David Iglesias
You might think former NM US Attorney David Iglesias had run out of media outlets on which to appear and tell his story of alleged political interference in his office by ABQ GOP Congresswoman Heather Wilson and GOP US Senator Pete Domenici. Far from it. His latest stop was on HBO's "Real Time with Bill Maher." As you an see in this tape, Iglesias' performance is getting more polished as he continues the drumbeat that is damaging the eardrums of two of our state's most prominent R's. He is also more precise in detailing why he believes he was wrongfully fired at the urging of Pete and his fellow R's.

"What they wanted me to do was come up with some bogus prosecutions with no evidence of voter fraud..that's number one. Number two, they wanted me to rush indictments against Democrats who were engaging in corrupt activities. I couldn't do that because the case wasn't ready. It was that simple...I took an oath to support and defend the Constitution, not the Republican party of New Mexico.." Iglesias told Maher and his liberal audience which cheered him on.

This is the tightest explanation I have seen from Iglesias. It's important politically because the charges, if they are to be effectively used against Domenici and Wilson next year in short paid media ads, will have to make sense to a general audience. Iglesias has honed his message and in doing so is laying the groundwork for the Dem consultants who will ultimately market this story to the electorate.

HEATHER'S HOPE
Heather
No, there is still no word on who, if anyone, in the US House will file a formal ethics complaint against Wilson for her role in the US attorney political scandal. In contrast to the Senate where a "preliminary ethics" probe is underway on Pete, the House requires someone to step forward and point the finger before the House ethics panel investigates. Since the mid-90's there's been a truce among the Hill denizens not to file against each other. That continues to enrage ethics watchdogs. Will the 'truce' be Heather's saving grace? Not conducting a formal investigation would certainly help her, but the story is to big to not be a major part of the narrative of Campaign '08.

PETE'S POLLING DROP

Last month we told you about Senator Domenici dipping below 60% approval, to 57%, in the Survey USA poll conducted for KOB-TV. This month, it's worse. He is now at 54% approval, his lowest ever in this survey which is based on automatic phone polling. (MOE +-4.1%) That number has got to be cause for concern. His approval among Independents, a critical voting bloc for him, crashes to just 38% in the survey conducted April 13-15, but not released until Friday. Among Democrats, Domenici has dropped below the magic 50% mark, to 49%. Pete has been falling from 62% since US attorney political scandal broke.

Professionals are not crazy about this survey, preferring a call-out survey with a voter registration list. Still, the automatic survey shows the trend. Will the latest results encourage a prominent Dem to take on the senior senator? And where are the NM newspaper stories on this polling and the reaction in Washington?

THE BIG BILL BEAT

Our Guv's utterances are getting more scrutiny than ever as the Dem prez race heats up. NBC leads us to the LA Times for a report on a possible Bill blooper.

The Los Angeles Times writes about Richardson’s response that Byron “Whizzer” White, who dissented in Roe v. Wade, is his model Supreme Court justice. "Richardson was asked Sunday to square that response with his support for abortion rights. He fumbled at first, questioning whether White was on the court at the time of the 1973 decision. He then explained he had been ‘thinking really fast during the debate’ and had chosen White because White was appointed by Richardson's hero, President Kennedy, and ‘was an All-American football player besides being a legal scholar.’

Also from Bill: Speaking to CA Dems Sunday, Richardson joked "that when he told his mother he was running for president, she asked: 'President of what?'

"That's exactly where I am," Richardson said. "I can't even count on my mother."

AT THE RACES

More candidate news as the positioning begins for the fast approaching October ABQ election. From the UNM Daily Lobo: (registration required):

"Graduate student Joseph Garcia said he will run in the October election for Albuquerque City Council. A Thursday post on the blog New Mexico Politics With Joe Monahan stated that Garcia, president of GPSA, was a possible replacement for City Councilor Martin Heinrich.

It was a surprise for me to see that post," Garcia said. "I was going to take a slower approach to entering the race. Now it's out there for the whole state to see."

Garcia said he would try to keep his position in GPSA."

Garcia joins advertising firm owner Joan Griffin in vying for the District six ABQ SE Heights seat being vacated by Councilor Heinrich who plans on running for Congress. Look for more contenders in this one.

FAR HEIGHTS ACTION
Trudy Jones
Up in the far NE Heights, freshman Councilor Craig Loy will not seek re-election to the District eight seat, according to sources there. Real estate broker Trudy Jones, described as a conservative Republican businesswoman, has emerged as a likely candidate, say my reliables. Loy, a former APD officer, ran unopposed four years ago. Jones appears similar in philosophy to R Loy. Will she, like him, get a free ride? Stay tuned.

VINDICATION OF AN ALLIGATOR

It's back! Attention ink-stained wretches and other press flack hopefuls, get your resumes updated and up to the state economic development department. Our Alligator, who we threw back into the pond for the alleged crime of giving us bad info, has been partially vindicated. It turns out that his original tip that Melissa Milam will be vacating the PIO post is indeed correct, even though she had told us she was staying put. But, as we earlier corrected, she is not going to a PIO post at the Spaceport Authority. She says she is going into private public relations. There will be no Spaceport PIO, not yet anyway.

Why didn't Melissa tell us (and you) she was leaving and instead shoot our poor Gator full of holes, denying there was any opening. Heck, On April 26th we ran a correction to our first post which we took down. "I did not know until April 27th that I was leaving for sure," she tells us.

Ah, the word parsing of La Politica. Well, gotta run. I've got to rescue my discarded Alligator and get him back on the job.

Have news? Send it our way from the email link at the top of the page. Interested in advertising here? Just drop us a line.

(c)NM POLITICS WITH JOE MONAHAN 2007
Not for reproduction without permission of the author