Learning to Lobby, Winning a Battle

There’s been much talk about how the New Mexico State Legislature is truly an inaccessible place for many residents who don’t have the time, the money or the practical knowledge of how business is conducted in the Roundhouse.
I’ve written about how perplexed and cynical I was after my first up-close look at the session.
But I [...]

Week in Rewind: More on TIDDs, Monahan’s ego, Animal Spirits, Blockgate, NM’s New Media, Bogus Polls and Val Kilmer too

Just now recovered from the legislative session. Here’s a buffet of the past week’s posts to re-taste and savor.
Downfall of the SunCal TIDD revisited: It came down to the wee hours of the session — David vs. Goliath and you know how that one came out.  Read all about it.
Environment Wins in Final Hours of [...]

Ethics reform bill prevails over Sanchez’s umbrage

With the clock running out on the legislative session, ethics reformers scored a major triumph last night with the passage by the state Senate of HB393, the bill to open conference committees to the public.
And just minutes before the debate commenced, Senate Majority Leader Michael Sanchez issued a long and acerbic press release, contrasting his [...]

The Sayings of Senator Lopez

Feb. 25, 2009: She (Sen. Linda Lopez) also promised to begin discussion on the proposal to create a state ethics commission “first thing” Friday, but said working out disagreements and drafting a committee substitute bill that combines several existing bills related to that controversial proposal will “take a little more time.” NM Independent
Feb. 28, [...]

Senate webcasting opens to bad reviews

I generally don’t encounter much free-flowing consensus when I’m wandering around the Roundhouse. But as I haunted the curving halls of the Capitol yesterday, I found one thing on which everyone agrees:
The new Senate webcasting sucks.
It seems no one – legislators, constituents, journalists – is happy with the single, fixed camera positioned in the back [...]

1/2 an Ethics Commission

Why go for the whole enchilada when you can just have half? Seems we might find out the answer to that question. Today, the New Mexico House of Representatives passed an ethics commission bill that would treat the executive branch differently than the legislative branch.
The bill has lingered for a month in the House [...]

Free Speech means the right to criticize politicians – and NM politicians don’t like it

Let’s face it.  Elected officials don’t like to be criticized – and especially not in public.
There’s nothing wrong with that.  They have feelings too.  But criticism goes with the territory.  And there’s a big problem when those same officials attempt to use their powers to stifle the public’s exercise of free speech.
Under the U.S. Constitution, [...]

Senator Michael Sanchez: Manipulations, Maneuvers and Manny

While nothing surprises me much at the Roundhouse these days, Senator Michael Sanchez pulled a major shocker out of his hat yesterday afternoon on the Senate Floor.
With Lt. Governor Diane Denish out of the chair and Senator Tim Jennings presiding, Senator Sanchez moved Senate Bill 652 for discussion, literally leap-frogging it ahead of hundreds of [...]

Tightening the Noose on Nonprofits: The Hidden Hand of Leadership

Representative Ken Martinez (D-Grants) was oddly absent in House Voters and Elections Committee Tuesday morning when it gave a “Do Pass” nod to a committee substitute for HB808, one of the bills designed to impose new burdens on local non-profit organizations that engage in public education work on legislative issues.
Although formally sponsored by Rep. Paul [...]

Ethics: The Myth of New Mexico’s Exceptionalism

On Saturday, the NM State Senate delivered yet another blow to the cause of ethics reform.  SB163, a bill to impose a one-year cooling off period before ex-legislators can work as lobbyists, went down by a vote of 14-22.
One of the major purposes of the cooling-off period is to remove the temptation for lawmakers to [...]