The Center for Civic Policy, at the center of an ongoing controversy, released its donors over the weekend to the Albuquerque Journal.

The donors listed by the Center gave $617,000 of the $645,000 the Center relied on for its budget during the 2006-07 year. The Center declined to supply the Journal the names of its individual contributors. 

Critics of the Center have pointed out that it is being hypocritical by not sharing its donors before now because one of the goals of the center has been pushing is ethics reform in New Mexico.

At issue is an organization that the Center oversees — New Mexico Youth Organized — and mailers NMYO sent out to constituents of several state lawmakers months prior to the June 3 primary.

Three of the targeted lawmakers lost their primaries in June and they have sued the Center and other nonprofits.

The situation has heated up in recent days as the Attorney General has said publicly he stands behind a letter his office issued in May saying NMYO should be governed by laws overseeing political action committees. The attorneys for the Center have threatened a lawsuit if such action is taken.