Roundhouse Roundup: Lawmakers Enjoy Trips to Turkey

A version of this was published in The Santa Fe New Mexican
June 2, 2011

Some Roundhouse regulars' heads were turned in January when they saw the flag of Turkey flying above the Capitol in place of the New Mexico flag.

I jokingly suggested in my blog that the state was trying to fix the state budget problem by renting out our flagpoles to other countries. But the truth is that seven Turkish congressmen were in town to meet with the governor, legislators and other state officials.

Turks seemed to be everywhere during the session. During the past two sessions, there have been "Turkish-New Mexican Friendship Receptions" in Santa Fe with host committees that included several state officers and legislators.

And in recent months, the Turkish-New Mexico connection has grown stronger. State Sen. Jerry Ortiz y Pino, D-Albuquerque, who recently got back from a 10-day Turkish trip with several New Mexico journalists, said Wednesday that he's just one of several legislators who have traveled to Turkey courtesy of a private group.

Sens. Dede Feldman and Cisco McSorley, both Albuquerque Democrats, are currently in Turkey, Ortiz y Pino said. And another Albuquerque Democrat, state Sen. Eric Griego, even took time off of his campaign for Congress to make the trip.

Earlier this year, another group of lawmakers including Rep. Debbie Rodella, D-Española, went, he said. And last fall, Ortiz y Pino said he made his first trip there along with Senate President pro-tem Tim Jennings, D-Roswell, Sen. George Muñoz, D-Gallup, and others.

Raul Burciaga, executive director of the Legislative Council Service, confirmed Wednesday that the state isn't paying for any of the Turkish trips. Legislative leaders in recent weeks have been talking about cutting back on out-of-state travel because of the budget crunch.

So who is paying? The cost of the travel isn't readily available. Because the state isn't paying for it, lawmakers don't have to file travel vouchers or other records with the state, Burciaga said.

The group that instigated the Turkish trips is the Turquoise Council of Americans and Eurasians, which on its website describes itself as "a leading independent and an umbrella organization committed to advancing the interaction among American and Turkish, Turkic and Eurasian people to promote and encourage continuing good relationship and understanding through its affiliate organizations regardless of their ethnic origin, religion and other preferences."

The council "brings people together by hosting public programs and private events featuring leaders and experts with diverse views on a wide range of global and regional topics through task forces, executive forums, luncheons, conferences, studies and leadership dialogue."

Phone calls to the Houston-based group weren't returned Wednesday.

The group plans to build a Turkish cultural center in Albuquerque, which would be affiliated with the Raindrop Turkish House in Houston. The Turkish community in New Mexico is relatively small — only about 500 people, according to information on the council's website.

"They approached us about a couple of years ago about sending trade delegations," Jennings said in a telephone interview Wednesday. "A lot of people think that everyone in the Middle East hates America. They wanted to show us that's not true." He said he learned that Muslims, Christians and Jews live together in Turkey without strife.

Jennings said he and other legislators were allowed to go wherever they wanted in Turkey. "It wasn't like the government only allowed us to see what they wanted us to see."

Ortiz y Pino said the main motivation for the Turks wooing American legislators and journalists is that Turkey is trying hard to join the European Union. But the senator said a Turkish journalist told him even if Turkey doesn't get accepted in the EU, the effort has been worth it because of the reforms undertaken by his nation in seeking membership.

Ortiz y Pino said there's a lot to be learned from Turkey. "It's the world's third-fastest-growing economy," he said.

So if you begin noticing an influx of Turkish coffee, tobacco and bathhouses into New Mexico — and if Istanbul suddenly develops a hunger for green chile and tortillas — you'll know why.

Gov. Choses Her Two Members of Judicial Nominating Committee

Gov. Susana Martinez has selected former acting U.S. Attorney Greg Fouratt and former state Rep. Justine Fox-Young as her selections to the committee that will nominate possible replacements for Court of Appeals Judge Richard Robles, who resigned after being arrested on a drunk driving charge.

Under the law, the governor gets to choose a lawyer and a non-lawyer t be on the committee. Other members can be found HERE. The panel is scheduled to meet June 29.


Fouratt served as acting U.S. Attorney for the state after David Iglesias was fired by the Bush administration. Martinez's news release notes that he prosecuted the Manny Aragon case that ended with Aragon serving a sentence in federal prison for his role in the Bernalillo County Courthouse kickback scandal.

Fouratt also headed the office during the grand jury investigation of the Richardson's administration's CDR scandal in which a Beverly Hills company made some $1.5 million for handling state transportation bonds following big contributions to Bill Ricahrdson PACs.

When the Justice Department decided not to indict anyone over the alleged pay-to-play bill, Fouratt sent a letter to attorneys involved saying the decision not to prosecute was no vindication because the investigation "revealed that pressure from the Governor's Office resulted in the corruption of the procurement process."

Fox-Young represented an Albuquerque district for two terms until her surprise defeat in 2008. She was the youngest woman ever elected to the Legislature.

She's Martinez's "non-lawyer" appointment to the committee, but she probably won't be a non-lawyer for long. Since leaving the hallowed halls of the Legislature, she's  been studying at the Chicago School of Law.

And Fox-Young will be the only committee member with her own theme song.

NM Senate Candidates and the Ryan Plan

I almost forgot to link to my story in Tuesday's New Mexican about the major U.S. Senate candidates from both  parties and their positions on the controversial Ryan budget.

The Dems, Martin Heinrich and Hector Balderas, to absolutely no one's surprise, both are dead set against plan, which would eventually privatize Medicare.(Both current New Mexico senators, Jeff Bingaman and Tom Udall, Democrats bothn voted against the Ryan budget last week.)

The Republicans, Heather Wilson and John Sanchez, are on the proverbial fence. Neither would outright endorse the plan, but neither wanted to say exactly why/ Sanchez said that no plan is perfect. Wilson said she doesn't agree with all the plan, but she would rather talk about why the Democrats suck.

You can read the story HERE.

R.I.P. Minnie Gallegos

Photo by Barbara Wold

Minnie Gallegos, the first woman elected to head the Santa Fe County Democratic Party, died Sunday. She was in her 80s.

Gallegos was chairwoman of the county party between late 2001 and early 2009.In the 1980s, she was director of Santa Fe County Housing.

Robert Adams, who worked with Gallegos in the party, wrote on his Facebook page that Gallegos died surrounded by family.

Richard Ellenberg, who succeeded Gallegos as party chairman, wrote in an email, "We will all miss her. She was a dedicated and hardworking activist and former County Chair for most of a decade.

"I will remember her as the generous and warm person who welcomed me into the Party and mentoring me."

Details on funeral arramngements are pending, Ellenberg said.

My fondest memory of Minnie was during a Bill Richardson campaign bus trip through northern New Mexico  in October 2002 that I was covering. I learned that she had a sharp sense of humor and was quick to laugh.

She always was good-natured and helpful every time I had to call her during her time as chairwoman. It's down-to-Earth people like Minnie who make politics fun. I'll miss her.

UPDATE: 5-31-11 I wrote a full obit for Minnie for Wednesday's paper. You can find it HERE

Former Bush Spokesman Endorses Wilson

Ari Fleischer, former press secretary for President George W. Bush, has endorsed Heather Wilson for U.S. Senate and will travel to Albuquerque For a Wilson fundraiser.

“Heather Wilson’s strong conservative record and background in national defense make her the most qualified person to serve New Mexico in the U.S. Senate,” Fleischer said in a release emailed by the WIlson campaign. “I know that from day one in the Senate, Heather will lead the charge to get our financial house in order and to repeal and replace Obamacare. I'm proud to endorse her candidacy today.”

Between 1989 and 1994, Fleischer was spokesman for Sen. Pete Domenici.

He will be in Albuquerque on June 14.

Roundhouse Roundup: When Running Mates Quit Running Together

A version of this was published in The Santa Fe New Mexican
May 26, 2011

Martinez & Sanchez on Election Night 2010

Unlike Bill Richardson with Diane Denish, Gov. Susana Martinez will never be accused of getting too touchy-feely with her lieutenant governor, John Sanchez.

And even if Martinez’s popularity takes a nosedive before next year’s election, it would be a real stretch for Democrats to try to talk about the “Martinez-Sanchez administration,” the way Republicans derisively referred to the “Richardson-Denish administration” in attacking Denish during the last gubernatorial race.

Several pundits have noted that Martinez and Sanchez aren’t exactly close. And neither has done much in the way of disputing that.

Unlike Denish, who frequently appeared at Richardson news conferences during his first term, I haven’t seen Sanchez at any of the Martinez conferences I’ve attended since she took office.

The truth is, I don’t even remember the two of them being in the same room since Martinez gave her State of the State address on the Legislature’s opening day in January.

The distance between them became glaringly obvious Tuesday when Martinez issued a news release wishing Sanchez well in his campaign for Senate, but adding: “To prevent this race from becoming a distraction, Lt. Governor Sanchez will not be given responsibilities in my administration beyond the select few provided for in the state Constitution.”

Sanchez is taking on former Congresswoman Heather Wilson, who headed the Martinez administration’s transition team, in the Republican primary race for the U.S. Senate. But if Sanchez doesn’t succeed in his quest to succeed U.S. Sen. Jeff Bingaman, D-N.M., it will be interesting to watch how his relationship with Martinez and his role in state government develops. It seems unlikely at this point that their interactions will turn completely sour.

But few, if any, predicted in 1991 that Gov. Bruce King would be challenged by Lt. Gov. Casey Luna in the 1994 Democratic primary.

Select few responsibilities: There was a general snicker among some news dogs and political junkies at the idea of Martinez giving the lieutenant governor fewer responsibilities. In this state, the “lite gov.” has fewer real duties than any other elected state official.

Those responsibilities include presiding over the Senate when the Legislature is in session, acting as governor when the real governor leaves the state and serving as an ombudsman for constituent concerns. The lieutenant governor also is an automatic member of the Board of Finance as well as a few other boards and commissions.

It begs the question: Is this position necessary?

The Lieutenant Governor’s Office is not a real budget buster, but in years when there has been budget crunch, every little bit helps. According to information on the state Sunshine Portal, Sanchez and four staffers are paid a total of $350,000 a year.

Chief of Staff Rod Montoya recently pointed out that this is about half the size of Denish’s staff. The budget for the office in the next fiscal year totals $680,000, which allows for three additional full-time employees.

Most states do have full-time lieutenant governors. But not all.

The National Lieutenant Governors Association’s website (Yes, there is such a thing. They will meet in Puerto Rico in July) explains, “In Tennessee and West Virginia, the senate president is first in line of succession and in both states that official, by statute, is empowered with the title ‘lieutenant governor’ … In Arizona, Oregon and Wyoming, the secretary of state is first in succession, and in New Hampshire and Maine, the senate president is first in succession.”

Almost a year ago, when the conservative news website Capitol Report New Mexico floated the idea of abolishing the office of lieutenant governor, House Speaker Ben Luján, D-Nambé, said he expected the task force on government restructuring to consider it.

But that didn’t happen. And no bill ever emerged to get rid of the office. I guess the Legislature was too busy ignoring every other government restructuring and consolidation proposal to get around to ignoring this one.

Wilson: "The Governor was a surprise guest at my
speech at the Economic Forum this morning. Great to 
sit with her! These photos are a little blury [sic], 
but things  in politic move quickly! :)" 

Speaking of Capitol Report, after I filed my column, Rob Nikolewski apprently noticed this item in National Review as well as Heather Wilson's campaign Facebook page, where this photo appears.

The two Republicans were at the Economic Forum in Albuquerque where Wilson was speaking.

Martinez spokesman Scott Darnell told the National Review that when Martinez is in Albuquerque, she tries to attend the Economic Forum and was not there specifically for Wilson's speech.

They must make pretty good eggs there for the governor to drive 60 miles for breakfast.


UPDATE: 5-26 I just corrected the caption of the top photo to state the actual year that Martinez and Sanchez were elected.

This is Getting Fun Already!

Republican Heather Wilson sent out this news release earlier this hour.

"We welcome Lt. Governor Sanchez into the race and look forward to contrasting Heather Wilson's conservative record with his invented one. On issue after issue John Sanchez is not who he says he is, and Republican voters will be quick to figure that out."

You probably could say Sanchez started it today with his thinly-disguised barb in his video saying “We don’t want to return people back to Washington, D.C., who got us into this mess in the first place."

Only a year and a week or so before primary day.

UPDATE: I probably should mention the above quote from the Wilson campaign was from Heather Wade, the deputy finance director.

Governor Responds to GOP Senate Race

Here's Gov. Susana Martinez's statement regarding Lt/ Gov. John Sanchez's entry into the Senate race:

“I wish all of the candidates for the U.S. Senate well and do not intend to make an endorsement in the Republican primary at this time.

“It is Lt. Governor Sanchez's decision to pursue what he believes is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to run for the Senate. However, it is my responsibility to keep my word to the people of New Mexico by pursuing the reform agenda I promised and delivering the results they deserve. To prevent this race from becoming a distraction, Lt. Governor Sanchez will not be given responsibilities in my administration beyond the select few provided for in the state Constitution.

“I promised New Mexicans that I would work hard every day to turn our state around and that work will remain my focus.”

No additional responsibilities for the lieutenant governor? Is this the end to the Children's Cabinet as we know it?

Yep, It's Official. Sanchez is In

Early yesterday evening, John Sanchez's new campaign website wasn't up. I checked it.

But later last night, or perhaps early this morning, it came alive.

It's official: Five months of being lieutenant governor is enough!

And here's the video announcement.

I'm sure he's not talking about anyone in particular when he says,"“We don’t want to return people back to Washington, D.C., who got us into this mess in the first place."

In the GOP promary Sanchez faces former Congresswoman Heather Wilson, who has been collecting endorsements like baseball cards, not to mention a hefty campaign treasury. Two other GOP candidates, Greg Sowards and Bill English, also have declared.

On the Dem side, there's Congressman Martin Heinrich and challenger State Auditor Hector Balderas. Longshot Albuquerque activist Andres Valdez also has declared he's running.

Sanchez Has Declared He's Running For Senate

Lt. Gov. John Sanchez hasn't made a formal announcement for the Senate race, but last week he filed the required paperwork with the federal government. Below is his statement of candidacy.

Roll Call says that "sources close to Sanchez" say he'll announce tomorrow.

Sanchez will face former Congresswoman Heather Wilson in the Republican primary. Two other GOP candidates, Greg Sowards and Bill English, also have declared.

On the Democratic side, Congressman Martin Heinrich faces State Auditor Hector Balderas. Dark horse Dem Andres Valdez also has declared he's running.


Sanchez Senate Declaration