on the sidewalks to keep the seat.

Here's a blogger whose "Alligators" are frequently weighing in on political rumors and scandals -- perceived or real -- and yet they've remained mum as a slew of well documented articles have reported on the more than questionable dealings of long-time incumbent Shannon Robinson. Just for starters:

Albuquerque Journal Stories (7 Stories; 2 editorials)

• 1/13/08, Money Scrum; UNM Think Tank Cash Diverted to Rugby
• 1/18/08, VP Knew of Rugby Funding
• 1/20/08, Editorial: Complex Handoff Pays Rugby Player Tutition
• 1/21/08, Rugby Figure Revised Downward; Auditors still say Cash diversion from UNM Think Tank to team improper
• 2/7/08, More State Cash for Rugby; UNM official says school didn't ask for $150K
• 2/9/08, Editorial: Rugby Scores Again
• 2/23/08, Rugby Flap Spurs Changes at UNM; School Tightens Spending Rules
• 5/11/08 Lawmaker/Coach Calls the Shots For UNM Rugby
• 5/13/08 Veteran Lawmaker Fails to Disclose Violations

Latest Robinson Scandal
Guess what? Today's Journal reports on ANOTHER accusation of cheating on the part of Robinson, this time leveled by two local environmental groups. Seems that Robinson used the names and logos of Environment New Mexico and Conservation Voters New Mexico on his latest flyer and campaign website in a way the groups believe is meant to suggest he's received their endorsements. He hasn't. Representatives of the groups are asking Robinson to stop circulating the flyers and remove the references from his website:

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