Udall & Domenici
Is it payback time for Pete? And trouble for Tom? Those questions dangle over the NM Congressional delegation which was sent into a tailspin this week as the chairman of a key House subcommittee, Rep. Peter Visclosky, (D-Indiana), opened a frontal assault on the budgets of Los Alamos and Sandia National Labs, threatening hundreds of millions in cuts and scores of lost jobs. Insiders are pointing to bad blood between NM GOP Senator Pete Domenici and Visclosky, chair of an Appropriations subcommittee with billions in budget authority over NM and its labs, as one reason for the alarming cuts that came out of that panel and approved by the full Appropriations Committee.

The Alligators sent us back to a controversial phone call between the two Pete's earlier this year in which our Pete allegedly hung up the phone on Indiana's Pete who became the new subcommittee chair when the Dems took over the Congress. But there are other reasons beyond personal pique. Insiders say Domenici is under the gun by the D's and even some House Rs who think the labs were over funded when Pete and the R's were in charge. The Dems also want Los Alamos and the energy budget to emphasize energy independence programs.

It's early in the budget process and no one expects these giant cuts to become final, but they are seen as a warning shot across the bow of Domenici by Chairman Visclosky who remains peeved over his treatment by Pete. Caught in the cross hairs is northern NM Dem US Rep Tom Udall who won a coveted seat on House Appropriations this year and who will be expected to help make the peace so the labs' budgets are not devastated. He says he's working on it, but that isn't stopping NM R's from piling on: "Rep. Tom Udall should be held to account; he bragged incessantly about being placed on the Appropriations Committee, and when push came to shove, he bowed to the liberal house leadership-and his district is now at risk.” Charged the state GOP.

Meanwhile, ABQ GOP US Rep. Heather Wilson is getting in on the action, bellowing that 2,000 jobs would be lost if this initial budget were approved. Dem Senator Bingaman and Domenici will make sure that doesn't happen, but New Mexico could still take some kind of hit. One suspects that our senators will be mindful of their telephone etiquette in dealings with their House counterparts as they work to avoid a budget cataclysm, and that Rep. Udall may want to buy Chairman Visclosky a nice lunch.

SUMMER SIESTAS

With the coming of summer New Mexicans will hit the highways and many of them will find themselves in the Big Duke City, seeking the latest food flavors and places to dish up the latest happenings in their beloved La Politica. Here's some of our pics and pans offered up for your summer entertainment planning.

BARELAS COFFEE HOUSE--This is a perennial favorite of politicos of all stripes. It hasn't changed. The New Mexican cuisine is still top-notch, and so is the political chatter. On our last visit gringo Martin Heinrich was trying to score some points with the locals for his ABQ congressional run. But staffers of ABQ GOP Congresswoman Wilson are no strangers to this ABQ landmark where the lines can grow long, but where the patience is rewarded. Throwing caution to the wind? Then it's a bowl of juicy chicharrones for you, and a free check in at the NM Heart Hospital.

BRAVO! CUCINA ITALIANA---This is a new addition to the scene, located in the hip Uptown shopping center near Winrock. It's a chain and a relief from the tired Macaroni Grill. Bravo! rates a solid B+ as well as its exclamation point. Your favorite Italian dishes are all here, as is a yummy grilled salmon. Reasonably priced too, but call ahead. They stay busy.

YANNI'S--It's had its peaks and valleys over the years, but Yanni's is peaking again with consistent cuisine. It's another favorite politico dining and watering hole, especially since the addition of the Opa bar. The parmesan encrusted sole is the big hit. Greek offerings remain favorites too. Owner Nick will likely be at the door when you go. If it's late night you just might find Big Bill himself cutting into a rib-eye and plotting his latest moves with a table full of acolytes.

PADILLA'S--This one is tucked away at Girard and Indian School. They don't stay open late for dinner (last seating at 7:45 p.m.) but Padilla's Mexican Kitchen is the real article for New Mexican food, especially the enchiladas. Area politicos like to hang here, including Dem State Rep. Gail Chasey and husband, former NM Attorney General and now gaming control commission member Dave Norvell. It's hard to argue with their taste.

FLYING STAR CAFES--They are all over town and after 20 years Flying Star is still a great place to meet up. But the food is overrated and a bit overpriced. Stick to the coffee, desserts and the political conversation.

EVEN MORE SIESTA SPOTS

CAFE VOILA--This genuine and homestyle French restaurant is in Journal Center. A great patio complements a finely appointed dining room where the French onion soup is as popular as the homemade bread and pastries. Cafe Voila sports a full dinner menu of high quality ingredients with entrees hovering below the $20 level. How's that for a summer treat?

LE CAFE MICHE--If you want to step it up a notch in the French category take a couple of C notes and stop by Le Cafe Miche where they are back in good working order. It's a classy and romantic spot with spot-on service and surprising specials. The homemade ice cream is just right for June and July.

OUR STEAK OUT--Maybe we're particular, but we don't find the steak scene in ABQ that compelling. The addition of the Gruet Grille at Nob Hill brought USDA Prime dining to local dinner plates, but the over-the-top prices are not justified by the service or the set-up. The steaks, however, are the real deal. For Prime Rib, the best in the area is at old stand by Paul's Monterey Inn. It's a trip back to the 1950's with big leather boots and no nonsense waitresses, and that's good. Want exotic Kobe beef? Try locally owned Damon's on Eubank. This fine dining restaurant is hitting on all cylinders, and the secret is not out.

Bon Appétit, politicos and Alligators. Drop us an email from the link at the top of the page and let us know how our hot spots worked out for you.

(c)NM POLITICS WITH JOE MONAHAN 2007
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Rudy
It may not please the hard-right of the NM Republican party but GOP Prez contender Rudy Giuliani--he of the liberal views on abortion and gay rights--could be a strong contender to capture our state's five electoral votes if he manages to first capture the GOP Prez nomination field. Rudy, as first reported here, will arrive in ABQ a Saturday for a fund-raiser and make the first visit to the state by a GOP Prez hopeful. Rudy touches down in the Duke City after the recent state GOP convention again revealed the divisions within the minority party. But here in the early going Rudy is coming across as a "Big Tent" Republican, pleasing moderate R's with his stances on social issues and placating the red meat crowd with firm positions on terrorism and immigration. If the R's could put their internal differences aside, a Rudy Giuliani just might be the guy who could unite them and even attract some New Mexico Dems and independents to boot. If that sounds too easy, it probably is.

The invitation to Rudy's soiree notes that among the co-hosts is Roswell oil man Mark Murphy and his wife Susan. Murphy, a Sandra Day O'Connor type Republican, has repeatedly clashed with hard-right Roswell State Senator "Lightning" Rod Adair and Roswell State Rep. Dan Foley. And insiders say they could be clashing again. They report Mark is indicating that he will make a run for the position of GOP National Committeeman at next spring's GOP state convention. No word yet on whether current committeeman George Buffett will seek another term to that post.

The Rudy visit is all about the dough. New Mexico R's will not be relevant to the nominating process because delegates to the national convention won't be awarded until a June '08 primary, and the contest will be long over before then, With that in mind, the former New York City Mayor is asking his NM donors to pony up $4600 now, the maximum amount allowable by law.

A ROBIN FOR RUDY
Dozier Otten
One familiar political name has joined Rudy's NM cause. She's Robin Dozier Otten, the cabinet secretary for Humans Services under GOP Governor Gary Johnson. She is chairing "New Mexico Women for Rudy." Never mind that Robin is the sole member of the group right now, she is confident that Rudy's ability to explain his abortion and gay rights positions will sway skeptical conservatives to his side.

I don't recall it, but Dozier-Otten says Rudy was here in '98 campaigning for the re-election of Governor Gary. She now runs a public affairs consulting business. In the 90's she ran for the GOP nomination for the US Senate seat held by Dem Jeff Bingaman.

BIG BILL'S WORLD

It's still rough out there for the New Mexico Governor who is getting the full treatment from the national press and pundits who delight when a presidential candidate stumbles and gives them material. Here's commentator Bob Novak, the Republican "Prince of Darkness," turning up the heat on Bill.

"He appeared totally unprepared at the debate. It was a continuation of his disastrous performance on NBC's "Meet the Press" last Sunday -- perhaps the worst performance in the show's history. On "Meet the Press," Richardson had seemed unprepared for host Tim Russert's questions on Iraq, immigration, gun control and his own record, culminating in his declaring he is simultaneously a Red Sox and a Yankee fan. Longtime Richardson-watchers say he has been flying by the seat of his pants his whole career, and this time he crashed and burned."

Salon.com is a bit kinder and gentler, but the story line that Richardson is in trouble because of his recent public performances persists. Here's a sample:

"In person, Richardson's performance can swing wildly even within a single speech. At his best, he is down-home, confident, folksy and authoritative At his worst, he looks tired and disconnected, and his speech is interspersed with awkward pauses and "uhs." He meanders, adding extra words to his sentences and losing his own train of thought."

IT WASN'T THE FIRST

When the ABQ city council overrode a Mayor Marty veto this week, it was the first time it has happened in a long, long time, but apparently not the first time ever as we indicated Tuesday. A city hall insider says you have to go back to 1995, in Marty's first term, but you do find another case of a Mayor Chavez veto override. For you government junkies, it was April 17, 1995 and the veto overridden was "EC-313 Mayor's Veto Message of R-220, Amending Policy with Regard to the Montano Bridge as Contained in Enactment No. 176-1991, Calling for the Delay of Construction Until Bill No. R-214, or a Substitute Bill, either is adopted into Law or Fails."

Mayor Chavez is the city's longest serving mayor since we adopted the modern government in '74. He won his first term in '93; another one in '01 and a third in 2005.

JUDY IN THE FAST LANE
Espinosa
It’s a fast moving crew in the office of NM Lieutenant Gov. Diane Denish--apparently too fast. Lady Di has been nabbed for speeding in the past, and now her chief of staff, Judy Espinosa, is carrying a careless driving ticker in her purse after getting into a pretty serious accident as described one of our Alligators

"A week ago Monday the Lieutenant Gov.'s chief of Staff, Judith Espinosa rolled her car at the bottom of La Bajada while returning to Alb. in the mid-afternoon, Her Camry was totaled and they had to cut the top of her car off to get her out. Mostly she was bruised, but chipped a bone in her ankle and has to wear one of those leg boots for six weeks. She is recuperating at home.”

The Light Guv's office confirms our Gator’s info and says Judy is making a good recovery. Big Bill is New Mexico's most famous political speeder, but says he has reformed. With Bill, Di and now Judy all busted for their wayward driving, perhaps they can form a support group. Maybe ABQ’s Al Unser will volunteer to moderate.

Join me tomorrow for a Friday blog featuring our summer ABQ dining suggestions for the politically inclined.

Your emails of news, comments or criticisms are always welcome. There's a link at the top of the page.

(c)NM POLITICS WITH JOE MONAHAN 2006
Not for reproduction without permission of the author

Mayor Chavez
Has ABQ Mayor Marty Chavez developed a tin ear? The question arises in the aftermath of the firm slap on the mayoral buttocks administered by the ABQ city council in the form of an override of a Chavez veto. Alligators want to know: Is this a one-time deal or is something more serious afoot? The council--on a 6-3 vote-overrode the mayor's veto (video) of a $9 million appropriation for the Bernalillo County jail. They found that money by delaying for six months the mayor's one eighth of a cent cut in the city gross receipts tax. He howled and stomped, but to no avail. After the override, I asked longtime city politics watcher and political organizer Steve Cabiedes for his thoughts.

"The mayor may be out of sync with the public. Look at the Democratic presidential candidates. They support letting the Bush tax cuts expire and using the money for social programs. The electorate in Albuquerque seems to want more services. Tax cuts don't capture the moment. They are not unappealing, they just don't pack as much punch right now because the pendulum is swinging the other way," argued Cabiedes.

Another question: Did the well-documented personal animosity between the mayor and Bernalillo County Commissioner Alan Armijo also play a role in the mayor's tooth and nail battle to stop the jail money? If so, it played into Armijo's hands.

And what of the mayor's hopes for the 2010 Democratic Guv nomination? Are tax cuts going to appeal to likely Dem voters? Not likely. Chavez's foes will probably use his ill-timed clash with the council to assert that, if elected Governor, Chavez would not be able to work with the NM Legislature. Some observers say the mayor may be fighting the last war--his 1998 campaign for Governor against Gary Johnson who effectively painted him as a tax and spend liberal. Is Chavez determined to avoid that trap again? It should be noted that the council did not vote against the Chavez tax cut---they delayed it by six months--showing that tax cuts may not be the flavor of the month, but they are no anathema either.

THE MAYORAL OUTLOOK

Chavez is dealing with a less malleable and a more liberal city council than years past. They say they are offended by the mayor's overbearing style and what one councilor terms his "intimidation tactics." Several of them are toying with a future run for mayor, but none has distinguished themselves with a catchy platform. Instead they content themselves with taking pokes at Chavez and getting more pork for their individual districts, or in this case a relatively minor appropriation for the jail. Chavez still commands the agenda for the state's largest city--even as a lame duck-- but he needlessly gave up some points in the jail imbroglio. If he doesn't take it personally, he should be able to move forward. If he chooses to fight yesterday's battle, it could start looking like 1998 all over again.

HABLA ESPAÑOL, DIANE?

The state's #2, Lt. Gov. Diane Denish, piqued our curiosity when we heard of two events involving her and the Spanish language. She was quoted in the Silver City Daily Press as having spoken in Spanish at a public event there, and she sent out a news release announcing she would help launch PBS's Spanish language TV network known as "V-Me" at KRWG-TV in Las Cruces. Had the Light Guv, a native of Hobbs, been doing some late night studying and become fluent in Spanish, we wondered? No, she reports, but she can put some sentences together in Spanish and enjoys doing so when the occasion calls. She has three more years to brush up on even more sentences as she seeks the Democratic nod for Governor, a primary in which half the voters can be expected to be Hispanic, if not all of them Spanish speakers.

TOP DEM JOB OPEN

It appears new NM Democratic Party Chairman Brian Colón is taking applications for the postion of executive director of the state's majority party. A posting for the job is here. Current ED Matt Farrauto is still on the job. We presume he can reapply. Colón says he made no job promises when he took over as chair earlier this year.

ELECTION RESULTS

Here are the results from Tuesday's election for the board of the Middle Rio Grande Conservancy District.

Send your news and comments via the email link at the top of the page.

(c)NM POLITICS WITH JOE MONAHAN 2007
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Domenici & Wilson
The reality of the changing of the guard on Capitol Hill is starting to hit home in our Enchanted Land. Look at this warning shot from NM GOP US Senator Pete Domenici. He laments his loss of a chairmanship of a key senate subcommittee that doles out vast amounts of money to the national defense labs here. And get a load of this quote from Domenici, in the Senate game now for nearly 35 years: "That’s what elections do. People wonder...whether elections count. You can cite this one — that we now don’t have Pete in a chairman’s role there. We’ve got to run uphill.”

While Domenici works to lower expectations on his future ability to deliver federal gravy, Democrats could take advantage and argue that ousting Pete in next year's election would not have a grave impact on the state's economic fortunes and could actually be boosted with the election of a majority Democrat. On the other hand, Dem Sen. Bingaman and D Rep. Tom Udall may now be faulted if they don't pick up the slack left by Domenici's loss of stroke.

HEATHER'S WAKE-UP CALL

The Democratic takeover is also now stark reality for ABQ GOP Congresswoman Heather Wilson. The NM GOP has been relentless in hammering the new Dem chairman of the House Veterans Affairs Committee for playing partisan and blocking the renaming of the veterans medical center in ABQ after Jerry Murphy, a NM Congressional Medal of Honor winner. They say he is doing so just to screw over Heather who sponsored the measure, and they are right. NM newspaper editorials have lambasted Chairman Bob Filner (D-CA.) and urged him to relent. But the larger story here is the punishment being doled out to Wilson and what that means to the ABQ district. If they are taking her out over renaming a building, what happens when she comes hat in hand asking for defense and energy funding important to the area economy? As Domenici said: "People wonder...whether elections count. You can cite this one."

ON A RATINGS ROLL

KRQE-TV has gone from steady winner in the 10 p.m weekday news contest to downright dominance in the ABQ market. The just completed May sweeps give the ABQ CBS affiliate bragging rights for the fifth ratings period in a row with a 10.9 rating at 1o p.m. in May, compared to KOB-TV's 7.3 and KOAT's 6.9. The KRQE newscast is anchored by Dick Knipfing and Erika Ruiz. The 10.9 rating means of all the households in the viewing area with television, 10.9 per cent of them were tuned in at 10 p.m to the KRQE newscast or about 72,000 households. The ABQ-Santa Fe market includes much of the state and is steadily climbing the list of ranked TV markets. Out of 210 in the USA, it now comes in as the 45th largest with over 662,000 households.

RELIGION & POLITICS

Ethnicity is often an indicator of how someone will vote; another is religion. It seems to be an issue in some quarters for GOP presidential candidate Mitt Romney who is a Mormon and seeking the nation's highest office. Here in New Mexico ethnicity has played a prominent role in voting patterns, while religion has had a lesser role. Take Dem US Rep. Tom Udall. He is apparently the highest ranking politician in the state of the Mormon faith. However, you rarely hear any mention of his religion, but you do hear grumbling that the state's most Hispanic congressional district is represented by an Anglo, not an Hispanic.

A SCORCHING VIDEO

Talk about a high-octane video. This group seeking the impeachment of Attorney General Alberto Gonzales has put together a vid featuring ex-NM US attorney David Iglesias being questioned by Congress. Whether you agree with it or not, this thing blazes.

(c)NM POLITICS WITH JOE MONAHAN 2007
Not for reproduction without permission of the author

The 2nd Tier
Bill Richardson scored a breakthrough at last night's Democratic presidential New Hampshire debate, but it wasn't for his long shot candidacy--although he didn't hurt himself--the breakthrough came in his relationship with front runner and likely Prez nominee Hillary Clinton. Was that Hill pouring the praise on our Bill not once but twice? And was that him taking it all in with the smile of a Cheshire cat? Now for Big Bill fans convinced that he can breakout and somehow win the Dem nomination, the Hill-Bill rapprochement was a nonevent, but for those moving the chess pieces ahead a few moves and wondering if the New Mexico governor might just land a job with a President Hillary Clinton, it was a moment of note.

The Guv teed up up the ball when the candidates were asked what role they would envision for former President Clinton in their administrations. In answering, Richardson looked at Hillary and half-joked that the former President wasn't "too happy with him" as he was running against his wife. But later in the debate Hillary made sure to praise the globetrotting governor saying, “In my administration, (we'd have)) diplomacy, patient, careful diplomacy, the kind of diplomacy that Bill Richardson did for my husband, that really gets people to stay with it over time." Later she dropped a second love line on the Guv's international abilities.

Richardson' candidacy has been haunted by suggestions that he is actually running for secretary of state or vice-president. He says firmly he isn't, but praise from the Democratic candidate currently leading the pack surely didn't hurt his feelings, nor his chances of representing the USA in a major capacity should the White House stationary become embossed with the initials HRC.

DEBATE ANALYSIS

As for the debate, the Guv needed redemption from his sloppy Meet the Press appearance. He didn't get it, but he didn't hurt himself either, perhaps at least putting a band aid on the bleeding. At the Drudge Report, Bill was being voted the surprising second place finisher, behind Obama. Richardson had bad luck with timing. He was not called on until 18 minutes into the CNN affair and then he fumbled around with a question on whether his Iraq withdrawal plan would result in sectarian genocide there. Cosmetically, his weight is back up, but he is wearing it better than in the past, appearing thick, but somewhat athletic in the head and shoulders shots. The clothes fit well and the hair is manageable. He rounded out his appearance with shiny black cowboy boots, noticeable to the audience when the candidates sat in chairs for the debates second hour.

Where was Bill on whether the USA should adopt English as its official language? It was a natural for him as NM is officially a bilingual state, and he is the only Hispanic candidate. All the major hopefuls were against making English official, but Richardson should have swung harder at the softball.

The Guv's insistence that he just happens to be a Hispanic candidate has not worked in rallying the many Hispanics who will vote in the early Dem primaries. Also, his campaign by resume is starting to tire. He needs some fresh material. Not unexpectedly, the Guv again shined on foreign policy questions, including the Darfur disaster. CNN GOP commentator Michael Murphy called Bill's campaign a "nonstop train wreck" since his Meet the Press performance, but we saw a more confident conductor last night as well as one who knew that there will be a time to try to break speeding records, but that time lies ahead.

ABQ CAMPAIGN HEAT RISES
de'Pascal
ABQ Campaign '07 is heating up along with the June temperatures. The opponent of Councilor Brad Winter is leveling a broadside against the incumbent and another councilor, Republican Don Harris, is the target of a recall effort. What's the deal?

Winter has been a strident foe of ABQ Mayor Marty Chavez, especially since he lost his 2005 mayoral challenge to Marty. Now comes Winter challenger Paulette de'Pascal charging that the two term councilor is allowing "his personal feelings" to interfere with "sound judgment." She tells me Winter's support of a six month delay in the mayor's 1/8 of a cent cut in the city's gross receipts tax is a sign of his being "out of touch" with his conservative to moderate NE Heights district. Winter fires back, "It’'s goofy season. The Mayor and I have agreed on two tax cuts in excess of $30 million in the last year. I proposed the first one; I agreed with him that Albuquerque needed the second cut."

The ABQ Journal reported May 22: "Craig Loy, Sally Mayer, Ken Sanchez and Brad Winter voted against delaying the tax reduction. Voting to delay were Isaac Benton, Michael Cadigan, Don Harris, Martin Heinrich and Debbie O'Malley. Once the date was changed, the tax cut was approved 7-2, over the protests of Loy and Sanchez." Winter did not join Sanchez and Loy.

Chavez has vetoed $9 million in funding for Bernalillo County's Metropolitan Detention Center that comes from delaying his tax cut. The council meets today to consider overriding that veto. They need six votes to do so. Winter is a key vote. If he votes to override Chavez and not call for an earlier tax cut, de'Pascal is sure to make it a campaign issue, but Winter is a heavy favorite and has room to maneuver. Also, the public does not seem to be clamoring over having the small tax cut take effect six months earlier.

HUNTING HARRIS

Meanwhile, in the far NE Heights--the Four Hills area in particular--freshman city councilor and and Republican Don Harris is under attack, with area insiders telling me a move to recall Harris is the real deal. "This has legs; it is not symbolic. Don has crossed a lot of people in the area," one in the know source reports.

Is Mayor Chavez behind the recall because Harris voted to delay his tax cut so the city council could give money to the Bernalillo county jail? "That's one of the reasons, but the recall talk has been going on for several months. Chavez may be egging it on, but I don't think it originates with him. They are upset with Don on a number of other local issues," explains our insider.

If Harris were recalled at the October 2 election, the mayor would get to appoint his replacement. That would give him more leverage with the council, leverage he seems to need more of with each passing month.

MESA DEL SOL


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LUCKY'S SHARE

Our reader's blog last week bemoaning the meltdown of the state's payroll and accounting system known as SHARE, drew some pointed reaction, especially from a supporter of State Rep. and Legislative Finance Committee Chairman Lucky Varela. Our reader said Varela was "running for cover" over SHARE, but a close ally of Varela's says the lawmaker and the LFC "has had a lengthy and persistent record of raising concerns about implementation." A March column from Jay Miller's Inside the Capitol points out:

"LFC Chairman Luciano "Lucky" Varela, of Santa Fe, notes that the committee spent six months calling state officials before it to answer many questions about the system's failures. Evidently the committee now has decided that the assurances it received were nothing more than empty promises."

The SHARE fiasco is providing inspiration to the state government jokesters. This one is making the rounds: "We call it GROAN--Governor Richardson's Ongoing Accounting Nightmare." But a SHARE supporter asserts: "SHARE has some problems. All new systems have them; but SHARE does work. People are being paid. Initial problems were primarily due to people not reacting to the change in payroll system--(employees making mistakes even though they were trained."

THE BOTTOM LINES

For years he was a household name in New Mexico. George Morrison, longtime TV news anchor for KOAT and KRQE-TV in the 60's and 70's, died Friday. He was 82. George, also an attorney, was retired in ABQ where he enjoyed writing, including this book on the early days of NM TV news...Senator Bingaman aide Terry Brunner invokes the famous General Douglas MacArthur in telling us that he will not seek the Dem nod for the ABQ congressional seat in '08. "I shall return," he promises. Better be careful, Terry. Wasn't MacArthur fired by Democratic President Harry Truman?

Keep us posted on your latest news. Send it via email from the link at the top of the page

(c)NM POLITICS WITH JOE MONAHAN 2007
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