While the (Governor's) meet and greet was open to the public, the meeting did not go on without incident. Scott Chandler and supporters of the Tierra Blanca High Country Youth Ranch were asked to leave before the Governor arrived at the restaurant. Chandler is owner and operator of the ranch that takes in at-risk and troubled youth. Chandler said he, nor his group, were there to protest the governor, but were there to give her a petition. The group was asked to leave by plain clothed state police officers. Chandler and his group left quietly. Chandler's ranch has been under investigation by Children, Youth and Families and the New Mexico State Police for alleged mistreatment of youth living at the ranch. Chandler reached a settlement in court with CYFD to be in agreement for an operating plan at the ranch. Chandler's petition had 1,000 signatures in support of the ranch.

What if Chandler had stayed? On what grounds could the Governor's security remove him?

$30 MILLION GONE

What could the city of ABQ do with the $30 million awarded to victims of APD shootings since 2010? How about not raising garbage bills by the two bucks a month as was recently approved? How about providingng more services for the mentally ill and homeless who are at the nexus of the police crisis--without raising taxes?  Make your own personal pick.

The citizens and the media have not established the link between these millions of payouts and how it impacts the running of the city and their personal finances. Maybe that's another reason why this crisis drags on year after year.

The latest settlement came Tuesday in the shooting death of Christopher Torres in 2011. District Judge Shannon Bacon ordered the city to pay his family $6 million in damages. TV news reported that because of a state statute, the city is only required to pay out $400,000 of the $6 million in damages.

The case now moves to federal court, where the city could be on the hook for the $6 million, plus, much more in punitive damages.

The huge dollars going out the door represent the collective failure of the city to police the police. $30 million seems like the tip of the iceberg when one considers there have been over two dozen fatal police shootings since 2010. So where's the outcry? Some very pointed Senior Alligator analysis comes in:

If this were an Hispanic Democratic Mayor, rather than an Anglo Republican, the Northeast Heights would be coming unglued, demanding that someone--other than the taxpayers--should pay.

And this stand out quote from a member of the Torres family:

I did not want to put my family through this, that's the last thing I wanted. Three years ago I reached out to the mayor, I sent him a letter I said let's sit down, let's see what we can do about this, let’s see if we can’t work together to try to deal with this problem… I got no answer,” Steve Torres said.

And don't blame Judge Bacon who also presided over a case in which a jury awarded $10 million in damages to the family of an Iraq war veteran slain by APD. She's just doing her job--the job no one else cared to do.

(Bacon's complete ruling is posted here.)

If it's any consolation for taxpayers, that city council vote to increase the city's gross receipts tax to finance programs for the homeless and mentally ill has been postponed until Aug. 4. It is not expected to pass.

HUGE DEFEAT

The primary defeat last night of US House Majority Leader Eric Cantor is one of the biggest upsets we've ever seen. Cantor of Virginia was knocked out by a Tea Party contender. It is also a very big loss for southern NM GOP Congressman Steve Pearce. Remember, he voted for Cantor to be House speaker instead of John Boehner. Now Cantor, 51,  has a job hunt to commence and Pearce has to look for a new horse to ride. And you can bet Gary King was eyeing that big upset of a seemingly popular Republican most carefully.