September 2006

The company announced that it also recovered the payloads and is returning them to customers.
“We were absolutely determined to find the vehicle and provide the payloads and experiments back to our launch partners,” CEO Eric Knight said. “We’ve spoken to our launch partners this morning, and they’re ecstatic over the news of the recovery.

”
The company hopes recovery of the rocket will help determine what went wrong nine seconds into Monday’s launch, so any problems can be corrected before the next launch on Oct. 21.

Former state Treasurer Robert Vigil has been found guilty on one of the 24 counts he was facing, according to in Albuquerque. Vigil was convicted on one count of attempted extortion, but acquitted on 23 other charges. The conviction carries a prison sentence of as much as 20 years or as little as 12 months, the station reported.

The verdict came back about 1:30 p.m. today.

Stay tuned for more.
Update, 2 p.m.

Retaining control of the U.S. House of Representatives keeps looking less likely for Republicans.

Rep. , R-Fla., abruptly resigned today after being questioned by about sexually explicit instant messages he allegedly sent to underage male pages who worked for him.

Once a champion of tough laws regarding child predators, Foley might now be prosecuted under some of those laws, ABC News reported.
Foley was chairman of the House caucus on missing and exploited children.
His departure sends Republicans scrambling to find a replacement just weeks before the election, according to the .

His re-election had not been in question before this.
Democrats need to win 15 Republicans seats to take control of the House. Many believe they will do that.

This makes the hot 1^st Congressional District race in New Mexico even more critical for both parties. The sex scandal might further spread anti-Republican sentiment and put other races into question that were previously considered to be likely Republican victories.
The is publishing its next round of polls starting on Sunday, including those of congressional races.

I’ll have exclusive analysis of the 2^nd Congressional District race between Republican incumbent Steve Pearce and Democratic challenger Al Kissling from pollster Brian Sanderoff, who conducted the polls. Assuming the Journal’s poll runs Sunday, I’ll have the analysis on Monday.

John Dendahl sent a letter today to Bill Richardson regarding the governor’s refusal to debate.
“I find it astonishing that a man of your experience – some 24 years in public office – apparently quakes in fear of debating a man who has never held elective office,” Dendahl writes.
By not debating, Richardson disrespecting voters Gov.

Bill Richardson’s refusal to agree to a live television debate with John Dendahl is a slap to the face of New Mexico voters. Richardson’s excuse is that Dendahl will go on the attack and that wouldn’t be good for the state. His people say Dendahl has no proposals, only criticisms, and that there could be no substantive debate.

Richardson must have a really low opinion of New Mexico’s voters if he believes that, were Dendahl lacking ability to talk about issues, they wouldn’t see that.
Democracy is about debate and compromise. The compromise comes after the election.

This is a time for debate.
Voters need the opportunity to see both candidates in action so they can make intelligent choices on Nov. 7.

Richardson is spending lots of money to play a cowboy in his latest campaign commercial and give us his spin on issues. He’s supposed to do that. So is Dendahl.

They should both spend money telling us why they’re the best candidate.
Then, they should go head-to-head so voters have a chance to see each counter the other’s spin. That’s when we get to see through the B.

S. and discover the real candidates.
That’s when candidates have the chance to prove they are genuine leaders.

If Dendahl is telling lies, a debate would allow Richardson the opportunity to cut through that and reveal his true self.
Richardson is not doing that. For some reason, he doesn’t want New Mexico voters to see a live debate.

Are we to assume he doesn’t want us to see his true self?
Right now, he’s not giving us any reason to believe otherwise.
To quote Michael J.

Fox’s character in The American President:
“… in the absence of genuine leadership, (Americans) will listen to anyone who steps up to the microphone. They want leadership. They’re so thirsty for it they’ll crawl through the desert toward a mirage, and when they discover there’s no water, they’ll drink the sand.

”
How about you take off the cowboy hat long enough to be a leader, governor?
Until Richardson steps up and does that, Dendahl is going to get some free space on this site. Richardson’s campaign says Dendahl doesn’t talk about any issues.

Click to see Dendahl talk about education, to see him talk about immigration, to see him talk about the growth of state government, to see him talk about the responsibilities of government, to see him talk about economic opportunity, and to see him talk about why he’s in the race.
You can visit his to learn more about his stands on the issues, but here’s a sample from the site detailing his stance on education:
“The recent re-broadcast by ABC-TV of John Stossel’s Stupid in America was another call to arms toward improving America’s public schools. In his television advertising, Gov.

Bill Richardson claims he has answered the call. No, he hasn’t.
“The overall performance of New Mexico’s public schools remains poor, and Richardson’s administration, though now fully in charge on account of a constitutional amendment he requested, has no sound policy answers.

Just the decades-long – and failed – claim that more money will make it all well.
“However, there are bright spots and they should be emulated. One is Artesia, where superintendent Mike Phipps is running a high-performance school district that doesn’t use socio-economic excuses to accept anything less.

He’s a competitor who led the Bulldogs to seven state football championships in his ten years of coaching. He chose the similarly-sized Los Alamos district as the standard against which he would measure Artesia’s performance, despite huge differences in wealth and parents’ educational levels in families typical to the two communities.
“Mike knows nothing works like competition to improve people’s performance in most things they do.

It spurs innovation and greater effort. He led his principals and teachers to adopt one simple idea: no community of students and their families is incapable of meeting high expectations.
“He’s right.

Sue Beffort and I know some youngsters have easier lives than others; we also know the examples are out there proving that economic disadvantage doesn’t prevent a child from having natural acuity and curiosity, the building blocks of learning. Youngsters need wise guidance, not pity.
“Sue and I also believe too much direction is coming from on high rather than from those in charge locally.

Yes, a few reasonable achievement standards should be set for all, but we insist that those close to the kids and their families can do a better job with classrooms – discipline, curriculum, resource allocation and all the rest – than bureaucrats in Santa Fe. It’s called local autonomy.
“Which brings us to federal influence and No Child Left Behind.

NCLB is a bold stroke to require performance evaluation that has been sorely missing, but some of its other reported effects are bizarre. Sue and I would help New Mexico educators reconcile NCLB requirements with sound educational policy: either make it work or refuse the money that gives the feds this leverage.
“The state constitution implies for every New Mexico child a right to a sound education.

Since many public schools are demonstrably not providing that, parents should be enabled to enroll their children in alternatives they choose. That simply isn’t an affordable choice for many.
“Choice is offered elsewhere through a variety of approaches.

We propose that New Mexico follow Arizona’s example with tax credits for contributions to support scholarships awarded by organizations like Educate New Mexico. New Mexicans will get a “two-fer:” more competition among our schools and more equal opportunities for all of our children.
“There is no good reason that well-educated New Mexico youngsters should be the exception rather than the norm.

We just need to push the envelope.”
Officials with are still working to recover the rocket launched from this week, but now say they are confident the problem that caused it to fall short of space won’t affect a scheduled launch in October.
The Monday launch went smoothly for the first nine seconds, until the rocket reached an altitude of 24,000 feet, the company said in a news release today.

“At that point, an anomaly occurred” that “caused a wobble in the vehicle’s flight trajectory,” the release states.
Ultimately, the rocket reached 42,000 feet – about 8 miles – before returning to earth. That was well short of the approximately 70-mile goal of space.

The company also revealed that it doesn’t know exactly where the rocket touched down. Radar lost track of it 2,000 feet above the ground, and personnel are continuing to search the area where that happened.
The rugged terrain of the area, complicated by unusually overgrown brush from this summer’s rains, is complicating the search.

Until officials find the craft, they may not be able to determine exactly what caused the anomaly.
“We’re certainly anxious to characterize the anomaly that occurred,” UP Aerospace President Jerry Larson said in the release. “… Once all of the air and ground data are assembled and processed, we’ll know exactly what happened, and make whatever corrections are necessary for the next flight.

”
He added that, because the rocket performed well until the anomaly, “we would be extremely surprised if we discover a major issue.” Because of that, the company does not expect the problem to affect its launch schedule.
U.

S. Senator to speak at NMSU fundraiser Salazar will speak at the Sixth Annual Danny Villanueva Scholarship Breakfast from 7:30-9:30 a.m.

on Oct. 19, according to a news release. The event is held at the ballrooms in Corbett Center on campus.

Salazar has been a senator since 2004 and was his state’s attorney general before that.
Villanueva, a retired NFL football player, matches the amount raised from the scholarship breakfast each year. Proceeds go to the Danny Villanueva Scholarship Endowment, which benefits student leaders at NMSU.

Tickets are $25 and available through NMSU’s Chicano Programs office in Garcia Annex. For more information, call (505) 646-4206.

The jury in the case has begun deliberations. Meanwhile, one of the alternate jurors, dismissed from duty last night, told in Albuquerque that the prosecution “didn’t have everything they needed” to prove the case. She said evidence was unconvincing, according to the TV station’s Web site.

Asked about hidden video camera that recorded Vigil taking cash from an investment advisor, the alternate juror had this to say: “I seen all of that, and I think that was just a big setup,” according to KOAT.
Attorneys who have watched both trials have told me they were surprised that the prosecution’s case wasn’t stronger.
The political fallout from a potential acquittal could be twofold.

Many speculate that Republican U.S. Attorney David Iglesias might make another attempt at elected office at some point.

To do that, he probably needs this conviction.
More immediate is the hot 1st Congressional District race. Democratic Attorney General Patricia Madrid, seeking to unseat U.

S. Rep. Heather Wilson, a Republican, will likely be blamed by Republicans if Vigil gets off.

Following the first trial, Madrid’s office indicted others in the case who had already pleaded guilty to federal charges, based on their testimony against Vigil. The prosecution’s star witness, investment advisor Kent Nelson, refused to testify in the second federal trial because of the state charges.
Though his testimony from the first trial was read into the record, it certainly didn’t have the same impact.

It only takes one juror to stop a conviction. The last time around, a lone holdout refused to vote for a conviction on at least some of the counts of extortion and racketeering Vigil faces.
Had the alternate’s services been required further for whatever reason, we might be in the same place.

It’s unlikely prosecutors would attempt a third trial against Vigil.
Stay tuned.
Still ducking debate, Richardson stops in Michigan

After hanging out with Democrats and the national press on the East Coast this week, Gov.

Bill Richardson continued his ducking of a debate with John Dendahl while he spent today in Michigan. Richardson was in Lansing to launch a “Latinos for Granholm” group to support Michigan Gov. Jennifer Granholm, a Democrat, according to the .

While there, Richardson jumped into the discussion about why that state’s Republican gubernatorial candidate was happy to have a fundraiser with first lady Laura Bush but was nowhere to be found when the president and vice president came through Michigan.
“We’re seeing (Republican) governor candidates around the country staying away because the president’s not a help,” Richardson told the news service. “I’m seeing that everywhere.

”
I don’t know about you, but I’m seeing a governor staying away from New Mexico because he doesn’t want to debate Dendahl.
He created the Jeff Armijo fiasco and then went to Africa and let his party settle it, making it appear as if he was above all the infighting. Now he’s gone again.

Come on, governor. Are you afraid? Do you really think Dendahl will give you a bruising?

You can take on Saddam Hussein and Kim Jong II but not New Mexico’s Republican gubernatorial candidate?

For the second time, former state Treasurer Robert Vigil will present no defense in his public corruption trial. The prosecution in the case rested just before a lunch break today, according to the .

After lunch, Vigil’s attorney, Sam Bregman, rested without presenting evidence or calling witnesses.
He did the same during the first trial in the spring. Vigil is being tried on some 20 federal counts of extortion and racketeering.

The first trial ended with a lone juror refusing to vote for a conviction on at least some of the counts.
Jury instructions wrapped up today and both sides were set to make closing arguments. After that, the jury will begin its deliberations.

Bernalillo County Clerk Mary Herrera, the Democrat’s candidate for secretary of state, is under fire because two of her campaign workers also work in her clerk’s office. Vickie Perea, the Republican in the race, told in Albuquerque that she is “very concerned” because two county clerk employees – Diane Brown and Daniel Gutierrez – also work for Herrera’s campaign.

Perea said those employees have a stake – beyond getting an accurate count – in the results of the votes they’ll be tallying.
Herrera countered in the news report that the employees don’t do campaign work on county time, but didn’t directly address the concern raised by Perea.
The Bernalillo County code of ethics says employees should stay away from activity that affects the “independence of judgment or action in the performance of official duties,” according to KOAT.

It should also be noted that Perea’s second cousin works in the clerk’s office, but he doesn’t work on her campaign. He’s the brother of big-shot Democrat Manny Aragon.
Earlier this month, Perea accused Herrera of misusing taxpayer money by sending out a campaign e-mail from her government e-mail address.

That is absolutely a misuse of a government e-mail address. Politicians should never use those addresses to campaign.
But when it’s the elections office we’re talking about, Perea brings up a good point: Can those employees remain impartial when counting votes, when deciding whether to accept provisional ballots?

Can they be trusted to remain ethical?
While we’re on the topic of this race, in a debate last week both candidates vowed to push for a state law requiring New Mexico voters to show photo ID before voting, according to the .
It’s no surprise that Perea sides with her party on this issue.

Herrera’s position, however, was a bit of a shock. She cautioned that such a law would have to ensure that no one’s right to vote it taken away, according to the Journal.
At the debate, Perea called Herrera’s position “a political conversion for expediency,” according to the Journal.

Herrera claimed she has been a longtime proponent of voter ID.

If you aren’t paying attention to the Central New Mexico congressional race between Republican incumbent Heather Wilson and Democratic challenger Patricia Madrid, you should be. Political blogger reports today that Democratic pollster Harry Pavlides has Madrid up one point over Wilson.

An poll done in August had Wilson ahead by three points. The Journal’s new poll will be released Sunday.
reports this week that this is one of the most hotly contested House races in the nation – and perhaps the hottest.

Gov. Bill Richardson knows it. He told the national press this week that Madrid will win, and took credit, saying his operation, coupled with anti-Republican sentiment, will carry her to victory.

If he can get away with taking credit for such a victory, it will further increase his stature in advance of a 2008 presidential run.
The district was created in 1968 and has never been in Democratic hands, Monahan reports.

BARBARA V. JOHNSON
ROGER GONZALES, and
Plaintiffs,
vs.
New Mexico Secretary of State,
State Attorney General,
Defendants.

Plaintiffs, Barbara V. Johnson, Roger Gonzales, and The Republican Party of New Mexico, by and through their counsel CARPENTER LAW, PC (Joshua Carpenter), hereby state:
The Republican Party of New Mexico is a major political party in New Mexico, as defined in §1-1-9 NMSA 1978.
The Republican Party of New Mexico has a vested interest in ensuring that the election laws of the State of New Mexico are applied fairly to all political parties and are not applied by the Secretary of State, Rebecca Vigil-Giron, in an arbitrary or capricious manner.

The Republican Party of New Mexico has a vested interest in ensuring that the Attorney General, Patricia Madrid, interprets New Mexico election law fairly and not in an arbitrary and capricious manner so as to deprive Republican nominees of their lawful place on the 2006 General Election Ballot.
Duly selected nominees of the Republican Party of New Mexico have been unfairly and illegally removed from the ballot by Secretary of State Rebecca Vigil-Giron.
Upon information and belief, the Secretary of State relied upon legal opinions from Attorney General Patricia Madrid in removing duly selected nominees of the Republican Party of New Mexico from the 2006 General Election ballot.

The Secretary of State has applied New Mexico election law unfairly to favor Democratic members of her political party and to disfavor Republican nominees.
The Republican Party of New Mexico has standing to bring this action since Republican nominees have been disfavored and stricken from the General Election ballot.
The nominees of the Republican Party of New Mexico have been irreparably harmed.

At issue is NMSA 1978 §1-8-9, stating “[n]o candidate shall withdraw from a general election unless he withdraws at least sixty-three days prior to that election.”
The Democratic nominee for State Auditor, chosen by the Democratic Party at their Pre-Primary Nominating Convention in March, did not withdraw by the statutory deadline, Tuesday, September 5, 2006. NMSA 1978 §1-8-9.

The vote by the Democratic State Central Committee to replace the official Democratic nominee with another candidate was ultra vires, and therefore a nullity.
Assuming, arguendo, that the nomination of Hector Balderas for State Auditor at the September 9, 2006 meeting of the Democratic State Central Committee was legal, a proper letter of nomination from the Chair of the Democratic Party was not submitted to the Secretary of State by the statutory deadline of Tuesday, September 12, 2006. NMSA 1978 §1-8-8.

C.
Hector Balderas cannot legally appear on the 2006 General Election Ballot.
Barbara Johnson is a qualified candidate for a position as a Second Judicial District Judge.

On September 6, 2006, Republican Bernalillo County Chairman Fernando C de Baca mailed a letter of nomination of Barbara V. Johnson from the State Central Committee of the Republican Party to the Secretary of State’s Office in Santa Fe.
The Secretary of State received a copy of the letter of nomination dated September 6, 2006, and sent a notice of receipt
The letter of nomination was timely filed.

The Secretary of State acted upon the letter of nomination by placing the name of Barbara V. Johnson on the official Secretary of State website as the Republican Party nominee for the Second Judicial District.
Barbara V.

Johnson detrimentally relied upon the official Secretary of State website; submitted information about her candidacy to the Albuquerque Tribune and the League of Women Voters; expended several thousand dollars on campaign materials; and held a fundraiser where she collected money from supporters.
The Secretary of State did not inform Barbara V. Johnson, by mail, that her name was removed from the official Secretary of State website and would not appear on the 2006 General Election Ballot as required by NMSA 1978 §1-8-26.

D “candidate must be notified by the proper filing officer by 5:00 p.m. on the Tuesday following the filing date.

”
Relying upon the official Secretary of State website, on September 20, 2006, Barbara V. Johnson drove to the Secretary of State’s Office in Santa Fe, New Mexico, to pick up her candidate packet. On the morning of September 20, 2006, Barbara V.

Johnson was informed by the Director of the Bureau of Elections at the Secretary of State’s Office that her name had been removed from the official website earlier that morning and would not appear on the ballot.
Barbara V. Johnson was told that her removal from the ballot came at the direction of the Attorney General, Patricia Madrid.

When Barbara V. Johnson protested her removal from the ballot, the Director of the Bureau of Elections, at the Secretary of State’s Office responded, “We take our orders from the Attorney General.”
Roger Gonzales is qualified to be a State Representative in New Mexico House District 68.

Roger Gonzales was nominated by the State Central Committee of the Republican Party in accordance with NMSA 1978 §1-8-8.A(1) of the Election Handbook of the State of New Mexico and the Republican Party of New Mexico’s Uniform State Rules.
The letter of nomination for Roger Gonzales from Allen E.

Weh, Chairman of the Republican Party of New Mexico, was timely filed with the Secretary of State on Tuesday, September 12, 2006, the last day to fill vacancies for the 2006 General Election. NMSA 1978 §1-8-8.C.

Under NMSA 1978 §1-8-8, the State Central Committee had the right and ability to nominate Roger Gonzales as a candidate for State Representative.
The State Central Committee of the Republican Party properly nominated Roger Gonzales pursuant to state law.
The Secretary of State did not inform Roger Gonzales, by mail that his name would not appear on the 2006 General Election Ballot as required by NMSA 1978 §1-8-26.

D.
The Defendants’ have acted in an arbitrary and capricious manner and their actions are contrary to the laws of the state of New Mexico and violate the constitutional rights of the Plaintiffs.
Plaintiffs will suffer irreparable injury because the ability to be a candidate on the 2006 general election ballot cannot be measured by any pecuniary standard and no compensation will suffice.

See State Hwy. and Transp. Dept.

v. City of Sunland Park, 2000-NMCA-044, ¶18, 129 N.M.

151, 3 P.3d 128) (citation omitted).
This Court should issue an alternative Writ of Mandamus to the Defendants directing them to uphold state law and place the names of Barbara V.

Johnson, and Roger Gonzales on the 2006 General Election Ballot for the position to which they were nominated, or to show cause why this action should not be taken.
Due to the time required to print ballots, time is of the essence and an emergency hearing should be conducted.
There is a substantial likelihood that Plaintiffs will succeed on the merits.

WHEREFORE, Plaintiffs respectfully request this Court issue a Writ of Mandamus directing the Defendants to place the names of Barbara V. Johnson and Roger Gonzales on the ballot for the 2006 General Election to the positions for which they were nominated, as well as removing the name of Hector Balderas from the ballot for the 2006 General Election, or to show cause why this action should not be taken.
Respectfully submitted,
CARPENTER LAW, PC
GOP sues to get Balderas off ballot, others on

The Republican Party of New Mexico has sued the secretary of state and attorney general, alleging that two Republican candidates were unfairly denied spots on the Nov.

7 general election ballot and that the Democrats illegally placed a candidate on the ballot. At issue is the secretary of state allowing Democrats to place Hector Balderas on the ballot for state auditor and denying Republican attempts to place Roger Gonzales of Mora on the ballot for Balderas’ House seat and Barbara V. Johnson of Albuquerque on the ballot for a district judgeship in Albuquerque.

The two joined the party in filing the suit Wednesday against Secretary of State Rebecca Vigil-Giron and Attorney General Patricia Madrid. Since ballots are already being printed, they requested an emergency hearing and will ask a judge in Santa Fe to order that their candidates’ names be placed on the ballot, and Balderas’ name be removed.
“Republican nominees have been disfavored and stricken from the general election ballot while a Democratic candidate has been illegally included,” Marta Kramer, executive director of the state Republican Party, said in a .

“They have been irreparably harmed because Patricia Madrid and Rebecca Vigil-Giron are rewriting election law to favor their political party.”
The Democrats didn’t place anyone on the ballot in the House District 68 race after Balderas withdrew from that race, so there is no candidate on the ballot.
“More importantly, the voters of HD 68, which includes all or part of San Miguel, Mora, Guadalupe, Colfax and Taos counties, have been disenfranchised because they will not be allowed to vote for any candidate,” Lyn Ott, election integrity director of the state Republican Party, said in the release.

“The governor is simply going to appoint a replacement for HD 68 and rob the people of their right to vote for a representative.”
As for Balderas, the Republicans claim Democrat Jeff Armijo did not withdraw from the race by the statutory deadline of Sept. 5, so the vote by the Democratic State Central Committee to place Balderas on the ballot was “illegal and therefore a nullity.

”
Vigil-Giron, responding to the lawsuits, told the she is “following the laws the way they are written.”
In response to the Republican attempt to place Gonzales on the ballot, Vigil-Giron’s office has said there was no vacancy on the Republican side because that party didn’t run a candidate in the primary. That decision is based on a ruling from the U.

S. Supreme Court in the 1980s upholding such an interpretation of New Mexico law.
Vigil-Giron told the Journal that Johnson didn’t follow the proper procedures to get on the ballot.

Armijo changed his mind before the deadline to officially withdraw and announced he would not file the signed, notarized withdrawal letter that had typically been required by the secretary of state’s office. The governor’s office and Democratic Party argued that Armijo’s prior public statements and actions constituted a withdrawal, and the secretary of state took his name off the ballot. Armijo and his party sued each other in an attempt to resolve the issue, but Armijo gave up the fight before a court hearing.

Republican Party spokesman Jonah Cohen told me 10 days ago the party was still considering whether to sue.
“We are in a bit of a conundrum,” he wrote in an e-mail. “On the one hand, we don’t want to make the case for Armijo, since we don’t like him and feel he would be bad for New Mexico should he somehow win; at the same time, we feel that Madrid, Vigil-Giron and the rest of the Democratic Party hierarchy have abused their power and broken election law.

They shouldn’t be allowed to get away with this Scot-free. Our grassroots are furious and want something to be done.”
The inclusion of Madrid in the lawsuit may appear to be political because of her neck-and-neck race with Heather Wilson in the Central New Mexico congressional race, but Madrid’s office did back Vigil-Giron’s decision to take Armijo off the ballot.

The campaign of the Democrat seeking to unseat U.S.

Rep. Steve Pearce, R-N.M.

, is showing signs of life. Al Kissling’s campaign recently unveiled several radio attacking Pearce and Republicans on a host of allegations, including increasing the federal deficit, breaking promises to veterans, failing to get troops out of Iraq, voting for bills that benefit pharmaceutical companies instead of seniors, cutting federal student aid and cutting overtime protection for workers.
The ads, which are running on radio stations across the 2^nd Congressional District, accuse Pearce of campaigning on “rosy rhetoric” and dodging questions about his record, which, according to the ads, proves he isn’t independent from corporations or the Republican Party.

Pearce’s campaign, which is targeting moderate Democrats, claims he has a record of independence.
In addition to the radio ads, Kissling has increased the number of public appearances he is making and news releases his campaign is sending out.
Kissling, according to a column that ran recently in the Roswell Daily Record and Artesia Daily Press, “seems more focused.

The retired minister has shifted easily from the pulpit to the podium and pounded Steve Pearce on both the war and the economy.”
Kissling plans to hit hard in the next few weeks, according to Campaign Manager Loveless Johnson.
“Congressman Pearce has replaced all the actual truth and reality of his record with his chicken-in-the-pot-of-every-home rhetoric,” Johnson said.

“It’s just rosy, false, inaccurate rhetoric.”
The campaign plans to hold news conferences in Las Cruces and Socorro next week with veterans who will demand that Pearce explain why the Disabled American Veterans have given him a (with 100 being the highest mark) three of the past four years, ranking Pearce by far the last out of the state’s senators and representatives in support for veterans.
A month ago, Pearce led Kissling 54-29 percent in a poll done by the .

Is it too late for Kissling to make his move?
Is there a Richardson '08 staffer in South Carolina?

Former New Mexico Economic Development Department spokeswoman Katie Roberts left her job last week and moved to South Carolina, where she started work Monday with the South Carolina Democrats.

The question is whether she’s there to work for candidates in that state or lay the groundwork there for New Mexico Gov. Bill Richardson’s 2008 presidential run.
Richardson says that’s not the case but, according to the , the South Carolina Democratic Party says otherwise.

That state party’s spokesman, Patrick Norton, told the Journal that Roberts’ presence “helps us this election cycle – and it helps the presidential candidate in 2008.” He said it would be valuable for potential presidential contenders to have someone who “knows the lay of the land” in that state. South Carolina became more important in presidential elections when the Democrats’ national party voted last month to move up the date of the state’s presidential primary, which will be held a week after New Hampshire’s.

Norton told the Journal he understood that Roberts was in the state at the request of Richardson. Richardson’s campaign manager, Amanda Cooper, didn’t give a yes or no answer but gave the same answer she’ll give until at least after Nov. 7:
“The governor has not made any decision as to whether he is going to do that or not,” Cooper told the Journal about a possible presidential run.

“The governor is running for re-election.”
The Journal reported that it could not reach Roberts for comment. I could not either.

Cooper told the Journal that South Carolina Democrats asked Richardson if he knew anyone who could handle communications for the campaign of the Democratic candidate for governor. When Roberts told Richardson’s campaign two weeks ago that she wanted to get back into political work, she had the job.

Doña Ana County’s interim elections supervisor says he has already implemented many changes suggested in the released Tuesday by the election task force, and morale and operations of the office have improved.

The task force found that, in recent years, the office has suffered form high turnover, low morale and a lack of organizational cohesion, which has resulted in a myriad of problems. The report recommends the hiring of a qualified elections supervisor, revision of the office’s organizational structure and the creation of training programs to ensure compliance with state statutes and consistent training of poll workers.
Lynn Ellins said in the few weeks he has been elections supervisor, much of that has been done.

Some staff reorganization has already taken place. He is conducting employee evaluations, which has not been done in at least a year. Nine people have been appointed to form a team of poll-worker trainers, and are also developing a program for long-term training of workers to ensure it’s done right in the future.

Ellins said he meets with Democrats and Republicans frequently, and with Clerk Rita Torres two or three times each day, which was not being done before.
Ellins was able to implement many of the changes weeks ago because he also served on the elections task force and was one of nine who investigated the problems. He said his management of the office is one of the most important changes.

“One of the major things is I’m listening to suggestions from people and I’m implementing them when it makes sense,” Ellins said. “They’re very skilled and proficient. … What I’ve been trying to do is give them some positive suggestions, some positive feedback.

”
That has resulted in improved morale, and Ellins said the elections bureau staff is now “working as a unit” instead of different people “going different ways.”
That will help when Ellins leaves. He has agreed to run the Nov.

7 general election, but after that wraps up he’ll leave the office and Torres will have to hire a new elections supervisor.
November won’t be without problems, Ellins said. That’s in part due to the state-mandated switch to paper ballots, which is taking place at the same time that the county’s office is being recreated by Ellins and the task force.

“Sure we’re going to make some mistakes. It’s inevitable,” Ellins said. “But at least we’re going to anticipate the problem areas so we’re prepared, and if we make a mistake, we can correct it immediately.

”
Officials with both major political parties have said they expect fewer problems than in past elections.
Training poll workers is the biggest challenge, Ellins said. It was perhaps the most problematic aspect of operations identified by the task force.

In addition, this year poll workers have to learn two new machines – the machine that tabulates paper ballots filled out at each precinct, and a machine for those with handicaps that Ellins described as a “$5,000 pencil.”
Public education about the new system has already begun, and feedback was positive at last weekend’s Whole Enchilada Fiesta, Ellins said. Workers will also be at the Southern New Mexico State Fair this weekend demonstrating the new voting system.

Ellins said it’s not that complicated. Voters will be given a ballot that looks like a school scantron sheet. Using a pencil, they’ll have to fill in the circles corresponding with the candidates they choose – the entire circle, not just a part – then feed the ballot into a machine that counts votes.

It isn’t just Gov. Bill Richardson who is ducking debates.

As reported in the today, U.S. Rep.

Heather Wilson, R-N.M., has accused Democratic challenger Patricia Madrid of avoiding televised debates – which Madrid has done – but Wilson has also declined two non-televised debates with Madrid.

Though U.S. Rep.

Steve P earce, R-N.M., participated in one, mid-day debate with Democratic challenger Al Kissling, he has declined any other debates, including an upcoming offer from an Albuquerque television station.

Sen. Jeff Bingaman, D-N.M.

, has agreed to one upcoming televised debate and not yet responded to a challenge from Republican Allen McCulloch for several more. Bingaman has never been one to shy away from debates. Kudos to him for agreeing to the televised debate.

Rep. Tom Udall, D-N.M.

, is also expected to agree to a televised debate with Republican challenger Ron Dolin, the Journal reported.
If there isn’t a gubernatorial debate this cycle, it would be the first time in recent history.
“We’re having debates about debates, rather than issues,” Allan Lerner of Albuquerque’s Congregation Albert synagogue told the Journal.

His center was to b e the site of an Oct. 15 debate between Richardson and Dendahl that now appears to be dead because Richardson doesn’t want it televised and Dendahl insists that it be broadcast.
“The voters deserve the chance to see the governor and his opponent in a public debate,” Lerner told the Journal.

Richardson has declined two other televised debates with Dendahl. Madrid has declined three televised debates, but recently took part in an untelevised debate with Wilson that was recorded by blogger , who posted the on his Web site. Madrid’s campaign later posted video of the debate on its site.

A recorded version of that debate was broadcast on the radio.
That was the case with the Pearce/Kissling debate on Aug. 22.

Pearce insisted it be held during the day on a weekday, ensuring no live television coverage. It was recorded by KRWG-TV and radio. The PBS affiliate’s radio station later broadcast audio of the debate, but the television station has not broadcast video of the debate.

In the 21^st Century, it is unreasonable for candidates to insist that debates not be televised or, as Pearce did, only agree to a debate that is less likely to be televised because of the time it’s held.
I’ve requested that KRWG share the video of the Pearce/Kissling debate with me so I can publish it on this site, but have not received an answer. You can click to listen to the audio recording of the debate.

If you, like me, think there should be more televised debates, you can contact the campaigns of the duckers:
NMSU seeks millions for renovations on Nov. 7 Bond B would allocate nearly $118 million for capital improvements at state colleges, universities and other schools, according to a news release from NMSU, which would get $22.9 million.

“Some of our buildings are 50 years old and must be updated in order to best serve the students,” said Ben Woods, senior vice president for planning, physical resources and university relations at NMSU.
The university has worked in the past few years to build new dormitories, update historic buildings and improve athletics facilities.
The university says passage of the bond would allocate $11 million for renovation and expansion of Gardiner Hall on the Horseshoe, home of the physics department.

The building was constructed in 1957 and is sorely in need of upgrades, according to the university.
Expansion of the building would also create new homes for the astronomy and geology departments and create a center in that area of campus for science departments, which will encourage more cross-collaboration among researchers and make it easier for students to find classes, according to NMSU.
Bond B would also allocate $2 million to the College of Health and Social Services for the expansion of its building, to include the new Southwest Institute for Health Disparities Research, which is planned to focus on major health issues including diabetes, drug abuse, AIDS, cancer, water and air quality, prenatal care, immunizations and teen pregnancy.

Bond C, also on the Nov. 7 ballot, proposes more than $9 million for libraries across the state, including $700,000 for NMSU.
Now the price tag: The cost is 32 cents per $1,000 of the taxable value of property, which the university says is a decrease from the 34 cents sought during the 2002 bond cycle.

In layman’s terms, a property owner with a home worth $100,000 will pay $10.17 per year for this, if it’s approved by voters, according to NMSU.

Recognizing that there have been problems this summer, commissioners did direct staff to study the issue further, according to the . Staff will present a report to the commission at its only meeting in December, so commissioners can determine whether they need to change ordinances or policies or improve flood-control infrastructure.
Many residents spoke at the meeting in favor of a construction ban, while some in the development community opposed it, according to the newspaper.

Commissioner Oscar Vasquez Butler proposed the temporary ban in the wake of this summer’s flooding. He said the ban would give the county time to review its ordinances and policies to ensure the county is properly regulating growth in and around arroyos.
Commissioner Bill McCamley has suggested the implementation of impact fees to fund the county’s flood-control system.

While he’s refusing debates and visiting the East Coast, Gov. Bill Richardson is also trying to help out New Mexico’s Democratic Party.

In an e-mail sent Tuesday to supporters, he announced that he’ll give any contribution that comes to his campaign in the next 10 days to the New Mexico Democratic Party. He’ll also match all contributions, up to $25,000, at a 2-1 rate, which means he’ll raise a maximum of $75,000 for the party.
Does this mean the party is starved for cash?

Or is Richardson just swimming in money?
Compared to his opponent, Republican John Dendahl, Richardson is swimming in money. There has also been some criticism from local Democrats that they are having a hard time raising money because the governor is taking so much.

In addition, Democrats expect a surge of national money into a few Republican races in the final weeks before the election.

While out East, Richardson woos national press The breakfast, sponsored by the , has already resulted in a couple of positive profiles of the potential 2008 presidential candidate.

“… he gave reporters a preview of the distinctive campaign he’d run – and how much he’d differ from likely rival Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton of New York,” wrote Steven Thomma of . “He boasts a decidedly different résumé.

He’s arguably more candidate. And he’s definitely funnier.”
The Monitor wrote a balanced that included this statement: “Although he is running for reelection, Richardson felt confident enough to take time out for a swing through several Eastern states to campaign for Democratic gubernatorial candidates.

”
Richardson told reporters at the breakfast he is confident Democrats will take control of the House of Representatives and a majority of governorships, in part because of frustration over the war in Iraq.
But he spoke more about his potential run for president, and offered up his plan for Iraq when asked what he would do if he were president.
“I would set a timetable for withdrawal.

I would couple that with a political solution of the three ethic groups forcing them to have a political solution,” Richardson said, according to the Monitor. “There is no military solution. Specifically, I would divide up the oil revenue, the cabinet ministries and force them to come up with a new political framework.

I would also study Senator Biden’s federation (proposal). I think that may be ultimately the right solution.”
“I would set up a Middle East peace conference that would deal with civil administration and reconstruction of Iraq,” he said.

“Muslim and European nations would be part of that. I would then redeploy (U.S.

) troops, leave a residual force in Iraq (and) put (troops) where we really need them, (in) Afghanistan. I would put others in Gulf states to deal with international terrorism threats. And I would also use a large part of those financial budgets and reserves that we use in Iraq on homeland security in this country.

This country is not fully protected. I would emphasize port security. I would emphasize security of our subways (and) our aircraft.

I would put money in detection of those liquids that became such a problem...

.”

“The problems have resulted in failure to apply the election code properly, inconsistent training of poll workers, and canvassing delays that have damaged the public image of the election process in Doña Ana County,” the report states.

Click to read the entire report.
The highly critical report found problems with almost every aspect of operations and structure of the county’s Bureau of Elections. The task force made several recommendations in the report, including:
• the hiring of a qualified elections supervisor.

• revision of the office’s organizational structure.
• the creation of training programs to ensure compliance with state statutes and consistent training of poll workers.
The task force presented its findings to commissioners at Tuesday’s meeting.

Lynn Ellins, a task force member who is also the interim elections supervisor, said he has already implemented many of the recommendations and the situation has improved, though he cautioned that the November election will not be without problems.
The task force will remain intact and meet again after the Nov. 7 general election.

It will review the election to determine whether implemented changes worked, and also help implement those there aren’t time for now, such as reorganizing staff.
“The more senior personnel are not allowed to direct the activities of the newest members of the department, mentor their activities, assess their performance or assist with structured training programs and their attendant evaluation and performance qualification ratings,” the report states. “The loose structure and lack of proper supervision in the (Bureau of Elections) office had a detrimental affect upon day-to-day operations that need to be performed.

These include: updating of the voter registration roster, mandatory street files, poll worker recruitment and training, identifying polling locations, and the issuance of absentee voter ballots.”
Because voter rosters were not being constantly updated, there has been an “excessive” use of provisional and absentee ballots in Doña Ana County, the report states. The office has also done a poor job of keeping up with the county’s growth and, as a result, voters have been placed in incorrect precincts.

In addition, according to the report, the poll-worker database is outdated and incomplete. Poll workers have been chosen from secondary lists before those provided by the major political parties, violating state statute. Some workers have attended trainings and not been assigned to work.

Others did not work but were paid anyway.
Poll workers have been trained at times by staff members who were “never adequately prepared to handle this important responsibility,” the report states. “At times… staff members had no advance notice that they were doing the training and went in at the last minute, unprepared.

”
Questionnaires filled out by those who attended public hearings of the task force indicated that most have not had problems voting, but almost half of those who had problems said poll workers weren’t able to assist them.
On election days in the past, the task force found, the situation has been chaotic. The county has had significant problems with poll workers not showing up on election days, especially in Sunland Park.

Poll workers have arrived at the bureau of elections with votes to find chaos instead of organization. Staffers have not had assigned job duties on election days in the past, and were “chosen randomly to do jobs that could be changed at any time,” the report states. “This breeds frustration and inefficiency.

During the election day periods, employees tend to work longer hours to handle the extra workload. In the past this stress was magnified by persistent procrastination by management that did not allow the staff members to complete what other (elections) offices consider to be routine tasks.”
The task force recommended the creation of more specific job duties for individual positions, rather than having general job duties that apply to all workers.

It also recommended a review of the pay structure, including a comparison with other counties.
It recommended the creation of an organizational chart and a master time line that coincides with state election deadlines, the creation of departmental training requirements for personnel, a new evaluation process, a checks-and-balances system so that all work is double checked for accuracy, the purchase of additional computers and the creation of a call center and online training guides for those seeking information.
It also recommended more extensive and consistent poll worker training, with the possibility of working with New Mexico State University on a program, and the creation of a poll worker manual that is easier to understand.

Commissioner Bill McCamley, who first proposed the task force, said he is pleased with the task force’s report.
“It’s a good nuts-and-bolts policy document,” McCamley said. “The bigger victory here is that (a diverse group from varying political philosophies) has been able to get together and put their party labels aside and accomplish this.

That should be an example to all of us in government.”

There may not be a gubernatorial debate this year after all because Gov.

Bill Richardson doesn’t want a lot of people seeing it. Richardson had tentatively agreed Monday to one debate at Congregation Albert in Albuquerque on Oct. 15, but insisted that the debate not be televised.

When his Republican opponent, John Dendahl, wouldn’t budge on the television issue, the debate fell through.
Richardson’s campaign manager, according to the , said Dendahl would launch negative attacks rather than focusing on the issues, and said such attacks would be a disservice to viewers.
“The governor debating at the U.

N. or with a world leader for the release of a hostage is different from somebody who had made it clear that his intent is negative attacks that bring down the state,” said Richardson campaign manager Amanda Cooper.
Richardson agreed to several televised debates against Republican John Sanchez in 2002.

This year, two Albuquerque television stations have offered to host televised debates, and Dendahl has agreed to both.
The reality is that “the state” benefits from debates viewed by its voters, no matter what Cooper says. Debates, even those that include negative attacks, are a healthy part of any democracy.

It’s Richardson’s presidential hopes that would be affected by a televised debate. Negative attacks could hurt Richardson’s chances of reaching the so-called magic 60 percent of the vote in November that he would use to claim overwhelming support in New Mexico.
Unless Richardson budges on the television issue, it’s likely that there won’t be any debates.

Blogger recently took amateur video of the debate between U.S. Rep.

Heather Wilson, R-N.M. and her challenger, Democrat Patricia Madrid, after Madrid refused to allow the debate to be televised, and posted it on his Web site.

Richardson’s people realize this. If they don’t want video of a debate to exist, in the 21^st century, they can’t have a debate.
“We inaugurated a spaceport today,” said UP Aerospace CFO Bill Heiden at a post-launch briefing Monday night in Las Cruces.

“This was not a perfect flight, but it was an overwhelmingly successful launch.”
The day began with a failed transponder – a piece of equipment that helps officials find the rocket after it lands. Fixing that problem delayed the launch more than six hours.

The launch itself went perfectly, but the rocket corkscrewed and then veered off course shortly after launch, and failed to reach space.
Officials are still trying to determine why that happened and whether there is a problem that will delay future launches.
The rocket, originally scheduled to launch at 7:30 a.

m. from the spaceport, located northeast of Las Cruces, actually took off at 2:14 p.m.

to a cheering crowd of about 200 who watched from a location three miles north of the launch site. Mission control pronounced the launch a complete success before discovering what those who stood several miles away could already see – there was a problem.
The rocket started out on a straight course, then wobbled a bit and finally corkscrewed before vanishing.

Because the mission control building is so close to the launch site, officials were looking almost straight up at the rocket and did not have the same view.
“We actually were under the impression there for a few moments that the mission had been successful and the rocket was going into space,” New Mexico Economic Development Department Secretary Rick Homans said Monday night.
Officials said earlier Monday that the rocket appeared to reach an altitude of 40,000 feet – some 300,000 feet short of space – before coming back down.

Monday night, Heiden said the peak altitude and many other facts are yet to be known.
“At some point after (launch) the vehicle experienced some kind of flight anomaly,” he said.
White Sands Missile Range has located the rocket, which is not on the missile range, Heiden said, though he was vague about the location of the rocket.

Officials will attempt to reach the rocket this morning, though they will have to travel through rugged terrain and may have to hike to the site, he said.
The rocket is equipped with two flight recorders that will provide data about the flight. Officials don’t know whether parachutes deployed before the rocket landed.

“We’ll know what happened on that flight,” Heiden said. “We’re going to reconstruct it.”
Heiden also said it’s too soon to say what the flight does to the company’s launch schedule.

It plans several more launches this year, the next on Oct. 21.
The problem could be minor and easily fixed or could take more time, he said.

“We are not making any changes yet,” he said. “We may or may not adjust our launch schedule.”
Officials said they are confident that payloads on the rocket are undamaged.

If clients want them flown again in an attempt to reach space, they will be sent up on a future flight.
Officials with UP Aerospace said they proved Monday that their business plan works and that they can work with state officials on launches. Other officials spoke about how well everyone worked together Monday despite adversity, and said of four components of a launch – hardware, software, infrastructure and the people involved – three worked perfectly.

The hardware, or rocket, had some problems, but officials stressed that the initial launch phase went flawlessly. Almost half of all initial launches fail.
“The mission might not have attained all the goals, but we did have a successful launch,” Homans said.