New Mexico gays who feel roughed up by a muscle flexing hard-right coming off of a Bush NM victory will get a bit of good news in the state House, according to my reliable Roundhouse insiders. The measure defining marriage as an act between a man and woman passed big in the Senate Wednesday but, my sources report, will die a quick death in the House where Rep. Gail Beam will preside over its demise as chairwoman of the Public Affairs Committee.

I hate to whine, but here I go. Like cockfighting before it, a lot of emotional energy and precious time was wasted on the marriage act by both lawmakers and the poor journalists who are told to cover, overcover and then overcover some more the same tired, shelf-worn topics that never make it into law. What about the stuff that is getting passed? In any event, the defeat of the hot potato cockfighting and anti-gay marriage bills will be welcomed by the Fourth Floor where reborn conservative Big Bill is thinking up more good things to say about Bush's foreign policy.

You can sense that Mr. and Mrs. New Mexico have had just about enough of the Santa Fe scene this year, especially after the right on schedule citing of Santa Fe State Senator Grubesic for drinking and driving but, mind you, not driving drunk. Give us a break. Make all sessions 30 days, let the pros at the AP cover most of it and everyone else take a sobriety test and head south on I-25.

LEGAL BEAGLE CORNER

There's a still a shot that the sister of Big Bill legal counsel Geno Zamora could get a shot a Bernalillo County district judgeship, claim my courthouse watchers. "(Judge) Tommy Jewell has been talking about retiring and that could open his seat for Monica since he is a Children's Court judge and her interest is in juvenile law," reports one legal beagle. Monica Zamora lost a recent bid to replace Judge Wendy York

Geno Zamora's interest, as we have reported, may be in becoming attorney general of our Enchanted Land and friends say he may make a decision at the end of the Legislative session. ABQ Dem State Rep. Al Park is all in and the latest word has ABQ Mayor Marty Chavez thinking about a run for the AG nomination next year, if he puts away his re-election bid come October.

Make our site, WWW.JOEMONAHAN.COM, one of your favorites and e-mail a link to interested friends. Interested in advertising to NM's large political community? E-mail me from the top right of this page, or call 505-243-4059 for details.

(c)NM POLITICS WITH JOE MONAHAN 2005
Not for reproduction without permission of the author