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Monday, April 15, 2019

Owning It: State Dems Euphoria Interrupted By Crime Crisis, Plus: Heinrich Taking Heat On Interior Nominee Vote; Sights On Bigger Things? 

The state's Democratic leadership--specifically the Democratic Governor and Democratic Mayor in ABQ--are finding out what it's like to take ownership of the crime crisis that continues to engulf the ABQ metro and makes itself known with regularity in other locales.

They seemed caught off guard by by the recent outbreak of violence in a short time span involving the deaths of children and murders in ABQ and Farmington. The spree included the shooting death of an eight year old girl, the child abuse deaths of an 11 month old infant and a 5 year old as well as assorted other killings that made for blaring headlines.

Gone were the sunny Dem declarations heard in the aftermath of the recent legislative session that everything was coming up roses and lollipops--or soon would be. They found themselves on the defensive and dealing with the stark reality that remains New Mexico today.

CYFD Secretary Brian Blalock did the heavy lifting for the administration making sure to note that the new Santa Fe leadership is inheriting the trouble;

We grieve the recent deaths. We as a new leadership team are constantly looking to learn from the mistakes of the past. The safety and welfare of the children and other victims is and will always be our first priority.

For now time is the friend of the administration but if the killings and mayhem continue, time will become the enemy.

For ABQ Mayor Tim Keller who has been in office well over a year this wasn't the first occasion his administration had to put out a statement denouncing yet another outbreak of shocking violence. APD Chief Mike Geier, saying:

We are hiring more officers and making progress toward fighting crime, but this week’s violence points to the larger issues of gun violence, child abuse and domestic violence that we are taking on as our top priorities. I want people to know that we are working hard, and developing multi-pronged approaches to each of these challenges.

The chief forgot something--drugs. That would be D-R-U-G-S, Chief, but your boss did cover it a bit below.

The two child abuse deaths came in the middle of Child Abuse Awareness Month, making a weekend March marking its observance all the more poignant:

Mayo Keller joined (CYFD) Secretary Blalock and hundreds of Albuquerque residents for a March Against Child Abuse. . . (It) leaves us heartbroken and angry, it robs us of hope. . . But it must also leave us determined to act. . .That means each of us playing a role and joining partners in government, law enforcement, and the community. If even one child’s life can have a different outcome, it’s worth every ounce of effort.” 

Keller says the city is "expanding the number of places for kids in Early Childhood programs that break the cycle of poverty and violence and give professionals a chance to catch signs of abuse and also addressing the behavioral health and addiction challenges that are underlying contributing factors to child abuse."

So MLG, Blalock and Keller want to get the hobbled behavioral health system restored and hopefully start chipping away at the drug epidemic. But a boost in old fashioned policing and jailing of the drug pushers probably needs to be part of the equation. That may be easier for Republicans to say, but it's the Democrats who are in charge now.

A RARE SIGHT

Heinrich
It's a rare sight indeed to see one of New Mexico s environmentally oriented US Senators being attacked in statewide TV ads by one of the leading environmental groups. But Dem Senator Martin Heinrich's vote to confirm David Bernhardt as Secretary of Interior enraged the Western Values Project and they have put up what they say is a "six figure" TV buy attacking Heinrich for the vote.

Bernhardt is an attorney who worked as a lobbyist for mining and oil companies.

The group's news release attacking Heinrich's vote and the TV ad are here but the ads came right after the full Senate vote so they were for naught if meant to influence  Heinrich's vote. They may be inflicting some political damage but Heinrich was safely re-elected last year and doesn't face re-election until 2024.

Meanwhile, Dem Senator Tom Udall vigorously opposed Bernhardt, who worked at Interior in the Bush administration, and voted against his nomination. Still, he was confirmed on a 56-41 Senate vote. Heinrich says:

While we do not — and will not — agree on many issues or policy decisions, I have found that acting Secretary Bernhardt has always kept his word.

Heinrich adds that Bernhardt has supported protections for White Sands Missile Range.

Bernhardt
DC insiders and Alligators here are gaming the politics of Heinrich's unusual vote. They say Heinrich has long had his eye on someday becoming Secretary of Interior, They speculate that his vote for Bernhardt could win him goodwill from Republicans who control the Senate and are expected to still control it after the 2020 presidential election.

The thinking goes that if a Democrat takes the White House Heinrich would have a shot at being nominated to Interior and would face a confirmation vote in the Senate--a vote that would now be easier for GOP Senators to take. But maybe not so easy for some of his fellow Democrats.

This is the home of New Mexico politics.

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(c)NM POLITICS WITH JOE MONAHAN 2019
 
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