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Misleading campaigning is nothing new for Weh
Heath Haussamen
When state GOP Chairman Harvey Yates called out Republican gubernatorial candidate Allen Weh for running dishonest ads, he was only scratching the surface of a systemic problem that has plagued the Weh campaign from the start.
Weh has made a number of misleading claims and allegations he could not back up in news releases, public statements and advertisements.
The first one I caught came in September, when Weh claimed he was taking on his own party in trying to get former U.S. Attorney David Iglesias fired.
Is it really taking on your party when the leader of the effort to oust Iglesias was then-U.S. Sen. Pete Domenici, and when Weh also counted others, including prominent Republican attorney Pat Rogers, as allies in the effort?
Not quite.
Making serious accusations without providing proof
Then in February, when a New Mexico State professor and his government class conducted a poll that showed Pete Domenici Jr. in the lead and Susana Martinez a very distant second in the GOP gubernatorial primary, Weh publicly accused the professor of misusing university resources and taking advantage of his students to manipulate the poll to favor Martinez.
I never wrote about Weh’s claim in this instance, because I asked the campaign for evidence to back up that very serious allegation and was given none.
In April, Weh began running a TV ad accusing Democratic gubernatorial candidate Diane Denish of spending federal stimulus money to take a plane flight to Gallup for a parade. The problem? The trip was paid for with state general fund money, not federal stimulus money.
When I wrote that the ad’s claim was false, Weh’s spokesman tried to divert me to a totally separate issue: A new claim that Denish flew a state plane to Farmington, using federal stimulus money, to attend a campaign fundraiser for U.S. Sen. Tom Udall.
But again, there was a problem with that claim. The only document the Weh campaign cited as proof was a sticky note on the official flight log for the trip that mentioned the fundraiser. The note doesn’t say Denish attended the fundraiser.
Now, one possibility is that the note was there because Denish was attending the fundraiser. But there are other possibilities. Denish claimed the note was an FYI about other events happening in the area while she was there to attend to state business. She also trotted out the fundraiser’s host, who said she didn’t attend.
Weh would have been on solid ground if he had said the sticky note raised questions and called for an investigation. Instead, once again, Weh made a leap by claiming Denish had done something improper without having proof.
Dishonest ads and an overinflated endorsement
Which brings us to the past week. Weh’s TV and radio ads accusing Martinez of failing to pay taxes are based on an audit finding that said her office should have paid some workers as employees instead of contractors – which would have subjected her office to more federal tax.
But instead of talking about the contractor/employee situation, the ad implies one of two things – that Martinez failed to pay personal taxes, or that her office’s failure to pay taxes somehow involved “extravagant dinners, luxury hotels, dinner at Hooters – even iPods” – when neither is supported by documents provided by the Weh campaign.
This is the ad Yates has said is dishonest.
Finally, Weh put out a news release last week stating that the “head of NM Tea Party” had endorsed him. This is a more minor example than the others, but there is no such thing as the New Mexico Tea Party. There are local tea party organizations throughout the state. Some are loosely affiliated. Others are not.
Weh overinflated the endorsement in a way that was misleading.
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Weh showed himself to be smarmy two years ago when, as head of the Republican Party, he launched deceptive, dishonest, and dirty campaign literature attacking any and all non-Republican candidates. The current Republican Chairman, Yates, after deeming Weh’s current attacks on another Republican untruthful, may want to move on. Moving on? Where to? Are we supposed to ignore that a candidate running for the governorship cannot be trusted to be truthful and decent even in dealing with a fellow Republican? Weh has established his credentials showing that he would flim-flam the public and sell the state to the highest bidders.
Survery USA Poll…Martinez ahead of Weh by 10 points. Only candidate who is ahead of Denish in November 49-43%. THERE!!! Turner can’t do it. Aunt Janice can’t do it. Susana all the way.
I don’t know about you two: Ramirez & ksparks. Sounds like Obama Derangement Syndrome to me. If Obama is doing such an awful job to this point, I can only surmise that you were fuming mad when GW finished his presidency with a 25% national job approval rating. Or were you part of that 25%?
But back on topic. I don’t expect to see Weh back down in any way, shape, or form. He’s still running the iPod ads. And watching the counter attack ad where the Martinez camp explains the purchases is comedy gold.
Aww, heaved forbid we “slur” Obama. How dare we? Superior intellect? For all of brains the man supposedly has, our deficits keep rising, unemployment is rampant and stocks are tumbling. There has been no change, just empty promises and rhetoric.
And believe it or not, graduating magna cum laude is not the only qualification a president “should” have. There have been great presidents that have had a lesser education, and worked to get our nation through the toughest of times. Obama has simply floundered during his first two years in office.
wedum59 you’re hilarious. Yes, Ronald Reagan might have graduated from a small college in Illinois but, he had the dignity, reserve, and polish to get elected in two landslides which have not been seen since. He also had the tact and diplomacy skills to end the Cold War.
Your President (not mine), can’t even figure out how to respond to an oil spill and has went there one time since the leak. Although the Feds were slow to respond to Katrina, George W. Bush went there personally seven times in the first 40 days after Katrina. Although a “constitutional scholar,” your President has ABSOLUTELY NO CLUE as to proper interpretation of the Constitution. Instead, he appoints rogue justices to try to rewrite it.
Ramirez is very correct. There were enough stupid people who drank the Obama Kool-Aid and America is suffering for it. Let’s not even begin to speak about foreign policy skills. A state senator who becomes a US Senator and spends he entire time running for President.
Although I’m not the biggest John McCain fan, he DID have the ability to get selected for the US Naval Academy and make it through one of the most rigorous curriculums of any university. Barry charmed his brash way through school and NEVER earned ANYTHING in his dumb life.
I can’t let Ramirez’ slur of President Obama pass. (“You can be very qualified, but that does not mean you can just get elected. Look at the president that was elected recently.”)
Obama is a highly superior intellect and a constitutional scholar. He was chosen as editor of the Harvard Law Review at the end of his first year in law school. He graduated magna cum laude (highest bracket is summa cum laude) with his J.D. in 1991.
Compare the scholastic records of Ronald Reagan and both Bushes. As nonexistent as WMDs.
Now if by ‘qualified’ Ramirez means political experience, that is a different debate, and he already ruled that out by stating that qualifications are separate from, and preceed, electablility.
Or maybe Raimrez meant George the Worst (unqualified but elected) compared to Al Gore (qualified but not elected)? Or is he claiming that the McCain-Palin ticket was “very qualified?” Yeech.
Thanks Sparks – You understand the point I was getting at.
For those of us that really understand the way politics work in our Republic (so sorry for the discrepancy), is that to each voter, people determine what qualifies a candidate as to what they think is best.
This certainly includes the aspect of persuasion, a vital component of how the public elects its leaders. You can be very qualified, but that does not mean you can just get elected. Look at the president that was elected recently. He was in no way qualified by any conventional standard, but his appeal to a majority of the public won him the presidency.
Sometimes a candidate has BOTH appeal and experience that make them electable. But that doesn’t mean they will exactly make the best elected official in the end. Look at our Governor. Highly “qualified”, elected by a landslide in two elections with millions in the bank. How’s that working for you?
I was in NO way putting down Arnold Jones. I was just simply stating that even though Susana is not rich like Allen, she can still win this primary, and has a damn good shot at winning the general. That’s what makes our republic great.
Arnold Jones didn’t have the money to go toe to toe AND she didn’t have the message to resonate with enough Pre-Primary delegates to get a bye on the ballot. Her, Domenici Jr. and Turner shouldn’t even be on the ballot if you ask me. All I’m saying is her substance didn’t resonate enough to raise money or influence delegates. She’ll bring up last place a week from Tuesday.
Thank goodness for a Republican Party Chairman with the integrity to dicipline his own. Harvey Yates said, at the convention when he was elected that he would not tolarate lies by candidates in the heat of campaign. I am proud to be a Republican under the leadership of a man who has the courage to lead his party. I want a Governor who will be honest. I believe the committee report that the information in Martinez ad was documented. I believe them that information in Weh’s ad was not documented. All I have to say is Waah-Waah-Weh!!
ksparks,
Your disrespect for people you don’t even know don’t even know is wearing thin.
Where do you get off with this “Aunt” Janice crap? You’re ad hominem attack illustrates your inability to write to the issues.
Rep Janice Arnold-Jones has a message that resonates with most people who give her an honest listen – you obviously have not. That she has not gotten her message out widely, is an economic issue. The fact that she isn’t a party insider has two ramifications; it hurts her financially, and it makes her a better candidate. “Throwing the bums out” applies to both parties.
To suggest that Susana Martinez has “rooted out” corrupt politicians is nonsense – you have been watching too many “Law and Order” TV shows. District Attorneys don’t do the rooting, police and other investigative agencies do.
As far as convictions go, her Office says they don’t keep any records of conviction rates. What does that tell you? If there was a record of being particularly effective as a prosecutor, don’t you suppose that she would be able to document that fact?
Where did she “stand up” to tough criminals? in a court room surrounded by bailiffs and deputies?
Your assertion that she could easily be bullied by Allen Weh is betrayed by the fact that she has stood up to him on more than one occasion. She has also stood up on a number of occasions to the most powerful Democrats in the legislature including the Speaker of the House Ben Lujan – and she did it on the floor of the House.
That Arnold-Jones displays such grace under pressure
She carried a web cam in to the legislature of the 48th state to begin webcasting. The opposition to webcasting is so formidable that it is still not being done robustly, two years later.
“Carrying a web cam into the legislature isn’t tough.” You have no idea what you are talking about. I wouldn’t be surprised to find that you have never even been to the legislature, and if you have, you certainly haven’t made any waves. Talk is cheap, do something brave yourself, and then get back to us.
If Arnold-Jones is “soft-spoken” is to her credit; she can get things done by building consensus rather than “swinging a baseball bat”. She doesn’t have to act tough, because she is tough.
Her stand on the death penalty makes sense; our next execution is going to cost taxpayers something north of $20M. You may think that is a good investment of tax dollars, she does not.
You’re right that she would make a great Lt Governor; she has the competence, character, and courage to excel at any endeavor she undertakes.
She will also make a great Governor.
Sparks … off hand – I’d say you’ve never met, nor pushed, Arnold-Jones. I’ve seen both Martinez and Arnold-Jones, in different situations. Martinez will gut ya like a fish … Arnold-Jones will gut ya like a fish, take off your blasses and break your nose, while she is smiling and it takes 10 minutes to figure what has happened. The metal of these two women is a silly discussion – they both have it. What Arnold-Jones brings to the table is the knowledge of how Santa Fe works, she knows where to look and where to start on January 1st and is the best candidate. The unfortunate truth is that the she didn’t have the money to go toe to toe – and while a good candidate needs message – it takes money to get it out there. Lets move on to substance ….
@Transparency:
Ramirez was not disrespecting anyone, he was stating the truth. Aunt Janice hasn’t been able to do two of the most important and necessary aspects of ANYONE running for office (1) Get out a message that resonates with a majority of the electorate; or (2) Inspire people with that message to donate to her campaign.
Susana Martinez was able to get out a message of anti-corruption and border security along with her law and order emphasis (that is appealing to New Mexicans this election).
Martinez has experience in rooting out and convicted corrupt politicians- resonates words with experience.
She is small in stature but, she has been able to stand up and convict criminals which gives her a tough demeanor.
Aunt Janice comes off as this soft spoken grandmother that could be easily bullied into a corner by Allen Weh, Diane Denish, Big Bill and anyone else who puffs up their chest. Carrying a web cam in the state legislature and filming isn’t tough.
Her stance against the death penalty and vote against it doesn’t help her either. Aunt Janice would have been a great light guv candidate IF she could have overcome the financial hurdles of Sanchez to get out her message.
Hey Ramirez… Which is it?… the Democracy we live in (its a Republic by the way) is so GREAT because anyone can run even if they aren’t a millionaire and win which qualifies Martinez in your mind, but I guess that platitude doesn’t apply similarly to Arnold-Jones whom you disrespect in your other answer.
Dude… you’re totally not makin’ any sense here.
What I’m hearing is the candidate with the best experience and the least money can’t win? Does that make the America your are thinking of great?
I have NO doubt that Carl remains appreciative for the assistance of Mr. Weh when he was party chairman. Facts aren’t important to these guys …
Wow….just got a robo call from Karl Rove supporting Weh saying Weh never said he was for amnesty. I guess with all his money, Weh can get anyone to support him.
Voters have their own individual preferences re the various candidates but every person I talk to will claim it is based on a rational, intellectual, unbiased analysis. I’ve never met such a person who can honestly make that claim.
All candidates for statewide office in both parties have or had some support and encourgement to begin with or they wouldn’t have decided to run. How they make their case to the voters in general is a different challenge so when one says “they” dismissed her what does that mean? All have some qualifications in my view so it boils down to who can survive to make the changes we think are necessary.
Many R’s believe Martinez can win in November and the objective is to replace the crowd that is entrenched in Santa Fe. The single-party domination at the Capitol is the reason legislators have been able to spend more than we taxpayers can afford. And the investment council can invest with friends regardless of losses. The legislature will remain Dem and only a Republican governor can control their excesses-Bernalillo Co courthouse????– to some extent. Everyone but Susana would get crushed by Denish and the domination would continue. In NM the Dem running for statewide office will win every time unless he or she has been indicted for something and even then it would be tough. I really admire any R that runs for statewide office given the odds they face. If voters continue to vote automatically Dem the State will remain in control of a few.
Transparancy-
There is NO doubt about the experience that Ms. Arnold-Jones brings to the table. She is a smart, capable, talented public servant that I hope will not fade from the spotlight anytime soon. Perhaps a run at the ethically challenged PRC would be in order for Ms. Jones, or another lower level office. Honestly, I think she would have made an ideal Light Guv candidate.
However, her campaign had been stagnant since day one. She had little resources to get her message out, and poor fund raising capabilities. These components are very important to winning a campaign.
As for Denish “crushing” Martinez, I seriously doubt that. It will be a good race. If Martinez can get to Northern New Mexico, she can get droves of disgruntled Dems that can identify with her. Coupled with votes from the south, Martinez can be a very serious contender.
I have graduated from NMSU; and believe you me, Dr. Jose Garcia is no friend to Republicans. Placing that idea aside, Garcia is a very knowledgable professional when it comes to the ins and outs of New Mexico politics. Having taken that particular polling class, there is no way that the poll could have been biased, it was merely the truth.
If Allen Weh tried to win this election simply on his own merit (raising money rather than self-funding) it would be a much different race. Susana would have already been purchasing airtime for ads in October.
Here is what is GREAT about democracy, and why we should all still beleive in it. You can run for office, even if you aren’t a millionaire- and win. I hope this is the outcome for Susana, who really has no massive personal wealth. This is why we need campaign finance reform on the state level. Maybe we should limit what candidates can give to their own personal campaigns, rather than what others can give.
I was inches away from changing my lifelong status as a Republican to ‘independent’ status when I met Janice Arnold-Jones early last year. This lady is loyal to the Republican party, even though they have substantially dismissed her as a factor in this race. Fortunately, the ones dissing her are the ‘insiders’ in the party which is a group that is not reflective of average, everyday Republicans who are sick of the negative campaigning, sick of the internal ‘annointing’ of favorite candidates that continues to favor and produce losers and sick of shallow minded ‘just say no’ mantras.
The Dems should be hoping for Weh. Denish will crush him. And she will crush Martinez who has so little experience and so few skill sets to be governor that it is mind boggling.
Watch out for Turner down the road. Domenici is not worth discussing.
Arnold-Jones is who the party and who the vast majority of Rs should be voting for. All one has to do is look at her record.
If that doesn’t do it for ya, watch the Rio Grande Foundation/KOB TV debate airing live on May 27th from Rodey Hall on the UNM Campus… the depth of her answers is how you can tell who is the best candidate.
While I’m a republican and generally vote that way, just as I’ve done in some recent state wide races, I’ll vote for Denish if the republicans can’t do better than Weh. Its easy to criticize (and often rightfully so) democrats as the party in power in NM, but republicans shouldn’t be rewarded for just not being democrats, Think people, think.