"Who are those guys?" That's the question being asked by political junkies across New Mexico about Soltari, the political consulting group that shook up the scene with major victories in the recent ABQ election. Their city council candidates (Heinrich, O'Malley) enjoyed blow-out victories and their stop-the-street-bond campaign was another big winner. The results moved city government more to the left than anytime in its modern history. Who are those guys? Let's find out:

--Soltari (sol for sun, tari is "bridge in Korean) opened shop in ABQ in 2000 with Eli Lee at its helm. Eli, a graduate of Columbia University in New York, came West back in 95' with a non-profit group he worked for. Here he got involved with the Sage Council, a Native American group opposed to the petroglyph surrounded Paseo Del Norte road extension.

---The five employee firm caters to "progressive" and liberal campaigns, specializing in grass roots organization. They do creative on TV and radio and farm out the production, but they are more into field operations---get-out-the-vote, literature design and drops, phone calls etc. Lee, a native of Kansas City considers himself primarily a strategist and this year has been watching his winning Kansas City Chief's for tips. Soltari cites Gandhi and Caesar Chavez as inspiring figures for their political activities. Also, Lee is proud of his Korean heritage and served as President of the Asian American Association of NM and is an admirer of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.

---Soltari is not limited to Bernalillo County. They consulted Governor Richardson on the recent special permanent fund election, and Big Bill named Eli to the state commission looking at improving election results reporting in NM. Soltari's client list also includes Lt. Gov. Diane Denish, City Councilors Michael Cadigan and Eric Griego, State Sen. Linda Lopez, labor unions and liberal school board candidates. So while Lee is lined up with Big Bill, he is definitely not on the Mayor Chavez team.

---The 36 year old Lee rebuffs critics who called his anti-street bond campaign divisive and pitting east against west, but other political strategists say it was just that and praise its tactics and success. Protectors of the status quo in Bernalillo County government may want to pay attention to Soltari. Lee says they are looking to get involved in the county commission races next year. If they do what they did in the city, expect the political boat to rock even more.

Soltari's roots are in the environmental movement. Their targeting of their supporters this past election was even praised by PR vet Gerges Scott, who was defeated by the Soltari street bond campaign. Lee did make a misstep when he said that campaign was getting $20,000 from the charitable McCune Foundation, when in fact the foundation had not pledged money. He said it was 'miscommunication" and put up the $20,000 from his company's coffers. The incident showed that Soltari is now dancing on a very lighted stage. Opponents of Soltari call it "radical" and filled with "extreme anti-business sentiment." But right now football fan Lee and Soltari are running with the ball. The defense might be advised to get off the bench.


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