U.S. Att. Iglesias
The ABQ Police Department evidence room scandal may, as the cynics claim, die a peaceful death with the wrongdoers laughing all the way to the bank. But our Monday report noting that top cops now believe as much as $200 grand in cash was ripped off, along with other evidence, still prompted outrage and calls for action.

"What about citizens petitioning for a grand jury investigation? If the authorities won't do it how about the people? Emailed a reader. It's a possibility. Petitions would have to be presented to a district court judge who would certify that there was enough of them and that an investigation was warranted. Would any judge have the huevos to say no?

And we had this political spin put on the scandal: "(GOP Bernalillo County Chairman) Ken Zangara has had his share of troubles with Attorney General Madrid. She came up empty handed on the police scandal. What if Zangara led the charge to empanel a grand jury?" wondered an mischievous emailer who referenced the AG's investigation of Zangara's ABQ auto dealership.

Mayoral candidate and City Councilor Eric Griego was calling for a federal investigation late Monday. That would mean Republican U.S. Attorney David Iglesias, who ran a close race against Madrid for AG in 98' and who said he would wait for completion of her probe. That investigation is done and already gathering dust as the perpetrators walk. How about it David?

Meanwhile, sources say APD Deputy Chief Ed Sauer, placed on leave while under investigation, may get his old job back from new APD Chief Ray Schultz. If so, is there a message there we don't get Chief? Shouldn't all the top cronies of disgraced former Chief Gallegos be hitting the exits?

A POLITICAL SOAP

Who needs "Days Of Our Lives," when New Mexico has Margaret Aragon de Chavez? Margaret, ex wife of Mayor Marty, was back in the headlines Monday explaining how the couple's 14 year old daughter had been cited for drinking with another teen at a backyard party in the ABQ NE Heights. And just a day or so before that Margaret was pulling herself out of contention for the upcoming ABQ mayor's race after publicly flirting with the idea. As for the mayor, his head must have been spinning from all this. He offered up a simple "no comment."

As for Margaret, when I ran into her at Starbucks the other day she wistfully told me she looked forward to resuming "a normal life away from politics." But apparently not right away. Last night she chided the mayor for not being immediately available when she was calling with the news of their daughter. And Margaret's dad, ex-state Rep. Bennie Aragon, remains on the warpath telling anyone who will listen why they should not vote to re-elect his former son-in-law.

And you think I make this stuff up? The book of La Politica is non-fiction, a never ending work in progress and always a bestseller. Only in Nuevo Mexico!

Have some news, gossip, intrigue about NM politics? E-mail me from the link at the top of this page and let's keep the news of La Politica flowing.

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