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.
A bill that would allow same-day voter registration at early voting sites cleared the Senate Rules Committee on a 4-3 party-line vote. The committee turned back an attempt to require government-issued photo ID when registering at early voting sites.
State senators weren’t agreed Friday about how to reform a state agency at the center of an investment scandal. But one thing’s for sure: they’re spoiling for a fight with Gov. Bill Richardson over who should control the State Investment Council. Three reform bills are being combined into one that could be heard on Monday in the Senate Rules Committee.
Lawrence Rael became today the first candidate in the lieutenant governor’s race to spend money on television ads. The Democrat is out with an ad that focuses on his “ability to build relationships for a better New Mexico,” according to…
Jerry Ortiz y Pino says progressives have been “used” by the Democratic Party in New Mexico for a long time. He says his candidacy for lieutenant governor is “a great opportunity for the progressive wing of the party to assert itself.”
During a discussion on the Senate floor Wednesday about whether lawmakers should voluntarily reduce their per diem as the Legislature addresses a massive budget shortfall, Sen. Richard Martinez, D-Española, spoke out heatedly about colleagues who he said abuse the…
I reported Tuesday on some of the fundraising numbers for Democratic lieutenant governor candidates. Here are the rest.
LAS CRUCES — Lawmakers who are crafting legislation that would create an independent state ethics commission decided Wednesday evening to propose that such a body have 11 members with subpoena power. Other key questions—the most significant being what degree of disciplinary authority such a commission would have—remain unresolved.
At a forum in Santa Fe on Wednesday night, several candidates for Lt. Governor criticized the chair of the Senate Rules Committee for failing to pass a bill that would have established an independent ethics committee, reports…
The Santa Fe County Democrats will host all seven (yes, seven) candidates for Lieutenant Governor at a forum on Wednesday, Sept. 16 according to a press release from the party. The seven candidates will each give five minutes opening statements…
In case you were wondering, the number of Democrats who are either in the race or have expressed interest in the race to replace Diane Denish as lieutenant governor is now at nine.
Santa Fe County Sheriff, one of…
While Gov. Bill Richardson has said that he would seek to bridge the budget gap by cutting services including Medicaid, he has said that rescinding the 2004 tax cuts is one option that is off the table as…
How many people will, ultimately, be running for the Democratic nomination for lieutenant governor next year?
According to state Sen. Jerry Ortiz y Pino and Santa Fe County Sheriff Greg Solano, two candidates who have already announced they are in…
Senate Majority Leader Michael Sanchez, D-Belen, says a proposal to open conference committees and other legislative meetings to the public will be the last item the Senate will hear tonight. Interestingly, it’s Sen. Linda Lopez, D-Albuquerque and chair of the Senate Rules Committee, who will present Cervantes’ bill tonight.
Let’s be honest: Though it’s become crystal clear in the last day that, certainly and without a doubt, the proposal to create a state ethics commission is dead in the New Mexico Legislature (picture feigned surprise), we already knew that.
A grisly mass burial ground on Albuquerque’s west mesa has offered up 13 female bodies, one which contained a fetus, over the past month. The body count seems to have stalled, and now we are gradually learning who they are…
Gov. Bill Richardson just sent out a press release urging legislators to work on ethics reform. The release said Richardson “applauded” the Senate Rules Committee’s passing a campaign contribution cap.
“I’m pleased that this issue is moving forward, but we…
For nearly two weeks, the New Mexico Independent webcast ethics hearings from the Senate Rules Committee — some of them with the help of Mark Bralley — and substantive ethics reform discussions took place each time. But on Monday, NMI was unable to do it. Without a camera in the room, no ethics reform was discussed.
Some high-profile ethics reform bills gained momentum today in the Senate Rules Committee.
Sen. Linda Lopez, D-Albuquerque, says she will allow NMI to webcast Friday morning’s meeting of the Senate Rules Committee, which she chairs.
Lopez made the comment Thursday evening via the social networking Web site Facebook.
Tension between the Senate and governor is already spewing into the public view even before the 60-day legislative session kicks off on Tuesday.
