It sure is, but the White House was not releasing any details about who the 19 people gathered to pose with the president were.
We asked Cadigan, a Democrat and an ABQ attorney who served on the city council from 2001-09, how he ended up posing with the Prez:
I was invited after a news story appeared on my success in signing my firm up for health insurance through the New Mexico Health Insurance Exchange. I saved the firm $1000 per month. For my five seconds of face time with the President I told him he should visit New Mexico soon. His face lit up and he said he loves New Mexico and would try to visit soon.
Good to hear that the President is fond of us. Someone should host a holiday party for him here. He gets to come as Santa Claus and give us a big check to make up for some of the federal jobs we've been losing...
Cadigan wasn't the only one from the Duke City hanging in the White House complex this week:
ABQ Mayor Richard Berry attended a summit at the White House with Mayors from around the country to look at strategies for competitiveness in manufacturing in our nation’s cities. “This summit is an opportunity to begin a new level of dialogue and collaboration at the national level. . .which can be a catalyst for creating businesses on a local level,” Mayor Berry said.
Good for you, RJ. But next time you're in DC, could you ask the Feds for a couple hundred million so we could do that rebuild of the Paseo del Norte/I-25 interchange the right way?
MANNY'S BACK
Aragon was released to a halfway house from a Colorado federal prison Thursday where he served 4 1/2 years on a corruption charge involving the construction of ABQ's metro court. Aragon is on a federal home confinement program which means he is generally restricted to his ABQ SOuth Valley home
A close friend of Aragon, 66, told us that "Manny is at peace with himself." Another told us that the one time Democratic powerhouse has been working on a book.
And then there were our Alligators, always ready to find the humor in all things political. One of them wisecracked:
"Manny Aragon for Governor--Because I've already been to prison"
Another opined:
"Manny's out so now they can use his cell for the ABQ Downs bid riggers."
And another:
"Hey, Manny, Kiki's leaving the House. You still live in that district?"
Well, we don't see Manny running again for public office, but we also don't see him being able to keep away from playing the game. Stay tuned...
AP SUES SUSANA
It;s getting rougher and rougher for our Governor and her relationship with the media. There was the explosive National Journal article about her and her political adviser that dominated the blogging of the past week and now there's this additional headache for the Fourth and Fifth Floors:
The Associated Press filed lawsuits against Gov. Susana Martinez and administration agencies for refusing to release records about her work and travel schedules, cell phone calls and expenses of the security officers who travel with the governor.
The lawsuits alleging violations of the Inspection of Public Records Act are the latest by media and watchdog groups against Martinez, who has promoted herself as a strong advocate of a transparent government.
Susana started her term promising a new transparency, but the media is seeing mostly a black curtain.
LAWSUIT CITY
One of our blogs this week was our analysis that Mayor Berry's legacy is going to be largely defined by how the troubles at his police department are finally resolved. We noted his administration is threatened with millions in possible lawsuit settlements because of police shootings--perhaps including the one that happened on his inauguration day last Sunday and now joins the likely list of lawsuits:
Interim Chief Allen Banks said during a press conference that the man APD officers shot after an domestic disturbance call on Sunday didn’t have a gun. According to Banks, the suspect had only a metal brake pad or a knife which he pointed at officers to simulate a gun. Banks also said suspect Shaine Sherrill had threatened suicide on Thanksgiving and had said he wanted police to shoot him during a domestic violence incident in April 2012.
It's hard to second guess our cops in the street, but that doesn't mean the trial lawyers won't. And by the way, Banks must be hoping for a lot better run of news as he works to become permanent chief.
And what's the status of that US Justice Department civil rights investigation of APD? Don't ABQ taxpayers deserve an update?
TEN LASHES
We pulled the story down from our Thursday blog, administered the ten lashes with the wet noodle to the Senior Alligator and also put them on probation. That means. among other things, he gets no chicharrones or posole over the Christmas holidays. Hey, you make a mistake like that around here and you pay...
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