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.
The State Investment Council filed state and federal lawsuits Friday against former investment chief Gary Bland and a number of other people involved in alleged pay-to-play schemes. The state alleges they were involved in steering investments to political supporters of former Gov. Bill Richardson.
New Mexico Senators criticized vetoes made today by Gov. Susana Martinez. Sens. Dede Feldman, D-Albuquerque, and George Munoz, D-Gallup, said a veto of a bill to create a health insurance exchange may mean more federal control of the insurance marketplace in New Mexico, while Alburquerque Sen. Tim Keller criticized Martinez for vetoing transparency and accountability measures.
A member of the State Investment Council resigned Monday citing a possible perceived conflict of interest, leaving three vacancies on the board. Sherman McCorkle told the Albuquerque Journal he did not believe there was a conflict of interest but that he would step aside anyway to avoid any appearance of one.
Gov. Susana Martinez said she will webcast State Investment Council meetings according to a report from NMPolitics.net Friday morning. The move comes after Martinez has been criticized for sending workers to tape committee meetings for what some Democrats believe are political reasons.
State Sen. Tim Keller, D-Albuquerque, announced his second phase of reform of the State Investment Fund: His new proposed legislation for the upcoming 60-day session includes taking the governor off of the State Investment Council entirely.
Former New York Comptroller Alan Hevesi will plead guilty today to a single count of receiving award for official misconduct, the New York Times is reporting.
I wrote last week how a guilty plea by Hevesi might lead to…
Alfred Lovato, the former member of Gov. Bill Richardson’s security detail who was involved in the fatal Fierro crash, has been hired as a deputy by the Rio Arriba County Sheriff’s Department, the Santa Fe New Mexican reports.
The…
A class-action suit against WellCare Health Plans has been settled for $200 million, Attorney General Gary King’s office announced Monday. The State Investment Council (SIC) and Public Employees Retirement Association of New Mexico (PERA) were plaintiffs…
The State Investment Council (SIC) has given control of a $80 million hedge fund to a Texas-based company connected to placement fees paid to Guy Riordan, a former friend of Gov. Bill Richardson who was banned recently from the securities…
New Mexico’s permanent endowment trust funds took a beating in the stock market between March and June, losing three-quarters of a billion dollars.
The state Land Grant Permanent Fund, the state’s largest endowment, lost 6.4 percent of its…
New Mexico’s state film adviser, Peter Dekom, must take a $90,000 pay cut if he wants to continue to advise the State Investment Council (SIC) on what film productions are worthy of no-interest loans, the Albuquerque Journal reports.
Dekom…
The State Investment Council hired the law firm of Day Pitney Tuesday to help it try to recover taxpayer money lost due to questionable deals made in recent years, the Associated Press is reporting. The firm will be paid a…
A prominent fundraiser for high-profile Democrats played a bigger role than previously thought in helping his company land a 2007 deal to manage New Mexico investments, the Albuquerque Journal reported today.
The revelation comes thanks to a court memo…
The Educational Retirement Board plans to sue Aldus Equity Partners, the Dallas firm that advised both the ERB and another state investment agency until last year when its founder was indicted and eventually pleaded guilty to securities fraud in…
Seven people are vying for the role of film consultant to the State Investment Council (SIC), State Investment Officer Steven Moise told SIC members Tuesday.
After months in the hot seat, including being the focus of two federal probes, the State Investment Council decided Tuesday to go after tens of millions of taxpayer dollars lost to potential fraud. A request for proposals (RFP) will be sent out next month with the goal of hiring a firm by mid-September to lead the agency’s effort to recover lost taxpayer money, State Investment Officer Steven Moise said Tuesday.
Two outgoing members of the State Investment Council want New Mexico to perform a cost-benefit analysis of a no-interest loan program for the film industry. New Mexico has given no-interest loans totaling $273 million to 26 projects since 2003, according to the SIC. And it pays a consultant $350,000 a year to work part-time vetting the loan applications.
A current member of the State Investment Council joined two outgoing members Tuesday to accuse Attorney General Gary King of not doing enough recover public money lost to failed or possibly fraudulent investments. King responded by accusing the SIC of trying to shift the “spotlight” from itself and its past investment mistakes.
A newly reconstituted State Investment Council on Tuesday named Steven Moise as state investment officer. The selection was made with the understanding that his appointment wouldn’t be permanent until a full council was assembled. Legislative leaders, who control four seats on the…
An executive producer of a film shot in New Mexico and titled “Chooch” pleaded guilty Wednesday to securities fraud in New York. David Loglisci is the former chief investment officer for New York state’s pension fund and the first…
