Joe Monahan

RED ALERT: Be advised. You are about to enter a Monster Blogging Zone.

The deeply troubled Children, Youth and Families Department (CYFD) has been impervious to major reform but that may be changing as Gov. Lujan Grisham comes under public fire from a Dem state representative normally supportive of her.

Socorro Rep. Tara Jaramillo, locked in a tight race with Republican Rebecca Dow, sponsored a measure to mandate outside supervision of CYFD. It passed the House but stalled in the Senate and is vigorously opposed by MLG. Now Jaramillo unloads on the Governor in an op-ed that will have observers watching for more legislative defections as the January session nears: From Jaramillo: 

My bipartisan bill establishing the Office of the Child Advocate. . .overwhelmingly passed the House. . .More than 25 other states have this office to oversee child welfare. . I believe independent oversight is an essential first step in fixing what’s broken at CYFD.  I was deeply discouraged when a member of my own party, the governor, killed the proposal. I have no doubt the governor cares about the welfare of the vulnerable children in state custody. . . But her resistance to reform in the face of the ongoing crisis at CYFD is misguided. And it is a clear signal to every member of the Legislature that we must execute our power as a co-equal branch of government and implement changes at CYFD — with or without the governor’s support, overriding her vetoes when necessary. The problems at CYFD are not funding problems. CYFD is better funded now than it has ever been.  The problems at CYFD are the result of a series of organizational failures over decades.

Is the stage being set for more accountability at CYFD? Stay tuned,

DEBATING WITH VASQUEZ

Update: KOB TV has released a SurveyUSA poll that shows Vasquez leading Herrell 51 to 42 percent with 8 percent undecided.  

The poll was taken among 582 likely voters September 26 to 30 and is similar to an Emerson College poll taken in late August that also showed Vasquez ahead by nine points.

 The campaign of Dem Rep. Gabe Vasquez is trying to fade the heat their getting over refusing to debate Republican Yvette Herrell on KOB-TV October 16. 

They say that Vasquez has offered "multiple" other dates for such a debate but Herrell refuses to "compromise."

Vasquez's campaign declined comment when we asked just why he would be unable to put aside a few hours on the 16th for a broadcast debate that would more fully inform voters about the candidates.

The Herrell campaign says it wanted a debate earlier than the 16th because early voting starts October 8th (today) but Vasquez wanted it on the 21st, well after widespread early voting had begun. The 16th was offered as a compromise. KOB says:

After a great deal of back-and-forth on possible dates, KOB selected a date. The debate opportunity was declined by the Vasquez camp. 

Then there's this false equivalency offered up by the Vasquez forces: 

Vasquez's allies were quick to point out Herrell's absence on Thursday from a meeting of the All Pueblo Council of Governors. The group is a non-profit organization that represents 19 Pueblos in New Mexico on government and cultural issues. 

But that meeting was not a statewide TV debate accessible to the 200,000 or so voters who will cast ballots in the southern congressional race. 

Besides, the Pueblo Council has already endorsed Kamala Harris for president. They are not a neutral party like the TV station.

Campaigns willing to debate jump at the chance and readily adjust their calendars to make a statewide appearance. 

So what does this tell us? Exactly what we reported on Monday's blog--that Vasquez is nursing a polling lead and doesn't want to fumble the ball in a debate with the feisty Herrell. 

As that guy on TV was fond of saying: "That's the way it is."  

FROM BAD TO WORSE

Its gone from bad to worse for Nella Domenici when it comes to the thorny question of abortion. Well, thorny for Republicans such as her but easy-peasy for pro-choice Dems like Sen. Martin Heinrich who she seeks to unseat.

Nella's latest mishap over the issue comes in an interview with a columnist for the ABQ Journal that was so tortured it resulted in this take from column author Jay Newton-Small:

Why is Domenici twisting herself into pretzels on this issue? She’s losing women. Heinrich led Domenici among women in the latest Albuquerque Journal poll 55% to 33%. And she’s not the only one: Trump was losing women to Vice President Kamala Harris by the same margin.

Then audio of the 19 minute exchange was released by the paper. For Nella's backers it's not what you would call easy listening.

She pounds Heinrich for asserting that she supports a national abortion ban but when asked how she would vote in the Senate on a bill that would make access to abortion a woman's right, she refused to answer. 

Then, in a violation of everything Professor Joe has taught in Blogging Campaign Class 101, one of Nella's handlers interrupts the phone interview, and says to the columnist as she continues asking about the abortion rights issue:   

“We're talking hypotheticals here. Do you have any other points you can talk about?” 

Well, yes. Like this one:

Please be quiet and let me interview this candidate for the US Senate about one of the most crucial issues of the day. Also, with all due respect, I'll decide what is hypothetical and what isn't while you sit there and cringe while your campaign comes undone. Got that? 

Of course, the columnist was genteel and said nothing of the kind but we could not resist giving you a taste of how this game was played when the old school prevailed--and class is always in session around here. 

MORE DOMENICI DAMAGE

Also during the interview (at 12:03) Domenici declared:

(Heinrich) has completely lied and said that when I am in the Senate I will be controlled by male senators which is disgusting. I am one of the most independent-minded people he'll ever meet and to say that I will bow to some male senators when they ask me to to do things I disagree with--it's outrageous. 

Okay, so then why let a campaign handler dictate the conduct of your interview with a journalist? If that's not bowing down, it is deferring to him and that calls into question your independence, your ability to think on your feet and to act independently.

Heinrich's camp is all over Nella for the flailing interview but she does have a lot going for her. 

That includes her steely determination, her success in business and family life; her impressive education and the savvy and smarts to be a Senator. But here's the but. . .

To get to the United States Senate you have to demonstrate you are a qualified candidate and that's a test Nella and her clueless handlers are continually failing.

(Sorry, handlers. Any other points you would like us to talk about?)

VOTING STARTS TODAY

Here's the low down from Bernalillo County Clerk Linda Stover's office: 

Early voting starts today at the Clerk’s Annex, located at 1500 Lomas Blvd NW, with hours from Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Additional locations and extended hours will be available starting Oct. 19. Voters can access their sample ballots on line. In addition to the presidential race, the ballot will include races for state representatives, state senators, county officials, and Bernalillo County municipal court judges. Voters will also decide on County and City questions, constitutional amendments, and measures such as AMAFCA and Ciudad Soil and Water Conservation. For more information about the election.

And from Santa Fe County Clerk Katharine Clark:

Starting today, all Santa Fe County residents can vote early at the Clerk's Office during regular business hours, 8am - 5pm Monday through Friday through November 1, 2024. Voting will not be available on Indigenous People’s Day, Monday, October 14th. Early voting at the clerk’s office will be on one Saturday only, November 2, 2024. More lection information here. 

JOHN ARTHUR SMITH

(Moore, ABQ Journal)

John Arthur Smith was as important as a legislator could be, chairing for 13 years the most powerful committee of them all, Senate Finance. 

During his time he often thwarted the spending dreams of governors whether they be Democratic or Republican, so much so that former Governor Big Bill dubbed him "Dr. No," a nickname that stuck and that Smith relished. 

Finally, in 2020, Smith was defeated in a Democratic primary by the progressives he had been so at odds with over his 31 year Senate career. 

Smith died Monday at 82 of stomach cancer.

The Democrat from Deming took the reins of Senate Finance as the Great Recession was hitting in 2009 and New Mexico was feeling the pinch. Smith applied a fix and the state was steadied. 

He also exercised unflinching oversight of state government programs in his role as chairman of the Legislative Finance Committee (LFC) the legislature's most consequential vehicle for formulating policy and budgets. 

We found his budget austerity in the early years of his chairmanships spot on but disagreed with him as the state began to fundamentally change around ten years ago. That's when the argument broke out over expanding early childhood education and other social initiatives to halt a worsening quality of life for so many. 

He was steadfast in his opposition to a constitutional amendment to fund early childhood education and it was not until he left in 2021 that the amendment was approved by lawmakers and in '22 by voters. 

But Smith was no scrooge. He disliked the amendment because it relied on the multi-billion dollar Land Grant Permanent School Fund. In his later years he did author a bill for an Early Childhood Trust Fund that gets excess oil revenue and now holds $9 billion. 

The debate over budgets can be mundane and does not often engage the everyday citizen but that is the nuts and bolts of government. He who masters the budget masters the legislature. 

John Arthur Smith certainly mastered both and in the process earned a chapter in the never-ending book of La Politica. 

SMITH REACTION

Gov. Lujan Grisham had these comments on Sen. Smith's passing: 

 I join New Mexicans in mourning the loss of Sen. John Arthur Smith, an extraordinary public servant and a cherished colleague and mentor of mine and many other public servants in our state. Senator Smith was committed to fiscal responsibility while consistently aiming to improve quality of life for all New Mexicans. His leadership of the Senate Finance Committee helped put the state on sound financial footing and earned respect from colleagues across the political spectrum. Senator was not only a masterful legislator; he was kind and honest. He provided an example of ethical and decent conduct that all elected officials, including those in Washington, D.C., would be wise to follow. Senator Smith’s lifetime of dedication to New Mexico leaves a legacy that will continue to benefit our communities for generations to come. All New Mexicans owe him a debt of gratitude. 

Republican Party of New Mexico Chairman Steve Pearce issued the following statement:

We are deeply saddened by the news of John Arthur Smith's passing. John Arthur Smith dedicated over three decades of service in the New Mexico Senate. While we may not have aligned with all of his positions, Senator Smith consistently sought to find common ground on what unites us, rather than divides us, a quality often absent in today's political climate. In the Senate, he prioritized fiscal responsibility as a steward of New Mexicans' tax dollars and demonstrated courage in opposing his own party when it did not serve the best interests of his constituents. The Republican Party of New Mexico extends our heartfelt condolences to John Arthur Smith's family and loved ones as we acknowledge and honor his contributions to our state. 

Ladies and gentlemen, that concludes today's Monster Blog. Those in need of any medical attention from over exertion please contact a professional of your political party's choice.

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