Wiener calls commissioners hypocrites

KRQE TV

Updated: May 10, 2012 10:09 AM

ALBUQUERQUE (KRQE) — Commissioner Michael Wiener is turning the table on his fellow commissioners.

"There's a great deal of hypocrisy in play here," said Wiener. "If we're going to have a standard, then we need to have everyone upheld to the same standard."

It has been two weeks of non-stop scrutiny for Wiener after he was photographed with scantily-clad women in front of a brothel in the Philippines. Wiener insisted he was just sight-seeing.

His fellow commissioners have called for Wiener to resign, saying this is one scandal too many. Wiener has been in hot water before for making racist jokes and for making inappropriate comments to women at work.

"I was investigated and cleared, but look at all that I've gone through," said Wiener.

Now he's pointing fingers at his colleagues calling them "hypocrites." Three months ago, Commissioner Maggie Hart Stebbins nominated former county commissioner and state representative Lenton Malry to the planning commission.

But Malry has been front page news for sexual harrassment. He was the director of the state's Human Rights Division when two female employees claimed he made vulgar comments to them and made sexual advances, according to the Santa Fe New Mexican. Then-Gov. Bruce King fired him and the state paid $145,000 in settlements to the women, according to the New Mexican.

"This whole thing was a cooked up conspiracy," said Malry in a 1992 interview with News 13.

Malry declined an interview but told News 13 he wasn't fired. He said he resigned. Malry told the New Mexican shortly after the scandal he was set up by women who thought a Hispanic should have his job.

"There were sanctions and there were settlements and dollars paid, a lot of money paid out, and in my particular case, I wasn't convicted of anything," said Wiener.

Wiener, who admits he also voted to appoint Malry, said everyone needs to be treated equally.

"We should avoid the hypocrisy and treat everyone fairly if that's the new standard," said Wiener.

Commissioner Stebbins declined to go on camera for this story, but she e-mailed a statement saying, "When I nominated Dr. Malry to the board I was aware of his leadership role in the African American community and his many years of service to New Mexico, but I was not aware of any allegations made twenty years ago."

Commissioner Johnson said he also didn't know about the allegations until now. Commissioners Lujan Grisham and de la Cruz did not return News 13's calls for comment.

County planning commissioners are unpaid. Malry worked for the county as the liaison to neighborhood associations until he retired last year. He made $60,000.

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