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 today’s USA Today, the man who coordinated the controversial firings of U.S. attorneys in 2006, including that of former New Mexico U.S. Attorney David Iglesias, has admitted the firings were “misguided.”
Kyle Sampson, Attorney General Alberto Gonzales’ former chief of staff, also singled out Iglesias’ ouster for particular regret.
Sampson conceded that the whole process of removing the U.S. attorneys — which he personally coordinated — was misguided.
“Looking back on all of this, in hindsight, I wish the department had not gone down this road,” he said. He said he would not have included on the dismissal list U.S. Attorney David Iglesias of New Mexico, who has said he was pressured over a corruption investigation.
The firing of Iglesias touched off controversy when Iglesias testified under oath that U.S. Sen. Pete Domenici and U.S. Rep. Heather Wilson, both Republicans, pressured him on rushing indictments in a corruption investigation.
Domenici is retiring due to health problems, while Wilson lost in the GOP Senate primary to replace Domenici.
Sampson also disputed some of the testimony of Gonzales.
“The attorney general was aware of this process” as far as back as early 2005, Sampson said. “We discussed it. He asked me to make sure the process was appropriate.”
Sampson’s statements appear to directly contradict Gonzales’ comments March 13 in which he told reporters that he was not involved in discussions nor did he review memos related to the dismissals.
“I don’t think that the attorney general’s statements that he was not involved was accurate,” he said.
