Big Bill grabbed our attention this week when he called on New Mexicans to conduct an "invasion" of Nevada. We're used to invasions around here--the Spanish conquered the Indians, the Mexicans took over from the Spanish; the Americans invaded the Mexicans and even those coarse Texans invaded these parts. Fortunately, they didn't get very far. If they had, today our señoritas would be sporting beehive hair-dos and looking for bargains at the discount bins of Neiman Marcus.

So when the Guv called for invading Nevada with a caravan of New Mexicans the weekend of September 14th, we swept aside the inconvenient fact that he was asking for a political invasion of the Silver State to drum up support for that state's January caucuses. After all, for over four hundred years New Mexicans have been on the receiving end of invasions; wouldn't it be nice for us to do some invading of our own?

Maybe Governor Bill would permit the caravan a side trip to Texas where we could do some payback invading before heading up to Nevada. It might be not of much help to his Prez campaign, but it would do a whole lot for our self-esteem.

BROTHELS & BAD CHECKS

The legal brothels of Nevada will, we assume, be strictly off limits to the New Mexicans joining the Big Bill caravan. But they weren't for one of the Guv's aides who worked at one doing bookkeeping. The freshly hired aide also has a record of writing some bad checks. That caused much embarrassment to the campaign, with the AP reporting: "An aide in Nevada to Democratic presidential candidate Bill Richardson resigned Thursday after the campaign learned he had worked for a brothel and was wanted on a felony arrest warrant in California."

The now ex-Richardson aide toiled for a time at Mona's Ranch which may have the blue noses all in a titter, but his real offense was shorting the hookers on their pay. They promptly complained to Elko, Nevada police, but no charges were filed. We're glad to report he did not write his bad checks to the working girls. They were the result of "business transactions gone bad."

Too bad for this fella, but it's best he's gone. He's not meant for D.C. Everyone there knows the #1 rule of etiquette is to never short your hooker.

EYEBALLING ETHICS

Some Republican reaction to our Wednesday blog in which Senate Majority Leader Sanchez iced the notion of having a special legislative session to deal with ethics reform. ABQ Senator Joe Carraro took the opportunity to remind everyone that he has given an award to the Legislature for its handling of ethics measures. The third 'Hoodwink Award' goes to the New Mexico Legislature for its attempt at fooling the public into thinking that they actually are trying to reform their own ethical conduct and standards." Stings the Senator. We assume that applies to the Republican as well as Dem members, Joe.

But another R, former ABQ State Rep. Rory Ogle, says he agrees with Dem leader Sanchez that an independent ethics commission to oversee legislative behavior is not needed.

"I am not in favor of a separate commission that can be used as a political weapon. The Legislature has an ethics committee where any citizen can bring an ethics allegation against a member..Having served on that committee, I can say they take their work very seriously and have the ability to punish one of their members. Punishment can range from a public reprimand to impeachment," contends Ogle.

Maybe all the lawmakers are on their best behavior because we don't hear very much from that committee...

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(c)NM POLITICS WITH JOE MONAHAN 2007
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