New Mexico Politics - New Mexico - onPolitix

Polls show 3 frontrunners in Dem. Race

2012-05-23T13:56:35Z

ALBUQUERQUE (KRQE) — Just two weeks to go until the June 5th primary and all three Democrats running to replace Congressman Martin Heinrich said they are the front-runner.

State Sen. Eric Griego, County Commissioner Michelle Lujan Grisham and former Mayor Marty Chavez have all released their polls on Tuesday, which show they have the lead. The winner of the primary will face Republican nominee Janice Arnold Jones in November.

Griego's internal poll shows he leads Lujan Grisham, 35 percent to 30 percent. Chavez trails at 28 percent. Seven percent of voters are undecided.

Lujan Grisham's poll shows she and Griego are in a dead heat at 35 percent each, with Chavez back at 23 percent. Seven percent of voters are undecided.

In Chavez's poll, the three candidates are in a triple tie. Chavez has 26 percent; Lujan Grisham has 25 percent; Griego has 24 percent. According to the poll, 25 percent of voters are undecided.

"It's no surprise that each candidate has a poll that's favorable to them," said political blogger Joe Monahan.

Monahan said the race will be a two-way sprint to the finish between Griego and Lujan Grisham.

"A weak Marty Chavez is helping to strengthen Michelle Lujan Grisham. I think they appeal to a largely the same conservative, moderate voters," said Monahan.

Lujan Grisham said her camp has gained a lot of momentum.

"It's very good news for our supporters and it's good news to our campaign," said Lujan Grisham. "Voters in this district want somebody fresh and with new ideas and someone who does have a track record of getting things done."

Griego said he has been focused on getting his progressive base to turn out to the polls.

"There is only one Democrat in this race that has a consistent record of fighting for Democratic values," said Griego.

Chavez also said he is the only candidate who can get things done.

"There's no neighborhood in this community that hasn't been impacted by something I worked with other people to accomplish," said Chavez. "I'm the only candidate with the record of accomplishments. That's what's wrong with Washington and I'm the only prescription to fix it."

Early voting has been open for two weeks and turnout has been fairly low. The county clerk's office said 3,200 people have cast ballots as of Monday. Of those, 2,070 are registered Democrats.

Official resigns after condom comment

2012-05-22T20:22:35Z

SANTA FE (AP) — The chief medical officer for the state Department of Health said she was asked to resign after giving a television interview in which she advocated condom use to slow the growth of sexually transmitted diseases among teens.

Chief Medical Officer Erin Bouquin said she got an email an hour after the interview aired Thursday on a local news station asking her to meet with department Secretary Catherine Torres.

In that meeting she said she was told she was being asked to leave because she hadn't met the expectations of the governor. But she suspects it was because of the interview.

"On the day I was asked to leave, I said the word condom three times on the news," she told the Santa Fe New Mexican, ( http://bit.ly/JaB1io ).

The governor's office and the health department both denied any connection between the interview and the resignation of Bouquin, who had been on the job for just four months and was still considered a probationary employee.

Scott Darnell, a spokesman for Gov. Susana Martinez, said in an email statement that "the governor is a proponent of taking a balanced and multi-pronged approach to controlling the spread of sexually transmitted diseases; there is nothing in Dr. Bouquin's interview that would conflict with that approach."

During the interview, it was mentioned that gonorrhea and chlamydia rates were up 50 percent. Asked what message she would like to send teens, Bouquin said, "Condoms are very, very important in controlling sexually transmitted diseases."

Bouquin also noted what she called the "ABCs" — abstinence, be faithful and birth control.

The governor's office says Bouquin's departure was part of a reorganization of the department. Deputy Secretary Wally Vette also resigned Thursday.

Bouquin, however, said the department is becoming more political. She said it recently applied for Title V federal funding that stresses abstinence-based sex education and that others in the department were concerned about a return to that policy.

Concerns about high-paid sheriff's hire

2012-05-22T14:19:16Z

ALBUQUERQUE (KRQE) — At a time when Bernalillo County Sheriff Dan Houston is asking for more money to hire more deputies, some people are questioning how he spends the money he already has. They're zeroing in on his high-paid advisor, a position this sheriff created.

Jennifer Vega Brown was hired a year ago at $86,000 to be BCSO's spokesperson and legal advisor to Houston. But this spring, her duties changed.

"Jennifer's legal duties and responsibilities started to increase to the point it started to affect her (public information officer) abilities," said Undersheriff Ron Paiz.

Paiz said as a legal advisor, Vega Brown is a "legal troubleshooter," who does everything from investigating deputies in trouble to giving advice in sticky situations to being the liaison between the union and sheriff.

"We had her working on the seizure program. We have her working on our GPS policy. we've got her working on other issues that surface on a day-to-day basis," said Paiz.

But Vega Brown's day-to-day is raising some red flags.

County Manager Tom Zdunek said the sheriff's office has never had its own attorney in the past because the county already has its own legal department that represents BCSO. Vega Brown cannot represent the sheriff's office in a lawsuit because any lawsuits against BCSO are actually lawsuits against the county, which are handled by county lawyers, according to Zdunek.

Commissioner Maggie Hart Stebbins also raised concerns, saying Houston has asked the county for millions to hire twenty new deputies over the next two years.

"When he's asking for budget expansion, we want to make sure those additional dollars are going for deputies in the field and (not for administrative staff)," said Stebbins.

Stebbins said she wonders if the legal advisor position could be better spent on more deputies and equipment for BCSO.

But Paiz said Vega Brown's position is more than necessary.

"For instance, we're at a crime scene or police shooting and we need a question answered immediately, she's right there," said Paiz. "It doesn't help us to get twenty new deputies, and we go out there and start making foolish mistakes and we end up getting sued and it costs us more in the long run."

Even though Vega Brown is no longer the public information officer, News 13 has learned she still has a department-issued car with police lights. Paiz said Vega Brown will only have the car on a temporary basis once the new PIO, who is a deputy, is fully trained.

News 13 asked to speak with the sheriff and Vega Brown for this story, but both declined to comment.

Gov. to honor public workers

2012-05-21T16:54:41Z

SANTA FE (AP) — New Mexico Gov. Susana Martinez will be kicking off a week of events to honor law enforcement officers, public employees and other heroes.

Martinez will start Tuesday by presenting awards to recognize the actions of 10 people during last summer's Las Conchas fire, the largest in the state's recorded history.

The governor will speak later in the week at the New Mexico Law Enforcement Memorial Ceremony in Santa Fe, paying tribute to the 193 peace officers who have died in the line of duty.

A new centennial memorial will also be unveiled.

The 83rd class of the New Mexico State Police Academy is set to graduate on Friday. The governor will attend the ceremony.

She'll wrap up heroes week next Monday by speaking at the Memorial Day ceremony at the Santa Fe National Cemetery.

Officials mull city manager's contract

2012-05-21T16:38:01Z

CARLSBAD, N.M. (AP) — The Carlsbad City Council is scheduled on Tuesday to consider approving a contract for the city manager at an annual salary and benefits of $212,000.

The Carlsbad Current-Argus reports ( http://bit.ly/Jw3eWc) that the city's contract with Jon Tully will be effective June 1.

Tully is a former city law enforcement officer who rose through the ranks before his appointment as city administrator.

He retired after serving 13 years in that position.

He was called out of retirement to serve as interim city administrator in October when city administrator Harry Burgess resigned to become county administrator in Los Alamos.

Tully stepped in as interim administrator without pay.

The City Council deemed Tully as the most qualified and in January offered him the post, which he accepted.

More charges filed in Sunland Park case

2012-05-20T22:08:23Z

SUNLAND PARK, N.M. (AP) — Authorities investigating corruption allegations in city government in Sunland Park filed additional criminal charges against two former city officials on voter fraud allegations.

And a third official was charged with tampering with evidence during a police search of City Hall in February.

Prosecutors say Silvia Gomez, the city's former senior center director, was charged with registering four people who live in Texas to vote in a New Mexico election.

She was previous charged with similar allegations.

Jesus Dario Hernandez, the city's former public works director, also faces new voter fraud allegations.

Prosecutors say Gilbert Velez, the city's manager information technology, also has been charged for his role in tampering with evidence on Feb. 21 while State Police officers were executing a search warrant at City Hall.

Asian hookers dish on Wiener's photo

2012-05-19T19:22:35Z

ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (KRQE) — Four Filipina prostitutes who posed for a photo with Bernalillo County Commissioner Michael Wiener now claim in an online video that a lot more happened than photography.

For his part Wiener has said repeatedly he was only sightseeing with his fiancee in Angeles City, one of the world's largest red-light districts, when the picture was taken during a layover between flights in the Philippines.

A Seattle-based photographer documenting Angeles City took the photo and posted it on his blog .

The four self-proclaimed hookers have just appeared on the sex-based website Adultsearch.com holding their photo taken with Wiener in March.

The women say the commissioner bought them drinks, and then they got down to business.

On Friday Wiener’s lawyer sent KRQE News 13 a letter calling the video salacious and characterizing the women’s claims as entirely fictional. Wiener is the victim in all this, he added.

In the video the women give this version of their meeting:

Women: “Go shower, shower with him, play in the bathroom first.” Interviewer: “The five of you were in the shower?” Women: “Yes! And after that we go to the bed, of course, and have sex.” Interviewer: “All 4 of you had sex with him?” Women: “Yes!”

The commissioner declined a request for an on-camera interview but told News 13 on the phone it was a complete fabrication made up to ruin his reputation.

Wiener added he doesn’t “have the stamina” to do what the women claim.

The operator of Adultserach.com, a worldwide prostitution website registered in China, said he did not pay the women for their interview. It wasn’t difficult to track them down because they work in the bar seen behind them in the now infamous photograph, he added.

The operator also conceded he produced and posted the interview to drive traffic to the website.

Fellow commissioners censured Wiener who stepped down as commission vice chairman. However, he has resisted calls to resign and said he will let voters decided whether he stays in office.

Lonnie C. Talbert is running against Wiener in the June 5 Republican primary. No Democrat filed for the office.

Agency outsources again, draws fire

2012-05-19T16:50:33Z

SANTA FE (KRQE) — The state Department of Tourism, which was under fire a few months ago for hiring an out-of-state company to produce commercials, is drawing more criticism for outsourcing another contract.

The department paid $180,000 to a Missouri-based company, MMGY, to redesign its decade-old website. In January, the agency announced it awarded $2 million to a Texas-based production house to shoot the commercials as part of its "New Mexico True" campaign.

"It's a competitive RFP (request for proposal) process, and we go to the company that can do the best job for the state," said Veronica Valencia, communications and marketing director for the department.

Valencia said MMGY scored highest, beating out the 11 other companies including five from New Mexico vying for the job.

"They're scored on a range of attributes from creativity to talent to value," said Valencia. "Their ability to develop a sound creative site as well as the value they bring to the table and their experience in the industry."

But one of the losing companies questions that. Albuquerque-based Real Time Solutions has redesigned several state sites, including the governor's, lieutenant governor's and the state's main website.

Some lawmakers also question why the state decided to send money out of New Mexico.

"We're seeing the same department send more money out of state for work that could have been done here," said Rep. Brian Egolf, D-Santa Fe. "Local firms should always come first, and we should do everything in our power to make sure that the money stays here in New Mexico."

It's unclear if the winning company had the lowest bid. News 13 requested the score sheets but were told they were not readily available on Friday.

The state does give a five percent advantage for in-state companies vying for contracts. That means their bid scores already start off a bit higher than out-of-state companies.

Troubled town cancels mayor meeting

2012-05-18T17:08:34Z

SUNLAND PARK, N.M. (AP) — Councilors in a troubled New Mexico border city have canceled another meeting to appoint a mayor days after the state began taking over some of the city's functions amid a number of scandals.

The Sunland Park City Council had scheduled a special meeting on Friday to vote on a new mayor, their fifth try at naming a new leader.

Former Mayor Pro Tem and former Mayor-elect Daniel Salinas was barred from taking office after being indicted for schemes ranging from trying to force a rival out of the race with a secretly recorded video of him getting a topless lap dance to unfolding allegations of widespread financial abuse.

The state auditor released a report this week accusing officials of using the city's budget as personal slush funds.

State workers claimed pay, didn't vote

2012-05-18T13:30:09Z

ALBUQUERQUE (KRQE) — Hundreds of state employees defrauded taxpayers on Election Day in 2010 to the tune of tens of thousands of dollars, according to a KRQE News 13 investigation.

“There will be consequences,” said Gene Moser, New Mexico State Personnel Office Director. “If they don’t vote when they took the time, they will be held accountable.”

New Mexico law requires employers – no matter if it’s the government or the private sector – to grant employees up to two hours leave to go and cast a ballot on Election Day.

News 13 investigative reporter Larry Barker first looked into the issue by focusing on the Public Employees Retirement Association office.

Our investigation discovered a female staffer who took off two hours to vote in the 2010 primary election and another two hours to vote in the general election. However, records show that not only did she not vote in either of those elections, she hasn’t voted in the last four years.

(Check a person's voting history on the Secretary of State's VoterView website--birth date required.)

Another PERA employee, left work two hours early to cast his ballot in the 2010 primary, but he wasn’t even registered to vote, according to records reviewed by News 13.

During the 2010 election, 12 PERA employees were reprimanded and had to repay money after officials learned they had lied about going to the polls.

News 13 brought the results of the investigation to state officials, who launched a larger inquiry and discovered that the fraudulent behavior wasn’t only going on at PERA. It was widespread throughout state government.

According to the state’s investigation, 5,794 state employees took off work for up to two hours on Election Day 2010.

“Thirteen percent of the people who went to vote didn’t vote,” Moser said. “That was off the chart as far as we were concerned. These results were shocking.”

That 13 percent translates to 550 state employees who are registered voters but falsified their time cards by taking leave and not voting, according to the investigation. Another 221 state employees took the leave but weren’t even registered to vote.

“By falsifying a document, which is saying you are taking leave and you sign off that you took the leave for the purpose,” Moser said. “That can be construed as fraud. It’s falsification of an official document. That constitutes, under state law, a fourth-degree felony.”

The Human Services Department had the largest number of time bandits at 132, followed by the Health Department with 123 and the Taxation and Revenue Department with 72. The numbers also included state employees who work for law enforcement agencies, including 13 from the Albuquerque District Attorney’s Office, eight at Albuquerque’s Metropolitan Court and two from the Attorney General’s Office.

All told, employees at 45 state agencies across New Mexico cheated taxpayers out of more than 1,400 hours, according to the investigation.

“They need to repay the money and we are going to go after that,” Moser said. “And then the other part is which part of the disciplinary process are we going to initiate?”

Discipline can range from a written reprimand all the way up to termination.