Senator Lopez
There's going to be a couple of familiar faces on the University of New Mexico School of Law campus come August 16th. Dem ABQ State Senator Linda Lopez and Dem ABQ State Rep Gail Beam have decided to become lawyers and will start classes then. The insiders say it's a chance for Lopez to burnish her resume with career credentials she lacks. She briefly sought the Dem nomination for Lt. Governor. A law degree could not only give her a career, but more political opportunity.

As for Gail, the wall-leaners in Santa Fe wonder if some day she could use a law degree to become chair of House Judiciary. When State House Speaker Ben Lujan retires some day, it's anticipated that State Rep Ken Martinez will succeed him. Isn't Majority Leader Ken, a former chair of Judiciary, a protégé of sorts of ex- House Speaker Raymond Sanchez? And isn't Raymond good friends with Gail and her husband, former House Speaker and Attorney General David Norvell? And wouldn't "Speaker Martinez" have the power to name the Judiciary chair? And wouldn't it be cool if Gail was appointed chair and then Raymond, Gail, Ken and Dave could all party together at the Roundhouse? Or is it possible Gail just wants to be a lawyer? Long live the conspiracies, real or otherwise, of La Politica!

MAYORAL MONEY

Million Dollar Marty is going to have to spend it all or give it away. So reports our finance Alligator who reacted to a musing here that the Dem ABQ mayor could save some of the $1.2 million he plans on raising for a future campaign. Sorry to get your hopes up mayor, but here's the scoop.

The City Charter, Article XIII, Section 4 states:

"Any contributions not expended on the campaign shall be disposed of, at the option of the candidate, by one of the following methods: 1. Retained in the campaign bank checking account for a possible runoff election for that office. 2. Returned to the person who made the contribution 3. Placed in the City's General Fund, or 4. Given to a charity identified by the candidate."

Maybe Marty can can use any leftovers to get that Panda bear in here from China.

D.C EGO CLASH REVEALED
Pete & Jeff
Sure, NM Senators Pete and Jeff worked darn hard on that energy bill. There they were on TV in the middle of the night hammering out a compromise. And the bill, after years of delay, finally passed. Trouble is hardly anyone likes it, including most newspapers such as the conservative Wall Street Journal.

It was not widely reported, but there was behind the scenes friction between NM's two senators. They got into it last year when Dem Jeff said R Pete was ignoring him. This time, according to our friends at the Capitol Hill Newspaper Roll Call, Jeff was upset at the attempt to name the energy bill the Domenici-Barton bill, after the two GOP sponsors. Hey, this is supposed to be a bipartisan measure, cried Jeff as he objected to giving Pete the limelight. Can someone email in and let us know the final name of the bill?

It's hard to see how the energy bill does much for Senator Bingaman's re-election prospects as it does nothing to lower the onerous gas prices hurting drivers, especially those in rural NM. But the last we checked Jeff didn't have much of a race for re-election, did he?

LET IT RIDE
Camel Rock
But who cares if gasoline is well north of two bucks a gallon? We New Mexicans love our cars. And why not? You drive an hour in any direction and it seem you have crossed into another country. And the drive just got much easier up North. The long and painful reconstruction of Highway 64/285 is finally done and I can say from experience it is a very cool drive. Great scenery on a slick, new highway with the satellite radio blasting and the top down. It doesn't get much better than that. The folks at the state transportation department, who might merit crucifixion for the pace of their work, deserve a pat on the back for getting the design on this one right. Just hurry it up next time. We got Saudi oil to burn.

Keep the politics coming. Email your comments, news, complaints or whatever else is on your mind. I look forward to hearing from you.

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