It's terribly entertaining and it's unforgivable. It's the fact that a person says one thing and then does the other and it really is unforgivable. This is contrary to everything he has said and done.

White, who resigned from his city job when he interfered with a traffic accident involving his wife, is now a private investigator.  He did not respond to Johnson but said:

Like several other former and retired law enforcement officials, I was asked by a company to develop and implement a risk assessment and security plan for their application.

The readers weigh in, with David O'Neil saying White's move may signal that some R's might again flirt with legalization:

I feel like I hit my head and woke up on Mars or something. But I first heard that rumor in June 2014. Look for lawsuits if Martinez political cronies grab the majority of the licences. I look for a push for legalization in 2017 at the latest; those guys may make it happen. It'll be interesting to see if they follow through. I wonder if they thought they could keep it on the down low?

Another reader writes:

With Darren White now officially running for the title of "World's Biggest Hypocrite Ever" by trying to obtain a Medical Marijuana Dispensary I thought it might be nice to share this oldie but goodie from Mr. White. In this video the hypocrisy is almost as thick as the cheese!

It's a video of White singing an anti-drug song in a band composed of police officers.

AT THE MOVIES

The final big holiday of the summer is upon us and reader Eric Lucero will be spending some of it at the movies.

A Walk In The Woods 3 1/2 Stars out of 5 Stars. Academy Award winners Robert Redford & Nick Nolte finally star in their own “Buddy Road” film. In this case, as long lost friends who lost track of each other and are reunited in this funny and sentimental film adaption of Bill Bryson’s non-fiction novel. Redford & Nolte journey as reluctant hiking partners along the picturesque Appalachian Trail. As they bumble along from Georgia to Maine travel writer Bill (Redford) and his homeless troubled buddy (Nolte) learn about life and the meaning of friendship. These veteran actors again prove why they are still acting today. Woods is entertaining pertinent.

That will do it for us this week. Thanks for stopping by. Happy Labor Day and we'll see you back here Tuesday.

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The party in the city of Santa Fe--on its last legs for a couple of years--is now officially over. The long-lived, brutal recession that has slashed city revenues and job and population growth has finally come home to roost:

Painful decisions about possible cutbacks and tax increases are on the horizon for Santa Fe, which will have to grapple with a projected budget deficit of up to $15 million next year, Mayor Javier Gonzales said. Shrinking revenues and higher expenses are among the factors behind the projected budget gap . . 

While gross receipts taxes are approaching 2008 levels, the city hasn’t kept up with inflation. When inflation is factored in, the city has been operating with about $10 million less annually in gross receipts tax revenue for about the past seven years, Gonzales said. . . Budget gimmicks like transferring money from the water division to the general fund, have run their course.

Santa Fe has an aging population, a state administration that continues to stall filling government vacancies, a challenge in attracting tourists who spend rather than ogle, a shift in the art market that has taken a toll, a soaring high school drop out rate and an on again off again property crime issue driven by drugs.

A day trip to the historic Plaza and environs doesn't reveal this dark side but middle class Santa Feans have been dealing with it and now their city government is facing the fact that the capitol city's long-term trend is flat.

If and when the budget hawks at the Roundhouse are out voted there is a shot that the city could see hundreds of state government jobs filled that are currently being left vacant. That could provide the economic boost the city needs to spark revenue growth that could diminish chances for cuts to city services. Until then, Javier, you're on your own.

WALKING IN OUR SLEEP

Alan Webber

2014 Dem Guv hopeful Alan Webber writes of recent events:

The news is disturbing, troubling, unsettling. In Albuquerque, unimaginable events happen with unbelievable regularity. A murder trial for two members of the Albuquerque Police Department. The fate of the Superintendent of the Albuquerque Public Schools being decided behind closed doors after less than 3 months on the job because of his hiring of an accused sex offender as his deputy. A national evaluation of small businesses awards Albuquerque an “F".  New Mexico is losing population. Albuquerque is losing population. There is a serious talent drain. And now the secretary of state is accused by the attorney general of committing the very crimes that her office is supposed to guard against. 

It is a moment of truth. . . Pretending that everything is fine is not the way forward. . .The first job of leadership is to tell it like it is. The second job is to describe how it can be. And the third job is to begin the hard work of moving from where we are to where we want to be. . .

We need truth and new ideas.. . We need to close ranks around a shared dream for New Mexico’s future. . .We start by changing the conversation. We acknowledge our serious problems, starting with a lack of good jobs. Then we go to work on a grass-roots strategy to create good jobs with good wages. We design a strategy that we can control, that we can create, a strategy that reflects our strengths and our skills. We start by working together. And we stop doing things that don’t work. We stop walking in our sleep. We stop pretending that things are okay, that the status quo is good enough, that the way it is now is the way it has to be.

KELLER VS. THE MACHINE (CONT.)

State Auditor Tim Keller keeps sticking the needle in the Martinez administration and they keep poking back. The latest is on adequate funding for special education.

Keller vs. the Machine (taxation secretary, Taser investigation etc.) was a hit over the summer and it looks like it will be renewed for the fall season.

EGG ON THE FACE

Early blog readers Wednesday caught us with some egg on our face when we blogged that there had never been a male secretary of state. Michael Garcia of Santa Fe straightened us out:

In regards to you statement that there has not been a male SOS, actually we have had two male SOSs. Antonio J. Lucero (D) served from 1912-18, and Manuel Martínez (R) served from 1919-22. As you can see, our first SOS was a male. Keep up the great blog! 

The NM Blue Book lists all statewide officeholders in NM history story but you have to remember to take it down from the shelf. Still, it would be a giant curveball if Gov. Martinez appointed a man to the post in the event of a Dianna Duran resignation.

Reader Jane Kennedy thinks we messed up by even suggesting a man for the SOS job:

Hi Joe, why on Earth would you suggest the gender of a future SOS appointee is important? That the "SOS hex" has something to do with gender? Please reconsider.

We plead guilty. Look, our head has been so deep in New Mexico scandals lately that we even forgot to put green chile on our omelet.

THE BOTTOM LINES

ABQ election season is upon us. Tonight at 6  the three contenders for the ABQ SE Heights city council seat (District 6) take the stage together. The forum will be at the
African-American Performing Arts Center Theater on the grounds of NM Expo. Election Day is October 6.
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Here's a gender bender for you: After three secretaries of state in a row have been felled  by legal woes, how about if Gov. Martinez makes history and appoints a man to the post if, as expected, Secretary of State Dianna Duran resigns? Its only happened twice in the 100 plus years of New Mexican history and that was at the beginning of statehood but voters are probably willing to support anything that might break the SOS hex. . .

In ABQ, a number of folks are once again urging that elections for the ABQ school board be held at the November general election or with the October city election instead of February. They argue the candidates would get more scrutiny and the public would be more involved in who gets on the seven member board which for decades has botched the hiring of APS superintendents, the latest being the Valentino debacle.

Voters approved a constitutional amendment to change the timing in 2014 but it needed approval from 75% of the voters and it mustered only 58% support. Maybe it wouldn't make much of a difference. After all, secretaries of state are elected in the higher turnout general election and that hasn't stopped the cascade of scandals in that office. . .

Cheryl Haaker of the League of Women voters picks up on the dismal turnout for the school board balloting:

Joe, I checked out election results for the last two school board elections (half the Board is elected every 2 years). This is the depressing and disturbing result:

District 1. (2015) Analee Maestas: 453 votes
District 2. (2015) Peggy Muller-Aragon: 1961 votes
District 3. (2013) Lorenzo Garcia: 848 votes
District 4. (2015) Barbara Peterson: 1877
District 5. (2013) Steven Michael Quezada: 855 votes (he ran unopposed)
District 6. (2013) David Robbins: 1098 votes

These were the numbers of votes these candidates received which put them onto the APS Board. Out of a city of at least 550,000 (and APS's district covers more than just the city) this is absolutely shameful. If the school board elections were to be combined with the municipal elections (October of odd years), turnout would undoubtedly be better, although municipal election turnout is also pathetic. . . Speaking of the October Albuquerque Municipal Election (October 6), the League Voters' Guide is now up on the website and will be coming out in hard copy next week. Would you help us spread the word?

Thanks for that turnout research, Cheryl, and consider the word on the guide spread.

It surprised us to learn from that guide that voting in the city election actually began Tuesday with voting sites at the City Clerk's Office and the City Records Center on Menaul already open.

We're also reminded that if no candidate gets 50% of the vote in a city council race there will be a runoff election between the top two contenders on November 17. Will that happen in that three way race to replace Councilor Rey Garduno in the SE Heights? It could.
ODD COUPLE

Here's a seemingly odd political couple--Gov. Martinez tams with fellow GOP Governor Sam Brownback of Kansas to pen a column advocating work requirements for  welfare recipients. The piece ran in the Washington Times, an outlet that appeals to conservatives and a wing of the GOP that sometimes voices suspicions about Martinez.

THE OIL BEAR

It's another wild bear market in oil. We remember the one back in the 80's when the price crashed to $10 bucks a barrel and cratered the state budget. The state comes with  this tidbit on the current bear:

Lower oil prices have stifled new oil well drilling, and there were only 50 oil rigs in New Mexico in July 2015, down from 94 in July 2014. It is estimated that a typical oil rig directly supports 50 to 70 high- paying jobs.

That's as many as 3,000 jobs lost to the oil bear. One suspects it will eventually show itself in the economic numbers for SE NM, not to mention the daily lives of those impacted.

SANCHEZ WATCH

He's going to stay pretty quiet until after the '16 election when he's expected to launch his bid for the '18 GOP gubernatorial nomination but he is going about his business:

Lieutenant Governor John Sanchez was unanimously re-elected by his peers from across the nation to serve as West Regional Chair of the National Lieutenant Governors Association (NLGA). As a member of the NLGA Executive Committee, Lieutenant Governor Sanchez will continue to represent New Mexico, as well as 15 other states and territories, and help chart the course of issues to be pursued by the association and its members.

Sanchez had a great summer. Why? The immense Monsoon rains had city roofs leaking at a record pace. Sanchez owns a roofing company. The question for him now is whether the roof on the Fourth Floor of the Roundhouse starts leaking. If it does, his chances of getting that roof over his head get mighty cloudy.

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State House Democrats, relegated to the minority last year for the first time in 60 years, still don't quite seem to get the predicament they're in. In announcing that they are initiating the impeachment process against Secretary of State Dianna Duran following criminal charges made against her by Attorney General Balderas, the House Dems said:

House Democrats reached out to House Republicans as the first step in the impeachment process that can only begin in the House of Representatives.

"Reached out?" Not "called on them" to immediately join them in impeaching Duran if she refuses to resign? And if the R's don't join them charge them with tolerating the corruption? Hey, House Dems, this is politics not Emily Post etiquette.

Duran's attorney said Monday Duran will plead innocent and fight the allegations but did not comment on Duran possibly resigning.

Upon hearing the news of the impeachment drive GOP House Speaker Tripp nearly called out loud for Duran to resign. The Dems continue to fear that being aggressive with the R's will make them appear partisan and shrill but their critics say it actually makes them seem weak which in turn makes them lose elections.

The State Dem Party did put out a news release following the Duran charges. Let's take a look:

Unfortunately this case is only the latest in a series of charges and allegations that reflect a Republican war on good government in New Mexico. The ongoing scandal in the Department of Education relative to the Albuquerque Public School District and charges of ethical violations in the Department of Taxation and Revenue are reminders why the DPNM will fight hard to retake control of the state House and retain control of the state Senate in the 2016 election.

Pretty tough stuff. The problem? No news outlets carried it because no prominent Dem politicos backed it up.

And more from the Alligator pond on the Dems, the Guv and the scandals:

Joe, if I was running the Democratic Party right now I would be trotting out every single wonderful thing Susana Martinez ever said about Dianna Duran and hang it around Susana's neck. Not only would that finally start to weaken Martinez but it would build momentum around Duran's impeachment and help the House Dems' case. But it says something about the Dems that no one is grasping this opportunity to expose the Martinez administration for who they are.

Lily of Old Town has a question:

My question is why wasn't Duran's campaign treasurer been mentioned in connection with the charges? Duran's treasurer is Grace Gonzales of Alamogordo. I have been treasurer for three different campaigns. It is not a figure head position. I deposited all money, paid all the bills and reconciled the bank statements that were mailed to my address. If the candidate told me he/she had spent $30 of their own money for a campaign expense I had to get the receipt before I wrote them a check for reimbursement. When each state filing time came I inputted the information or supervised anyone else who put it in. Once done there is a button labeled "submit" which only I myself as treasurer can click on, certifying the information was correct to the best of my knowledge. We had no ATM or credit cards and even if we did each expenditure or money withdrawal would have come with a receipt for me to log. All I can assume is that Sec. Duran did her own and just told Ms. Gonzales it was done correctly or Ms. Gonzales has some questions to answer.

There's just too much to this deal for the Gators. One of them writes:

In 2011 Former Dem Secretary of State Mary Herrera was attacked by Secretary of State Dianna Duran accusing her of being a criminal. (From KOAT).

Herrera was defeated by Duran in 2010 when Herrera sought re-election.

SHE WILL GO

Republican political consultant Bob Cornelius writes from Texas that he expects Duran to resign rather than face impeachment. Here's why:

Joe, I think Duran will resign s part of a plea deal to reduce the charges to those below the felony level. That way she keeps her government pension.

An important point, Bob.

And can Duran beat the rap? A Legal Beagle comments on the efforts of Duran's attorney to poke a hole in the AG's case:

The "motion to dismiss the complaint" I suspect will include the allegation that credit card records or bank records such as checks, deposit slips or wire  transfers to and from private accounts were obtained without of valid search  warrant. What you are dealing with are allegations of "white collar" crime, and  such crimes are proven with a paper trail. You follow the money flow and transactions. If the bank records are suppressed as evidence by a judge, there is no evidence of a crime and the case would be dismissed.

INK STAINED AND IRKED

A self-described "ink stained wretch" writes of the criminal charges brought against Secretary of State Duran:

Give Attorney General Balderas credit for waiting until a Friday afternoon to drop the hammer on the secretary of state and for not holding a news conference to do so. Can't accuse him of political grandstanding, eh? But where's New Mexico's leading newspaper? Yeah, this hit page one on Saturday although no choice there. The preventive-detention and bail-bond story that headlined Sunday is important, too, but they couldn't find space for a follow up on a major political/criminal scandal? (The New Mexican had three reporters on it for Sunday). If Dianna Durán has a gambling addiction, she's entitled to some sympathy, but she also holds one of the highest public offices in the state, one requiring absolute above-reproach integrity. For the Journal to treat this as a one-day story and walk away is not only shameful, it adds credence to what some perceive as news management's political agenda masquerading as journalism.

Another reader writes:

I am appalled that that some of your readers made the comment that because the news of Duran's criminal charges came out on a Friday  afternoon that the Attorney General may be playing footsie with the Fourth Floor. The Attorney General is probably one of the most ethical politicians I know and would not do any favors for the Governor or the shadow Governor. Attorney General Hector Balderas has done more in office the first 8 months of his term than the previous Attorney General. 

Others praised Hector for being professional and not turning the charges into a "political circus."

And a differing view:

It looks like some have AG Balderas totally pegged--he's cherry picking his way carefully around the stench of corruption in an around the Governor's 's office, hoping to dodge her trigger-happy heavy artillery while he bides his time to run for governor himself.

SCHOOL DAZE

There's also been the "stench of corruption" at the ABQ Public Schools, with the embattled Superintendent Luis Valentino being forced to resign. But the $80,000 payout ($100,000 when a final month's salary is included) he got to get outta town had social media exploding with condemnation of the school board and Valentino who told the media when he took the job three months ago that he would not take any buyout if things did not work out. What happened to "Character Counts?" And the board is going to give this fella a reference? Nice work if you can get it. . .

There's still the matter of APS Chief Financial Officer Don Moya accusing the Governor and the education secretary in a lawsuit of being responsible for the hiring of alleged pedophile Jason Martinez as deputy superintendent which led to Valentino's disgrace and resignation. The Guv's office says that's absurd but exploration of the Moya charge could refuel the scandal down the road.

Meanwhile, It's time for a new Super. Just about all of them in the past 25 years has been a bust. If the definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over again and expecting a different result, the ABQ school boards of past and present could go for some electric shock treatment.

And longtime APS critic Ched Macquigg has the money line from the settlement agreement with Valentino:

Stake and interest holders will be happy to know that, though it's going to cost us a few hundred grand; nobody did nothin'. From the settlement agreement: 12. Nothing in this Agreement or in its execution admits wrongdoing of any kind by either party."

See. Nobody done nothin'.

Gosh, it was all just a bad dream. Glad to hear that.

Carmie Lynn Toulouse writes of the Monday APS school board meeting:

I am disturbed that the board appears to have violated The Open Meetings Act. They cannot take any votes in executive session. They must go into a public meeting to vote. They needed a vote to accept Dr. Valentino's resignation. They needed a vote to appoint an interim superintendent. They needed a vote to approve any separation agreement with Dr. Valentino. They needed a notice of the public meeting, 24 hours notice for an emergency meeting, 72 hours for all other public meetings. These notices needed an attached agenda, you can't vote on anything not on the public agenda. Did I happen to miss all of these notices?

THE THING

According to Santa Fe, the thing is The Thing On Donald Trump's Head." Feel free to sing along.

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Balderas and Duran

APS Superintendent Luis Valentino resigned Thursday morning.

Geez, what are we going to blog about today? Anything going on? Okay, let's dig in. . .

Who will replace Dianna Duran if she resigns as secretary of state? That vacancy would be filled by Gov. Martinez so the office would stay in Republican hands for the immediate future. If Duran does quit, the secretary of state's race would go on the 2016 general election ballot to fill the rest of Duran's term which expires in 2018, according to elections expert and ABQ Dem state Sen. Daniel Ivey-Soto.

Resignation seems a very plausible possibility as Gov. Martinez was quick to throw Duran under the bus in the aftermath of Attorney General Hector Balderas leveling criminal charges against the SOS late Friday. (Full criminal complaint here.)

(Looking down the road, impeachment by the Legislature is also a threat that Duran could confront if the criminal charges advance. No one expects it to get that far.)

Unlike when State Auditor Tim Keller announced an investigation of Demesia Padilla--Martinez's secretary of taxation--the Guv nor her political machine did not label Balderas a political hack as they did Keller. The detailed criminal complaint pointing to a gambling addiction illicitly fueled by campaign cash by the 60 year old Duran (and/or her husband) was enough to chasten even the most partisan Republican. (More on Duran's campaign cash here). Besides, Duran, the first GOP sec. of state since the 30's, is not a member of the Martinez inner circle.

Alligators immediately jumped at the fresh serving of red meat, pointing out that McCleskey Media Strategies run by Martinez's powerful political consultant Jay McCleskey, was the media consultant for Duran in her successful 2014 re-election bid and that former GOP State Senator Rod Adair served as an administrator and spokesman for Duran. One of the Alligators weigh in:

Balderas may think bringing down Duran is a big enough feather for a future Democratic primary and he doesn't bring into the picture the Governor's Machine. Former GOP State Rep. Dan Foley, who has deep ties to the Machine, was on TV recently praising Balderas for his involvement in the APS scandal. Why would Hector get bloody with Jay when his buddies are propping you up? However, where does Dianna Duran go as she tries to save herself? That question may give the Martinez Machine some jitters.

Adair was fired by Duran for reasons never specified.

Someone has to stick the knife in when this stuff happens. This time its reader Greg Lennes:

In her re-election campaign Secretary of State Duran ironically had the support of a bogus group, New Mexicans for Honest Leadership. Maybe we can now call the group New Mexicans for Dishonest Leadership! New Mexicans for Honest Leadership's sole source of cash of $130,000 was from Advance New Mexico Now, a super PAC run by the Republican operative Matt Chandler, who is now a district court judge, recently appointed by Governor Martinez.

And that's how you follow the trail.

LEGAL BEAGLE TAKE

The Legal Beagles have picked up the scent and are ready with analysis of the Duran story:

Joe, the criminal complaint is extensive. The most significant components were the conversion counts, particularly because the contributors to the committee confirmed the funds were specifically for the campaign committee and not for Duran's personal use. The justification for the conversions allegedly being to cover gaming losses. In addition, the count alleging Duran fabricated an expenditure by applying it to an individual in a campaign report who confirmed no involvement with the campaign is also quite damaging because it not only was intentional but is also tantamount to identity theft.

These counts go directly towards intent and are straight forward in the ability to prove beyond a reasonable doubt. Although just allegations, they appear to be documented well enough that securing a conviction on those counts is a reasonable expectation.

There are questions not answered by the charging documents such as who else in the SOS office knew about these actions, and where did she learn how to do this? These were fairly complex efforts to move the funds into her private accounts and one wonders if she had some guidance.

ROTTEN BEAMS

Gov. Martinez is starting to feel the brunt of the second term curse. Institutions all around her seem to be crumbling like rotten beams. The SOS--charged with enforcing campaign ethics--is caught up in one of the most alarming campaign ethics breaches in state history; there's the aforementioned probe of the state taxation secretary; the ABQ public schools superintendent is embroiled in a sex scandal as that institution wobbles and the state's largest police agency--APD--continues to operate from behind a stone wall, fending off lawsuits while under a Dept. of Justice decree (how about the latest on that cop on cop shooting? Incredible.) In other words, the days of blaming Bill Richardson are long gone.

The Governor's potentially precarious political position will be put on the line as she leaves the state more to campaign on the national stage. She better leave plenty of fire extinguishers in Santa Fe before she jets out of here.

DEMS AND DURAN

The Duran scandal doesn't speak well of the Dem Party's opposition research. Duran has been planted at the casinos sinking her campaign cash into the slots for over five years, according to the AG's criminal complaint. But when Dem Maggie Toulouse Oliver got beat by Duran in '14 the issue never surfaced. Maybe Oliver takes a look at another run for the office. Balderas has given her the opposition research that she could have used in '14 and that now makes putting the office back in the Dem column a no-brainer.

But what do you suppose if this corruption outbreak had happened with the Dems in power? Independent analyst and former City Councilor Greg Payne puts it this way:

If this state of affairs at APS, the APD and the secretary of state's office was happening under Democrats the Martinez Machine would be smearing them big time and linking them to all the scandals. That's not happening to the Republicans because the Democrats still have consultants and office holders without the killer instinct who are happy to wait until the Republicans go away. The problem for the Dems is they might not go away in '16 or '18 if the Democrats don't do their job. They have taken a pass on a prime opportunity--the SOS and APS scandals--by failing to link them directly to Gov. Martinez and instead treat them as stand alone events and not systemic corruption. 

THREE IN A ROW

This is the third secretary of state in a row to end up in legal trouble. Mary Herrera--whio came before Duran--was investigated by Attorney General King but did not face charges. Rebecca-Vigil Giron had charges brought against her by King but they were dismissed.

Does the Legislature need to take a look at the structure of the office and see if we need more permanent, nonpolitical appointees in there that could depoliticize the place? Or are the cynics right and corruption is too ingrained in the New Mexico DNA for any fix? Or put an inspector general in each of the statewide offices as was once suggested?

THE SUBPLOT

An ongoing subplot of La Politica is the positioning off State Auditor Tim Keller and Balderas for a possible shot at the '18 Dem Guv nomination. This is Balderas' first big bite out of the corruption apple but unlike Keller he has not taken a direct hit on the Guv or her machine, There is a difference and how Balderas handles the charges against the state taxation secretary that Keller put on his desk will be closely watched. Ditto for the Keller probe of corruption allegations dealing with the purchase of Taser lapel camera videos by APD. The Duran probe is a headliner for Balderas but it is relatively low lying fruit (unless it leaps past the SOS's office).

Also a number of readers ask. . .

Why did the AG come with his big news on a late Friday afternoon, the traditional time to bury a news story? He also did that when he was state auditor and decided to look away from a probe of the Martinez administration's involvement in the controversial racing lease for the Downs of Albuquerque. He issued his final report on a late Friday. We don't if this is a game of footie with the Fourth Floor or not but as a number of readers pointed out, it is odd.

GOTTA GO

The ABQ school board meets for the third time today to resolve the fate of APS Superintendent Luis Valentino. The question there is not if he goes but how. His position is untenable as is Duran's. As for possible replacements for Duran, the GOP Alligator list includes attorney Amy Orlando, a BFF of Susana's; GOP State Rep Kelly Fajardo and ABQ City Attorney Jessica Hernandez, the onetime attorney for the Guv's office.

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