The extra pay came from the additional work Janetta Hicks, now the Fifth Judicial District Attorney, picked up as she headed up Martinez’s DWI prosecution unit until 2007, the Martinez campaign told the New Mexican. The extra pay came in fiscal years 2006 and 2007, the paper reported.

Martinez, the Doña Ana District Attorney, has made ending corruption in New Mexico, including conflicts of interest, a central theme in her run for governor. Whether these stories about Martinez’s tenure as Doña Ana District Attorney will undermine that line of attack remains to be seen. (The Albuquerque Journal first reported on the no-bid deal that Hicks’ side business received last week.)

The stories are important in their own right. But in the context of the governor’s race their importance is understood in how effective they are in shifting the debate in the back-and-forth between the two campaigns. Will this cause Martinez to stop, or reduce, the number of attacks aimed at linking Denish, at least in voters’ minds, to scandals that have plagued the administration of Gov. Bill Richardson? Or does this give Denish the opportunity to launch her own attacks against Martinez along the same line, or shift the debate altogether to a different topic?

As with most of life, what will happen will be more complicated than the simple cut-and-dry scenarios outlined above. All of the different scenarios might happen simultaneously, or none of them, or just certain ones.

This is what makes this race so intriguing. Stay tuned.

The governor visited the communist nation in late August.

Marcelino Miyares, spokesman for Consenso Cubano, a “moderate exile organization” told the Miami-Herald that the United States government should keep trying to have a dialogue between the Cuban government and opposition, but that Richardson’s plan is “too public.”

“This type of thing historically is done in a third country, almost in secret,” Minaya said.

Orlando Gutiérrez, National Secretary of the human rights group Democratic Directorate, was even more dismissive, saying, “I think now he’s seeking publicity and commercial and entrepreneurial opportunities for New Mexico. He’s had bad publicity and needs good publicity with this diplomatic stuff.”

Happier times

Most of the nation’s governors are in Washington this weekend to meet with President Barack Obama and discuss how they’re spending their chunks of the stimulus package. Notably absent from the events: New Mexico Gov. Bill Richardson.

The National Governors Association winter meeting kicked off on Saturday with governors outlining their plans to spend the cash and meeting with some of Obama’s Cabinet secretaries, the Washington Post is reporting. Tonight, they were to attend a black-tie dinner at the White House. Tomorrow morning, they will meet with Obama.

But, the Post reported, Richardson didn’t make the trip. The newspaper couldn’t help but note the context: Richardson “withdrew in January as Obama’s commerce secretary nominee amid a federal ‘pay to play’ investigation.”

Two Richardson spokesmen have not responded to an e-mail asking why the governor isn’t in Washington for the events.

Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin is also skipping the events, the Post reported.

Lopez is a stand-up comedian and star of “The George Lopez Show” on ABC. Lopez has been to the Albuquerque area several times to perform at sold-out shows.

Also joining the Illinois senator is Gov. Bill Richardson, according to an Obama campaign press release. The Martin Heinrich campaign confirms that the Democratic 1st Congressional District candidate will be at the rally and will have a speaking role. U.S. Senate candidate Tom Udall will also attend and speak at the rally.

Garcia’s Tents and workers from local unions were setting up the stage and other areas. The stage will be located on the southwest end of Johnson Field.

Workers posing at Johnson Field while setting up the stage for Obama

“We’re Joe the Plumber’s nemesis,” one union worker said to a TV news camera there to document the Lopez announcement and stage-building.

People will start entering the event at 7 p.m. I’d dress warm. According to the Weather Channel, the temperature is expected to be 57 degrees at 9 p.m.

Signs and banners are not allowed, and parking will be at the following lots:

Lot T( located at University Avenue and Lomas Boulevard) Lot Q (located at University Avenue and Camino de Salud Street) Lot M (located at Yale Avenue and Lomas Boulevard) University of New Mexico Football Stadium (located at University Avenue and Avenue Cesar Chavez)

Carpooling is encouraged.