Ethics commission, ‘sunshine portal’ and tougher reporting requirements are all on the lieutenant governor’s agenda
Days after the state GOP chairman hammered her for standing by the scandal-plagued Gov. Bill Richardson, Lt. Gov. Diane Denish unveiled today ethics initiatives she plans to push during the 2010 legislative session.
Denish, the only declared Democratic candidate for governor in next year’s election, announced her support for proposals to create an independent state ethics commission and strengthen lobbyist and campaign reporting requirements. She also proposed the creation of a new “sunshine portal” — a one-stop shop on the Internet for access to government spending data and other information.
“The people of New Mexico deserve a state government that is as open and honest as the people of this state,” Denish said in a news release announcing the proposals. “I am committed to making the changes necessary to ensure that New Mexico’s government and elected officials enjoy the trust of New Mexico’s people.”
Denish released a four-page memo that lays out the details of the proposals, which would need Richardson’s approval in order to be considered by lawmakers during the 30-day session.
Denish wants a powerful ethics commission — one that would have subpoena power and the ability to impose fines. It would be made up of seven members appointed by all three branches of government.
Her sunshine portal would include searchable databases for all sorts of information, including how state government is receiving and spending money and notices of upcoming public meetings.
Denish wants to increase the frequency that lobbyists and candidates for state office must file reports next year from every six months to every three months. Within two years, she proposes to increase the requirement to every 30 days.
The lieutenant governor already voluntarily makes her own campaign finance reports public every three months.
A hot topic
Ethics has been a hot topic lately because of a number of scandals plaguing the Richardson administration and state government. Over the weekend, the Albuquerque Journal published a commentary in which state GOP Chairman Harvey Yates Jr. wrote that “Corruption has been so prevalent in this state, and so embedded in the Democrat power structure, it is not believable to suggest that (Denish) has been unaware of it.”
He wrote that if Denish “has lacked the courage to speak vigorously against corruption, she is unfit to be governor.”
According to The Santa Fe New Mexican’s Kate Nash, Denish twice stated today at a news conference that she has no connection to the current scandals. She also mentioned her work to reform the state’s housing authority system following that scandal.
“Again, whatever may be said by the opposition party in their quest to find qualified candidates for some of their offices, let me just say this,” Nash quoted Denish as saying. “I have not been part of any of this, my office has not been part of any of this, regardless of what they may want to say or allege.”
Earlier this week, the chairman of Denish’s campaign committee sent an e-mail to supporters decrying Yates’ attack.
“When it comes to these kind of false negative attacks, I’m outraged. But I’m not surprised,” Ted F. Martinez wrote. “When you are leading in the polls and your opponents have been rejected over and over by the voters, you can expect there will be some mud coming your way. But Chairman Yates once again showed how little Republicans have to offer New Mexico.”
The bottom line: In New Mexico, the 2010 election is shaping up to be all about ethics. The Republican gubernatorial candidates have been talking about it (click here and here). And Denish is the second candidate for statewide office to release an ethics-reform plan. Democratic Lt. Gov. candidate Greg Solano released his proposal last month.