Councilor Benton

In what appears to be an effort to preempt campaign attacks longtime ABQ City Councilor Ike Benton, seeking re-election in November, is out with an apology for a critical statement and a curse he uttered at a May 2018 council meeting where ABQ Fire Chief Paul Dow was making his case for a pay raise for firefighters.

Video of the meeting, which Benton attended via telephone and not in person due to eye surgery he had that day, has been making the rounds. On it Benton berates firefighters and their Chief Paul Dow for advocating for higher pay.

"These firefighters never stop. I'm going to vote against it," declares Benton as Dow begins his remarks to the council. Later, as Dow explains why he believes the pay boost is needed, Benton talks over him on the phone and says derisively, "Fuck you."

Here is the video. Benton's declaration that he will vote against the pay raise is at the beginning of the three minute tape and his cursing is at about 1:40.

District 2 Councilor Benton, a Democrat who was first elected to the nine member panel in 2005, says he thought his phone was muted during his controversial outbursts, but it wasn't and the comments he says he was making to his wife were heard by the full council and taped for posterity.

None of Benton's foes have yet used the tape against him in paid campaign pieces but it appears Benton wants to get ahead of the curve and try to dampen any attacks when and if they do come. Here's some of what he says in an email to supporters:

. . . Thinking my phone was on mute, I expressed frustration as well as my intention to vote against (the raises). About fifteen minutes later, I uttered a curse—also heard by others. I apologize. . . Nevertheless, in my considered judgment it did not seem fair for firefighters to get another raise on top of the one they had already secured while so many of the City’s rank and file employees were stuck with receiving much smaller raises. . . My cursing was absolutely not directed at Fire Chief Dow. My utterance was intended to be private and self-directed, and in no way directed to Chief Dow or the firefighters.


Benton, 69, a retired architect, says in his constituent email of Chief Dow:

I am extremely embarrassed that it was heard. I have apologized to the Fire Chief and he seems to accept that it was taken out of context.

"Seems to accept" isn't exactly a statement of forgiveness or acceptance of an apology, and Benton strains credulity when he says his "fuck you" was "self-directed."

Twentysomething hotshots Zach Quintero and Joseph Griego are considered Benton's two most formidable foes. Will one or both of them try to exploit the blunder? Or will one of those outside committees that now form for council races pop up and do the dirty work? (Benton says he will not be getting the firefighters endorsement. Their union has in the past financed committees producing campaign ads).

If his opponents do fire Benton will have plenty of 'splanin to do. However, given the large percentage of money that public safety receives in the city budget his comments were understandable, but in this case it's all in how you say it.

Benton's District 2 seat city includes downtown, old town, parts of UNM and the entire valley east of the river.

LEFTOVERS

Moldy leftovers from the Martinez era continue to surface. Like this. The state paid out. . .

$80,000 to settle claims that then-Gov. Susana Martinez’s security team defamed and assaulted two people who showed up at a political event in Deming. The plaintiffs in that case, Scott and Colette Chandler, run a youth ranch and wanted to deliver a petition to the governor.

The case was settled last year but the payment was just disclosed. Background on the case here.
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(c)NM POLITICS WITH JOE MONAHAN 2019