Politics
Potential Carlsbad sinkhole used in attack ad against Gov
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ProgressNow says their ad featuring GOP Gov. Susana Martinez isn’t political, but aims to educate New Mexicans.
Politics
NM Supreme Court candidate going big on TV this fall
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Michael Vigil has reserved time for more than 400 TV ads in October and November for his race against Supreme Court Justice Judith Nakamura.
Politics
Political action committees affiliated with elected officials proliferate
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PACs affiliated with elected officials are proliferating as lawmakers prepare to battle over control of New Mexico’s Legislature this fall.
Politics
McCleskey, Full Arsenal top list of campaign beneficiaries
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A business run by Republican Gov. Susana’s Martinez’s top political adviser and a firm working for several Democratic officials and candidates topped the list of beneficiaries from the last six months of candidate and political action committee spending.
Politics
House OKs capital outlay bill amid scrutiny
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The House unanimously approved a $166 million capital outlay bill Monday, but not without criticism. House Bill 219 includes $82 million in local projects designated by the 112 lawmakers.
Criminal Justice
Koch brothers, defense attorneys: What’s on New Mexicans’ minds matters
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Last week, the Charles Koch Institute and the Rio Grande Foundation, New Mexico’s libertarian think tank, co-sponsored a discussion in Albuquerque about what they call “over-criminalization.” At their side was the executive director of the National Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers (NACDL).
Climate change
Martinez Energy Plan Lacks Long-Term Focus
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In her State of the State, Gov. Martinez called for developing “every kind of energy we can produce in New Mexico.” But a closer look at the administration’s recent energy plan reveals that the state still lacks a long-term plan for New Mexico’s economic future, even as the climate warms, energy prices drop, and a new era of federal regulations dawns.
Climate change
Catholic groups follow Pope Francis’ lead, weigh in on climate suit
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Last year, the New Mexico Court of Appeals upheld an earlier ruling against a teen who sued Governor Susana Martinez for not doing enough to tackle climate change. Now, Catholic groups are intervening in a similar suit making its way through federal court in Oregon.
Politics
Will our wishes come true this session? (Some already have!)
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Sometimes our follow-the-money wishes do come true – and we have high hopes for this legislative session.
Politics
Gov. Martinez Uses Speech to Encourage Government Reform
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Just two days after former Secretary of State Dianna Duran was released from county jail, Gov. Susana Martinez used a small part of her fifth State of the State address to support government accountability efforts. The nod from the governor came on the same day that good government group Common Cause released the results of a statewide survey showing broad support for ethics and campaign finance reforms. About 85 percent of New Mexicans want the legislature to create an independent ethics commission, according to the poll, conducted in December by Research and Polling, Inc.
But poll numbers don’t offer reform advocates any assurance that their ideas will translate into votes of support or the governor’s signature. Bills that would create some form of ethics commission have languished in Santa Fe for years. In her hour-long address to state lawmakers, Martinez focused on fighting violent crime, improving education and advancing economic development proposals, but she specifically mentioned the need to improve campaign finance reporting and close the revolving door between lawmakers and lobbyists. She called for changes to the state’s much-maligned capital outlay process, saying: “We need to fix the way we spend infrastructure money, because the way projects are funded now leads to unmet regional and state needs, and a string of projects that haven’t been vetted and can’t be completed.” And she said there should be full disclosure by individual lawmakers of the projects they choose to fund with their personal pots of capital outlay money.