Korte

Aragon

The wife one of Governor Martinez's political favorites is taking on ABQ School Board member Kathy Korte, giving rise to speculation that the Guv's muscular political machine could dump money and resources into the effort to take out Korte, the Guv's arch-enemy on the board.

Korte is the firebrand on the seven member board and its critic-in-chief of all things Susana. She will seek re-election to another term at the February 3 election.

Peggy Muller-Aragon is Korte's announced foe. She is the wife of attorney Robert Aragon, a member of the state Board of Finance and the recent unsuccessful GOP state auditor candidate. His political fling with Susana goes back to when he was a Democrat and endorsed her first Guv run.

Peggy Aragon is a school teacher who describes her political views as "very conservative."

To the Alligators and insiders this seems like a pretty obvious play by Martinez to rid herself of Korte who has proved to be an effective and outspoken opponent. She has repeatedly criticized Martinez's education proposals--so much so that Korte says she recently lost her job over it and has filed a lawsuit.

School board elections are usually sleepy affairs but this one could get nasty fast and maybe expensive. Candidates have been spending around $15,000 on these races. That could be easily surpassed if the teacher's union gets involved for Korte and if the Martinez Machine comes after her.

Two other school board seats are also up for grabs in the February balloting. Also in 2015, the new board is expected to name a new superintendent to replace Brad Winter who is interim superintendent for the state's largest school district. He has said he will not seek the job permanently. Who the new Super is will be a big deal for the Governor who clashed repeatedly with former Superintendent Winston Brooks.

KARI AND THE COPS (CONT.)

Hell hath no fury. . . like a scorned district attorney. The roofs of ABQ's downtown government office buildings shook Wednesday with the news that BernCo District Attorney Kari Brandenburg is on track to pursue murder charges against two ABQ cops who shot and killed homeless camper James Boyd.

This news came on the heels of APD sending allegations of bribery against the DA to the attorney general. Any connection between Kari's newfound wrath for APD and APD's seemingly ill-advised decision to go after her? How loud can you say "Duh?"

But that's not going to be the big story if and when criminal charges come down. The conservative press may find fault with any charges because Brandenburg has decided not to recuse herself from the case while she is under investigation. But that will be like a canary chirping at the Super Bowl. America is not going to hear it. It's what they will see--time and time again--that deplorable video of the Boyd shooting. And what do you think will be the reaction in Ferguson, Missouri  and elsewhere if there are criminal charges against the officers?

If this happens, it's going to be big. Very big. So big that if Brandenburg pulls it off and there is a successful prosecution (and if the bribery charges fade) you could see her running for higher office--like maybe mayor in 2017. Say what?

Gov. Martinez was a district attorney who went on to become governor. BernCo DA Steve Schiff was elevated to the ABQ congressional seat in 1988. Former Attorney General Jeff Bingaman rode that office to the US senate. Former AG Anaya claimed the governor's chair in 1982. Prosecutors are naturals for higher office. It just didn't seem that the gun shy Brandenburg was ever on that track, refusing to stir the hornets nest at APD even as its inhabitants inflicted mortal stings across the community.

Brandenburg seems the most unlikely of characters to take on the Nixonian culture that haunts APD and that has led to so many lost lives, disgraced our city nationally and cost us tens of millions in lawsuits with more to come. Not to mention the businesses that shy away from coming here because of the frequent shoot-outs on the banks of the Rio. (We had another fatal law enforcement shooting just this week).

Something had to give and it appears something just did. Stay tuned.

THE RECOUNT

One of the helpful aspects of the recent recount in the state land commissioner race is that it revealed no major fundamental counting problems with the recent election: The SOS says:

The final vote totals are 249,993 for Aubrey Dunn and 249,337 for Ray Bennett Powell, a difference of 656 votes. The original difference between the candidates was 704 votes.

There was this that tidbit that might deserve some further exploration:

The largest discrepancies were in Sandoval and Colfax counties, where a combined 269 fewer ballots were accounted for than were reported on Election Night.

The county clerks there (and the county commissions) might want to take a deeper look at that.

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Speaker Martinez

The Democratic leadership in the state legislature is showing no signs of trying to weaken Governor Martinez going into 2014.

Even as economic stagnation continues, debate rages over the Guv's proposed education reforms and the brouhaha over the ABQ public schools superintendent, the leadership of the Dem-controlled state Senate and House have laid low.

Governor Martinez is taking advantage of the clear playing field given her by the legislative Dems (and the Dem Guv candidates) by making a myriad of announcements regarding jobs and education, attempting to shore up any deficiencies in those crucial categories that could be used against her when she stands for re-election next year.

NO FIGHT STRATEGY

Martinez is believed to be polling in the area of 60% voter approval. During her term she has been as high as 68%.

Dem House Speaker Kenny Martinez has signaled a "no fight" strategy with the Guv since taking the gavel. He appears to be playing for a "lonely landslide" by Martinez, similar to what happened with the re-election this month of New Jersey GOP Governor Chris Christie.

Christie won with 60% of the vote in the blue state, but the Jersey Democrats lost no seats in their legislature. Speaker Martinez needs that outcome here because Dems control the 70 member House by only a handful of votes--37 to 33.

Even if the R's picked up only one or two, the prospect of an R led coalition with conservative Dems to take over the House comes into play.

The state Senate is already controlled by a coalition of Republicans and conservative Democrats. A similar coalition in the House with a Republican governor on the Fourth Floor could mean a dramatic turn in the governing philosophy of the state.

If the lonely landslide is indeed the strategy of the Speaker it is not without risk, dissenting Dems point out.

NJ VS. NM

Dem special interest groups--teacher and labor unions among them--pumped an astounding $24 million into New Jersey legislative races in order to prevent Christie and the GOP from making legislative inroads.

In New Mexico, the dark money group NM Competes is already spending tens of thousands of dollars to promote the Governor's education agenda and it won't be long before it--or a similar group-- starts hammering individual Democratic legislators with well-financed hits.

State Dems have yet to answer NM Competes with their own dark money and if they don't or can't we could see the reverse of New Jersey with the Dems here badly outspent and challenged to prevent state House losses in a low-turnout election.

Dem consultants say the alternative to Speaker Martinez's strategy is more aggressive posturing against the Governor's polices to keep her popularity in check, rally the Democratic base and keep in check any coattails that she could sprout.

There are now five Dem candidates for Governor and they are starting to stir, but without paid media it is difficult for them to break through.

Democrats were motivated to fight in New Jersey in part because they did not want Christie using the legislature there to pass A program that he could tout in his expected 2016 presidential race.

Gov. Martinez also has national aspirations, but they are more modest than Christie's, raising the question of whether enough needed national money will materialize here to fight a serious effort by the R's to take control of the state House via a conservative coalition or outright control.

The 2014 session will be telling. Speaker Martinez will be under pressure from the many Dem guv candidates to relinquish his role as "compromiser in chief," abandon the lonely landslide hope and put serious heat on the Guv.

HOLDING BACK

Marty Esquivel

The Democratic strategy of holding back can be seen in the controversy surrounding ABQ Public Schools Superintendent Winston Brooks.

Senate and House leaders--including House Speaker Martinez and Senate President Pro Tem Mary KayPapen--issued a "bipartisan letter" praising ABQ school board president Marty Esquivel.

Esquivel--a Democrat--was praised by the pair for a three day suspension Brooks received for making disparaging remarks on his Twitter account about state Public Education Secretary Hanna Skandera.

However, campaign style attacks on Brooks from New Mexico Competes--which is run by close associates of the Governor--and that were mailed to thousands of households in the city--have drawn no criticism from either Speaker Martinez or other prominent legislative Dems.

Board President Esquivel did condemn the attacks at the time they came public, calling them:

"A sleazy, inflammatory political tactic, an attempt to turn a policy debate into political warfare by demonizing Mr. Brooks.”

WINTER WAITS

As we blog, Superintendent Brooks is still on the job but if he should leave interim APS superintendent Brad Winter could be expected to carry on until a replacement were named by the school board.

But could that replacement be Winter--a longtime ABQ Republican city councilor who along with his attorney wife Nann Winter have deep ties to Governor Martinez and Co.?

Even if Winter did not line up to take the job permanently, if Brooks were to  leave Winter could be in charge of APS through most of next year's election campaign.

For teachers doing battle with the administration over controversial teacher evaluation and testing, that could be like the sound of chalk squealing across the blackboard.

THE SCHOOL BEAT

We asked our Alligators to game out for our statewide audience more of the politics of the Brooks debacle and the teacher testing tempest.

They said that bashing school superintendents is something akin to a parental pastime. Many parents feel short-changed by the school system. The Guv pointing her finger at Brooks gives her a target of blame while she risks little backlash.

School teachers are more popular, but are still convenient targets for a troubled educational system that weighs heavily on parents. Most teacher votes are already Democratic, again giving Martinez somewhat of a free hand for her political arm.

Insider polling on how the Governor handles various issues shows her to be weakest in education and the environment. There's not much she can do about her environmental credentials, but she can shove education into the spotlight and set up targets for blame as she goes into the election cycle. And she is.

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Sen. Wilson Beffort
Can Senator Dede get together with Senator Sue? If they could, we'd have a good chance of cleaning up a major source of unregulated cash going into political campaigns in these parts. That being the hundreds of thousands of dollars shoveled in by political nonprofits that claim--without tongue in cheek--that they are actually conducting issue "advocacy" and not targeting candidates when they mail hit pieces. Dede--ABQ Dem State Senator Feldman--has again come up with a measure to limit campaign contributions, but Sue--ABQ GOP Senator Sue Wilson Beffort--goes her one better. Unlike Feldman, she proposes (SB 262) limiting campaign contributions from nonprofits to $2300 per candidate per election. The same amount would apply to statewide candidates and political action committees. She also proposes a donation limit of $1000 for legislative candidates, below the $2300 Feldman is requesting.

Nonprofits, led by political operative Eli Lee, say because they are federally approved they aren't required to disclose where their money comes from or what they spend it on. The Attorney General disagrees and the matter is before the federal courts. Wilson Beffort's contribution limits for nonprofits would not necessarily make them reveal their funding sources but the amount of unaccountable money would diminish tremendously. The big money has been coming in here from "progressive" nonprofits, but conservative nonprofits are also currently free to play with as much money as they want and without meaningful accountability.

Feldman and the progressive coterie in Santa Fe have before them the door of compromise: a contribution cap that includes all players. If they walk through it, we could finally get a major campaign reform bill approved.

SAM'S WORLD
David Contarino
Frank Foy is dragging some pretty big reputations through the mud, but they are not the kind of players to take it lying down. Foy, alleging in a lawsuit that the Guv's former chief of staff, Dave Contarino, put on the pressure in a pay to play scheme involving certain state investments, got mucho push back when he made Contarino's name public Monday. It turned into a partisan slugfest featuring Foy attorney--former GOP State Senator Victor Marshall--and the voluble trial lawyer and Democrat Sam Bregman. They loudly jousted on the state's TV sets. You can read all about it here and see the shouting match here. As for Contarino, he called Foy's charge a "flat-out lie" and a "total fairy tale." Fairy tale or not, Tuesday's happening was certainly a circus.

IT'S JOB ONE

Job one is New Mexico right now is jobs---the loss of them. The problem remains serious. From the Guv:

The Board of Finance...approved a $240,000 emergency loan to the Department of Workforce Solutions. The loan will cover costs of improvements Richardson ordered in response to increased demand from New Mexicans trying to access unemployment benefits in recent weeks.

JOB QUESTION

What did ABQ City Councilor Ken Sanchez say on the tube the other night about the additional 60 jobs that General Mills says it will create now that the council has approved a big tax break for the company? Did he say that he understands that all the jobs can't go to ABQ residents? Does that mean the General Mills jobs--the high-paying ones in particular--are going to be imported? Is there no requirement that local workers be hired? Not that there's anything wrong with someone from out of town getting a good job here, but we need to get the straight facts on all things economic and business in this environment, especially when we are giving big tax breaks. Speaking of which, how about some breaks from our city council for struggling small businesses here? We're just asking...

MONEY FOR NOTHING?

We caught a glimpse of northern Congressman Ben Ray Lujan on TV talking about the stimulus bill and how much of it would go directly into New Mexico's general fund to help cover the budget shortfalls. We haven't seen anything on the wires about it, so we asked his office for details:

There is a state stabilization fund that will receive an estimated $419 million over the next two fiscal years through the current House plan. Basically, it’s used to prevent cuts in state services.

So that would mean $200 million for the fiscal year that ends June 30 and another $200 million or so for the one that starts July 1st. If that money makes it to the President's desk, it's going to take a little pressure off of lawmakers as they grapple with big budget shortfalls. But problems have developed for Obama and the stimulus, casting doubt on whether that money will be available to our struggling Santa Fe solons.

CIRCLING THE WAGONS?

University of New Mexico alligators say they see signs of a circling of the wagons by the school's Board of Regents. A committee of the seven member panel will meet Thursday and one agenda item reads: "Approval of Regents Resolution Regarding Leadership of UNM." This appears to be a response to the faculty circulating petitions that call for a no-confidence vote in the university's leadership, including Regents chair Jamie Koch. If so, the resolution is sure to set off more fireworks and more divisiveness at UNM--all of it during a legislative session focused on cutting the state budget.

Our UNM coverage has generated a number of e-mails. Let's check some out.

Anonymous---A word to the UNM President: Sir, do not give a raise to someone involved in a pay-to-play scandal, think before adding another Vice President, and take a play from the Governor's book, cut some administrative salaries--freezing salaries after the pay raises amounts to an empty gesture.

Jacob Salazar-- (UNM Executive Vice-President) David Harris gets a great raise, and they wonder why the morale is so low! Since being hired (President David) Schmidly has been all to willing to play in our little patron system. I seriously hope Mr. and Mrs. New Mexico wake up and smell the frijoles! Kudos to the UNM faculty!

THE BOTTOM LINES

Rep. Maestas
Democrats may be playing with political dynamite as they go into special session in Santa Fe today to try to resolve a budget shortfall for the year that starts July 1 and that could be as much as $800 million.

The dynamite sticks are a quarter cent increase in the gross receipts tax and a reinstatement of the taxon food while leaving untouched the tax bills of the state's most wealthy residents.

This will be the second bite out of the budget apple. Lawmakers failed to reach an agreement in the regular 30 day session. And if they've again underestimated the revenue picture, as has happened time and again, yet another special session awaits us later in the year. And maybe more trainwrecks, too.

All 70 members of the state House are up for re-election this year and there is nervousness among some of them over the direction of the NM Democratic Party. The state Senate--ruled by a coalition of Republicans and conservative Dems-- is locked down on not raising taxes on the well-off. In the recent regular session, the House passed a temporary surtax on high wage earners, but it appears to be off the table as the special starts today--or is it?

Some House Dems want it back on the table, fearing a backlash in the June primaries or the November election if Democratic voters see no difference in the economic policy between the two parties.

ABQ Dem State Rep. Antonio "Moe" Maestas points out it would take only 10 of the House Dems to join with the R's to block anything from coming out of the House. You have to think that means any kind of food tax is going to have a difficult time.

The newspaper reports on the latest plan on the controversial food tax : "Municipalities would impose their local gross receipts tax rate on the purchase of food items. The state portion of the gross receipts tax on food wouldn't be imposed, and the state would stop compensating cities for their lost food tax revenue. This change would generate about $71 million for the state.

Meanwhile, Maestas has sponsored a measure to slightly raise the tax brackets on the highest earning taxpayers that would bring in $70 million a year (For example, taxpayers with income of $250,000 to $500,000 would pay a rate of 5.9%). Maestas notes that the highest bracket is 4.9%--a rate that applies whether you are making $500,000 a year or $50,000. The ABQ West Side lawmaker wisecracked:

I've always wanted to break into a higher tax bracket. Under current law I'm unable to.

AN R ROMP?

Anxious Dems fear the R's will have a field day with any reinstatement of the food tax, even on junk food. They say that would be portrayed as a slap against working mothers who buy their kids a candy bar. Maestas agrees it's too hot to handle and besides, he rejects the notion of the state trying to get people to eat or not eat particular food items. "That's a nanny state mentality," he argues.

The food tax was killed in the recent session, but it's a favorite of Senate Finance Chairman John Arthur Smith who is also a refusenik when it comes to the surtax on high wage earners. The chairman's insistence on this perplexes some. His daddy was an itinerant road repair worker during the Great Depression. What would he think?

Any increase in the gross receipts tax will impact lower income households most. Soon to be Dem Guv nominee Diane Denish has come out in opposition to raising the tax, knowing she would be lambasted for it during the fall campaign.

But Denish and House Democrats who are on precarious political footing have no fall back position. If the Legislature approved that surtax on the wealthy as well as a small gross receipts increase, they could tell their base voters--thousands of low-paid working class New Mexicans and progressives--that they are indeed spreading the budget pain around. But what do they tell them when they don't?

A TRUE TEST

Democrats are facing their first true test on the tax issue in decades. They have been able to ride in the low-tax parade all these years because there was such an abundance of cash. Big Bill's 2003 rollback of the state's tax brackets was nearly universally embraced during the Great Bull Market. Now during this Great Recession, the Dems are being asked to pivot, but Richardson, aligned with conservative state Senators, is unwilling to make the move. And so far, Denish is also stuck.

Not that the Republicans aren't also suffering from myopia when it comes to taxes. No matter the economic environment they have a simple mantra of tax cuts all the time. But Democrats in the Legislature may be setting themselves up for a fall by keeping the GOP base vote out of their sights and punishing their own. Don't say we didn't tell you.

YES, WE NEED BIG CUTS
Rep. Miera
Of course, we need more than tax increases. We need a lot more spending cuts. But how do you do that when over half the state budget funds public education and the education lobby has a stranglehold on the state House?

Educators have opposed an even 1% cut in funding. And the Legislature has been woefully ineffective in eliminating the administrative overhead in the schools that is one of the longest running jokes in the state.

Which leads to the question: Why is ABQ State Rep. Rick Miera, chairman of the House Education Committee, included as a top representative in the budget negotiations between the House and Senate? That role is traditionally reserved for the legislative leadership and chairs of the finance committees. But there Friday was Rick front and center coming out of the Guv's office with House leaders.

If the reason he is there is because so much of the budget is education, then why isn't Senate Education Committee Chair Cynthia Nava part of the budget talks? Or is Miera's presence a sign of just how out sized the muscle of the public education lobby has grown?

We're just asking...

IF WE RULED THE WORLD

With the start of the special session today we find it timely for another of our periodic installments of "If We Ruled the World." However, it’s not that much different from previous editions, so forgive any repetition.

For brevity’s sake, we’ve deleted the parts about winning the lottery, getting the girl and mandating that all restaurants carry flavored San Pellegrino (in the can).

First, pass a surtax on high income taxpayers that generates $80 million a year, then approve a quarter cent increase in the statewide gross receipts tax that effects everyone and will take in about $125 million; Fix that corporate tax loophole for Wal-Mart and other big box stores, raising around $50 million a year. We're now up to around $255 million.

If we must, do a quarter, not a dollar tax, on a pack of cigarettes. And beef up tax collections on out of state taxpayers that Speaker Lujan has talked about. And continue to redirect unspent capital outlay money to the general fund. We did about $150 million during the regular session. Let's go for another $100 million during the special. We still have well over a billion dollars of capital outlay, much of it unspent, sitting in state coffers.

We're now at about $400 million, and it's time for the spending cuts--if we ruled the world. We'd start with the sacred cow--public education. Cut 3% across the board and finally force the downsizing of the bloated administration at APS. If we also have to cancel some less popular school sports, so be it. The educators are probably right that the rest of it is messy and painful, but it's not exactly picnic time for thousands of New Mexicans on the firing line out here. Share the pain.

If we ruled the world we'd have the Legislature once and for all get rid of the political appointees that have become like leeches on the body politic. Cut several hundred and make it effective July 1st. While they're at it, make the state hiring freeze real--with truly no exceptions other than for real public safety concerns.

State employees are going to have take more furlough days--we have five this fiscal year--up that to eight or nine for the next year--and raise the amount they kick in for their retirement plan by another percent or so, but exempt workers making under $40,000 a year.

We'll stop there because we just realized we will not be ruling the world (geez, that stuff wears off fast) but you get the idea. Good luck, Santa Fe...

DOMENICI'S DOUGH

The bottom line when Pete Domenici Jr. reports his first round of fundraising tonight is that he is on track for having enough money to make a major TV buy for the June 1st primary.

Domenici's campaign says the GOP Guv contender raised about $200,000 since he entered the race January 17th. That's a respectable, but far from a scare the hell out of em' total for the son of retired US Senator Pete Domenici. But with his name ID already off the charts, Domenici will need less media money than a Susana Martinez or Allen Weh.

Still, the Alligators wonder, is this fella with the famous namesake capable of hitting a double or triple? So far, it's been all singles at best.

Martinez reported at the end of the year that she's raised about $300,000, but it took her five and half months compared to Domenci's $200k in six weeks. Wealthy businessman Allen Weh hasn't reported lately, but back in October he announced a loan to himself of over $250,000. He had over $370,000 cash on hand back then. Doug Turner also wrote himself a check for over $200,000. Janice Arnold-Jones last reported raising about $50,000.

Domenici's famous father has helped him raise money. And the young Domenici has grown more blatant in recent days in using his famous name as a campaign prop.

Several analysts we spoke with said there will come a time when voters begin judging Domenici separately from his father. However, they said that is more likely to happen in a general election turnout. Republican primary voters may not be as discerning, giving Domenici Jr. the benefit of the doubt as they hunger for a winner and a name that they know and like.

With about $200,000 raised, it is clear that Domenici will not go away, even if he fails to garner 20 percent of the delegates at the GOP preprimary convention March 13. He would file additional petition signatures, making him eligible for a ballot spot--and then start spending that money.

Domenici's money report comes on the heels of an independent poll showing him as the strongest contender against Dem Diane Denish (45-40). The poll and the money he has raised should aid him as he searches for elusive uncommitted preprimary delegates.

WHERE WE'RE HEADED

Weh has the money and can saturate the airwaves and mailboxes. But does he have the message and personality? Political pros like Turner's profile for the general election, but he has to make the 20 percent mark at the preprimary or he may be gone. Martinez is showing persistence, but needs more money to get herself known and then go after Domenici. Same for Arnold-Jones.

Domenici's foes tried to raise expectations for him and claimed they expected him to pick up $500,000 in six weeks. That, of course, was an unrealistic number especially given this economic backdrop. One question they have that will be answered later today: Did Domenici loan himself much money to reach the $200k mark? If he did, his detractors are sure to point it out.

As we've blogged, Domenici has stumbled out of the gate, but he ambles along with that neon name flashing wherever he roams. Expect the opposition campaigns to hit hard to disrupt that stride shortly after the preprimary.

CARILLO COMING BACK

We already have a spirited contest for the Dem nomination for Bernalillo County sheriff and now we're going to get one for county assessor. Former three term assessor Mark Carillo, who we mentioned has been eyeing the race, is now all in. Carillo, 56, says he will challenge incumbent Dem Karen Montoya who is seeking the nomination for a second term. The office traditionally goes Democratic in November, although not always.

The office has received a lot more attention than normal because of the controversy over "tax lightning," in which the property tax of new homeowners skyrockets.

MAYOR ACTION

Santa Fe Mayor David Coss is at 52% in the final New Mexican poll before tomorrow's city election. Challenger Asenath Kepler garners 28%. City Councilor Miguel Chavez scores 8% and undecided comes in at 9%. Coss has led throughout the campaign, but he kept the heat on in the final days, sending out a piece of lit that twice mentioned that Kepler, a former city manager, was a Republican. Santa Fe is one of the most Democratic cities in the state. The poll was taken last Tuesday and Wednesday

In Rio Rancho, Mayor Tom Swisstack is being challenged by former Mayor Jim Owen. We haven't seen anything that would lead you to believe Swisstack won't win re-election.

BETTY FIORINA

That's a cool retro picture of Betty Fiorina, the three term NM Secretary of State who died last week. If you're of a certain age it may remind you of the style of your mother or grandmother.

Democrat Fiorina served eight years. She won two terms at two years apiece and, in 1970, was the first SOS to win a four year term. One of her sons, Tom Fiorina, became a well-known Santa Fe municipal judge. He recalls his mother as a pacesetter for women in politics back in her day, as well as a lover of dogs.

She probably would have preferred that we mention the dogs first.

Betty Fiorina was 90.

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Not for reproduction without permission of the author

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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