GOP Chair Weh
The failure of the NM Republican Party to make hay over the pot possession bust of NM PUblic Regulation Commissioner Shirley Baca has the Alligators out and biting hard. But since ex-GOP Gov. Gary came out for pot legalization you have had a conflicted party that is seemingly unable to take advantage of even the slow pitches thrown across its plate.

One top level R fires away in this email: "Party chair Allen Weh and (top stafffer) Greg Graves are asleep at the wheel. It's incredible that they can't bring themselves to write up and distribute a call for Shirley's resignation. Greg and the Colonel seem more concerned about getting furniture and computers for their offices, than doing their job. They are missing opportunity after opportunity."

Meanwhile, it was up to state Dem Party Chair John Wertheim to call for Shirley to call it quits, one-upping his Republican counterpart and giving the D's political cover. Why is this? Well, the fact that many high-level Republicans got involved advocating legalizing drugs in the Johnson years is a big reason. Some of them received money from liberal Dem and billionaire George Soros to advocate the cause.

Then there is the aftermath of the ouster of Ramsay Gorham as party chair and the installation of Weh, a well-regarded businessman, but not one known for engaging in the rough and tumble world of politics ala Wertheim. The GOP harps about being the minority party in New Mexico. They made strides under ex-chair Dendahl and then gave it all away with the bizarre advocacy of legalized drugs and gambling.

The Baca incident and the failure to respond in a timely and aggressive fashion shows how the past continues to haunt the party's present. And that suits Big Bill and Mr. Wertheim just fine.

POUNDS AWAY

ABQ City Councilor Sally Mayer figures her figure will come out a winner no matter what happens in her re-election bid for the council next year. "I am looking forward to the campaign because I know I will lose 30 pounds going door-to-door," said the GOP lawmaker as she shared a gooey, strawberry laced dessert with a friend at a downtown lunch spot last week.

Marianne Dickinson, a community activist, Dem and supporter of Councilor Eric Griego's mayoral bid, is the only announced candidate against Mayer, but Republican Wayne Johnson also is weighing a bid. For Sally, more challengers probably means she will get even lighter on her feet. Not that she needs too, of course.

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(c)NM POLITICS WITH JOE MONAHAN 2004
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