State Treasurer Tim Eichenberg grabbed attention when he sided with GOP Senate Minority Leader Greg Baca and Dem Senator Jacob Candelaria as they mounted a successful Supreme Court challenge to Gov. Lujan Grisham's power of the purse. And that has La Politica wondering what's up.The Governor's position was weak but even before the court case Eichenberg was not a fan. In fact, the conservative leaning treasurer, according to a close associate, recently pondered a 2022 Dem primary challenge to the sitting chief executive. He was advised that such a challenge in a party dominated by progressives and led by a powerful incumbent would not pan out and that ended that.
Not that Eichenberg is intimidated by incumbents. He beat out Republican Senator Diane Snyder for a NE Heights seat in 2008. And in the 2014 Dem Treasurer primary Eichenberg defeated John Wertheim who was not an incumbent but a well-connected former Democratic party chair. Also, oldtimers will remember Eichenberg's feat of being elected Bernalillo County Treasurer in the 1970's at the tender age of 21.
Eichenberg, 70, who is term limited and will leave the treasurer's office at the end of next year, is also said to have looked at seeking the Dem nod for state auditor, but that too is a no-go. (He's supporting PRC Commissioner Joe Maestas for the auditor Dem nomination).
However, another run for the state Senate from the ABQ Heights in 2024 is not off the table. If he does return and MLG is re-elected he will be a player for her to contend with.
The Supreme Court victory forcing the Guv to let the Legislature appropriate over $1 billion in federal pandemic aid grew more legs in its aftermath and again Eichenberg moved on the Fourth Floor:
Despite the Supreme Court ordering a freeze on federal pandemic aid spending until the Legislature makes appropriations, the administration. . . paid a $269,000 invoice with the funds.
"This appears to violate the Supreme Court's Order and Writ," Linda Bennett an attorney for Treasurer Eichenberg, wrote to the governor's general counsel, Holly Agajanian. "By 3:00 tomorrow, I expect the money to be returned to the account or to receive an explanation as to why this is not a violation of the Supreme Court's clear and unambiguous Order and Writ," Bennett wrote.
In response, Agajanian wrote "the money at issue had been obligated for administrative expenses" before the state's high court issued its order.
"However, (the administration) was able to stop the withdrawal with the exception of some payroll money that had already been removed."
That's a rare takedown of a sitting Governor whose every move is being watched as she seeks re-election. For Eichenberg it's the kind of stuff that may keep his retirement rocking chair in the attic.
SWITCHING LANES
The aforementioned Senator Candelaria gave a jolt to the opening day of the special redistricting session, announcing he is bolting from the Democratic Party and becoming an independent. He said increased partisanship drove his decision and described the polarization as a "virus."
Candelaria has already announced he will not seek re-election to his ABQ westside district in 2024.
His leaving the Dems comes amid speculation that Senate President Mimi Stewart could have Candelaria removed from the powerful Senate Finance Committee after he got crosswise with his former party's leadership and the Governor.
The chair of Senate Finance, George Munoz, is one of the last conservative Dem senators standing in Santa Fe but he has been more pragmatic than oppositional since taking the reins of the most important of Senate committees. His latest proposal is to put that unspent $1 billion in federal pandemic aid into the state's General Fund and then figure out what to do with it at the regular legislative session in January. MLG has asked for the money to be appropriated during the redistricting session but that's received mixed reaction.
House Appropriations Committee Chair Patty Lundstrom would meet Munoz halfway, committing $470 million of the funds to existing programs for broadband, roads and tourism promotion. She would leave the rest alone until January.
The money has been around for months, albeit in a court dispute, and the public may be stunned that there are still no firm plans for all the dollars. Given that lack of planning (or foresight) Munoz's proposal seems, well, pragmatic.
ELECTION DAY
Here in ABQ today is Election Day for residents of City Council Districts 7 and 9 where runoff elections are on the ballot. Here is a list of voting locations. The polls close at 7 p.m. We'll post results on our Twitter and Facebook accounts.
Also on the city beat, as our Alligators predicted the City Council could not muster the seven votes necessary on the nine member council to approve a $110 million bond package sponsored by GOP Councilor Brook Bassan. The bond package failed Monday night on a 5 to 4 vote.
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(c)NM POLITICS WITH JOE MONAHAN 2021
(c)NM POLITICS WITH JOE MONAHAN 2021