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.
In all the hoopla leading up to the inauguration, we failed to point NMI readers to an interesting Wall Street Journal article about New Mexico’s “unusual — and lightly regulated — political culture.”
Before describing the current pay-to-play federal investigation of the Richardson administration and whether or not there’s a greater chance for ethics reform this year, the WSJ gives a rundown of a few things that set our state apart in the world of politics — making it, in their words, sort of like the Wild West:
New Mexico is the only state in the nation that doesn’t pay its state legislators. It is one of just a handful with no campaign-contribution limits, …
Unlike most states, New Mexico lacks an independent ethics board. There is no statewide law governing ethical conduct for officeholders.
There is no way for citizens to watch their representatives at work, unless they trek to the state capitol in Santa Fe. New Mexico is one of only three states that doesn’t broadcast or Webcast its legislative proceedings.
Then, the WSJ gives us this incredible little nugget of an anecdote from Attorney General Gary King:
During a kickback probe a few years ago that ended with two state treasurers in prison, a witness was asked why he bribed the officials. “He said, ‘My understanding is, that’s how business is done in New Mexico,’ ” recalled Attorney General Gary King, a Democrat.
“Well,” Mr. King said. “That’s embarrassing.”
