I am writing today to announce the closure of the New Mexico Independent. After three and a half years of operation in New Mexico, the board of the American Independent News Network, has decided to shift publication of its news…
While environmental activists played their part yesterday during demonstrations at the capitol building, going so far as to dress up as solar panels and to sing the tune of “You Are My Sunshine,” their counterparts, the anti-cap-and-trade contingency who has…
Roughly one quarter of University of New Mexico students are unimpressed with the state’s flagship public school, according to a survey that questioned college students about their higher education experiences.
Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich (Photo illustration by jburwen/Flickr)
The corruption merry-go-round just doesn’t seem to want to stop these days. In the last week alone, the governor of Illinois was arrested for not only trying to sell President-elect Obama’s Senate seat, but also for trying to get editorial writers at the Chicago Tribune fired.
Then there’s that giant Ponzi scheme in New York — a $50 billion investment fund was apparently a big house of cards, and a lot of people, including institutional investors, got bitten, big time.
Here in New Mexico, many are still reeling from the news that ex-state Senate powerhouse Manny Aragon really did do it. Plus those shady goings on in the Housing Authority mess have yet to be resolved. Then there’s the FBI telling us we might have our own little pay-to-play scheme here in New Mexico. Let’s hope it isn’t so.
Regardless of the Ponzi scheme or the prospects of a pay-to-play boondoggle here in New Mexico, many people might think Illinois is the ultimate when it comes to corrupt states because of the multiple infractions of its governor. Thankfully, we have news analysts to debate what we all want to know… which state is the most corrupt? Is it New York? Louisiana, anybody? Can we safely stick with Illinios? Or is it really New Mexico?
According to The New York Times, three measures can help determine the most corrupt states: 1) the number of guilty officials over the last decade, 2) the number of guilty officials per capita and 3) the assessments of statehouse reporters regarding their subjects.
At first glance, New Mexico does pretty good.
Number of guilty officials? We rank way down — No. 48.
Number of guilty officials per capita? Still pretty low — No. 46.
Outcome of a 2003 report that revealed the opinions of statehouse reporters? Whoa. We shot way up there! Reporters who cover the Roundhouse in New Mexico think it’s a pretty darn corrupt state — we’re ranked No. 3.
There are few convicted officials in New Mexico compared to other states… but a class of reporters who think their subjects are totally corrupt.
So, my friend who sent me the article asked, does this mean our reporters are biased? Or does it mean we have really poor ethics laws and really poor prosecution by U.S. attorneys in our state?
Any takers?
