An image of a mailer supporting an unsuccessful legislative candidate in an Albuquerque House district race now confirms a dark money group spent money on election literature making its way into mailboxes, in addition to its political radio and Facebook ads.
The New Mexico Project spent thousands on advertising meant to sway the outcome of primary elections held in early June. State law requires such groups to publicly disclose their donors and who they are paying with the Secretary of State, who makes them publicly available on the web. But the New Mexico Project hasn’t done that, so the State Ethics Commission sued the group and earlier this week asked a judge to force the disclosure.
New Mexico In Depth has chronicled over the past few months the tidbits we’ve been able to learn about the nonprofit group, which is led by former gubernatorial candidate Jeff Apodaca.
We’ve documented Apodaca’s statement on the radio that oil and gas companies were contributors, and we found a public report by another political group, NM NAIOP PAC, showing a $15,000 contribution to the dark money group.
We’ve seen a $10,000 radio contract on the website of the Federal Communications Commission, and the group’s paid Facebook ads.
Now, we’ve received an image showing a political mailer the group sent supporting one candidate, Marsella Duarte, who ran for but didn’t win House District 16.
These sort of mailers are, in election parlance, “express advocacy” – where an ad clearly urges election or defeat of a clearly defined candidate.
In this case, the mailer urges the recipient to “Elect” Duarte by returning their absentee ballot.
Given Apodaca said on a radio program that the group has raised hundreds of thousands, altogether these tidbits are likely just a drop in the bucket when it comes to the group’s contributions and its political activity.
Apodaca has indicated on the radio that the group will continue its spending during the general election this fall.