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AG King’s potential re-election weakness
I’m going to eat a little crow here. After originally stating in this commentary that Gary King had not secured any convictions in public corruption cases, it was pointed out to me that there were some. I stand by the point of this commentary – the three most high-profile cases King has brought forward are still pending, and the GOP can use that against him – but I have updated this column to reflect the information I neglected to include in the original version. My apologies to the attorney general.
Heath Haussamen
The postponing of the corruption trial of former Secretary of State Rebecca Vigil-Giron reveals a potential weakness for Attorney General Gary King’s re-election chances: While he’s secured convictions in some corruption cases, the most high-profile cases are unresolved, and it looks like they will still be pending on Election Day.
The trail for Vigil-Giron and three others accused of fraud and money laundering was set to begin Tuesday. Instead, it’s been postponed until Jan. 3 – eight weeks after the election.
Now, there is likely a perfectly valid reason the trial date was pushed back. It happens all the time. I’m not suggesting otherwise.
King’s office secured indictments in three high-profile cases last year. At the time, there appeared to be a good chance he would have some convictions under his belt when he ran for re-election this year – or at least that one or more of the cases would be resolved one way or the other.
Not any more.
King’s office is still appealing the dismissal of some of the charges in the case against Public Regulation Commissioner Jerome Block and his father. The Blocks are facing felony and misdemeanor charges related to misusing the state’s public financing system.
The judge says King’s office overstepped its authority with the indictments, ruling that, with violations of the public financing law, the secretary state can issue fines or hand the case over to the AG for prosecution, but not both – as was done in this case.
The case is on hold until the appeal is settled.
Then there are the indictments against Vincent “Smiley” Gallegos and three others in the housing authority scandal. A trial date also hasn’t been set in that case, which also includes charges of fraud and money laundering. Most recently, a motion to dismiss the charges against some of the defendants was denied.
There’s a pre-trial hearing for one of the defendants scheduled for next month. But a trial before November appears unlikely.
On the flip side, however, one case brought forward under King’s leadership led to Roberta Vigil being convicted of two felonies last year for misusing public money in her former role as head of the West Las Vegas Public Schools’ bilingual education program.
If Chandler wants a shot at winning…
I’m not arguing that King should try to rush the Vigil-Giron, Block or Gallegos cases through the court system so he can say he won a conviction in a campaign ad. Not at all. I prefer that these things be done right, even if that means they’re not done quickly.
I’m simply pointing out that there haven’t been convictions in these cases, and Republicans are likely to use that fact against King – a Democrat whose fellow Democrats have been at the center of almost all of the public corruption scandals that have plagued New Mexico since 2005.
King’s Republican opponent, Matthew Chandler, is a district attorney whose campaign slogan is “leading the fight against crime and corruption.” He can – and if his campaign is shrewd, will – hammer King for not securing a public corruption conviction in these cases. Chandler must also continue talking about his own record of taking on corruption.
On the flip side, King can certainly put up a TV ad highlighting the fact that he’s indicted a former secretary of state, a public regulation commissioner and a former affordable housing official – all members of his own party – on corruption-related charges, and that he secured the Roberta Vigil conviction. Maybe that will cancel out any attack Chandler lobs at King. It certainly makes King appear tough on corruption.
There are some other situations King can tout as well – cases that were started by King’s predecessor or the feds. For example, in his first year in office King got former State Treasurer Michael Montoya, who had already been convicted on federal charges, to plead guilty to one state felony crime in exchange for the dismissal of 15 other charges brought by King’s predecessor.
And, even though it’s not corruption-related, King’s office successfully petitioned the Supreme Court to remove Carol Sloan from the PRC after she was convicted of attacking another woman with a rock because she believed the woman was having an affair with her husband.
I’ve written before, in the monthly NMPolitics.net newsletter that goes out to qualifying donors, that I haven’t seen much reason – yet – to believe Chandler has a chance of winning. He’s an excellent candidate, but King faced an equally strong opponent in 2006 in Jim Bibb, and he still won the race by 14 points.
This time around, King is the incumbent. History would suggest he is even stronger this election cycle. But there is currently a throw-the-bums-out mentality.
If Chandler wants a shot at winning, he’s going to have to make the case that King hasn’t done enough to combat corruption. If he can do it convincingly, that, coupled with the anti-incumbent sentiment sweeping the nation, might be enough to make this race competitive.
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I agree with the point that you are trying to make Chimayo, one party control in not good for our state. Unfortunately that is what our state has been facing over the last 80 years and its not by the Republicans.
I think that people should stop looking at this race as a Republican or Democrat thing, but rather by who will be the best person who will stand up for New Mexicans and protect their rights. Right now that person experience wise it looks like that person is Matt Chandler.
NorthernPride:
Republicans: “Sense of Entitlement”
The Santa Fe Ring was a group of powerful attorneys and land speculators in the United States during the late 19th century (1800′s) and into the early 20th century (1900′s). It amassed a fortune through political corruption and fraudulent land deals. The ring figured into Lincoln County War and Colfax County War, which involved a dispute over evicting squatters on the Maxwell Land Grant.
The ring name was applied to almost all REPUBLICAN state-wide politicians in the state capital in Santa Fe, New Mexico who had near total control of the state during the late 1800s and early 1900s and were said to turn a blind eye to or were actively involved in corruption. The most infamous period involving the ring was in the 1870s when ownership of huge Spanish land grants was sorted out.
Hemingway says: “I guess that is the Republican statewide strategy to brushstroke all of New Mexico elected officials with corruption! Sadly this is a campaign of style not substance with a touch of distortion.”
Well, to borrow a famous quote by Gary King, ” If it looks like a duck, and quacks like a duck, then it must be a duck.” New Mexico has had an epidemic of corruption over the last 8 years, and with 1 conviction under King’s belt I would say that by only bringing one conviction to the table that King is one of the major problems in this area.
New_Mexican says: “The Republican Party in New Mexico is in the hands of right wing racists or quasi racists, the religious right wingers and southern whites type of folks who seem by their nature to be racist.” Wow, nothing like a blanket statement of prejudice and intolerance to make a point.
Hemingway – I see your point, but don’t agree. It’s not a violation of any law to run for office. And, one should note, Chandler is still prosecuting cases during his run for Attorney General. The only ones that would benefit there are a few defense attorneys, those charged with crimes in Curry and Roosevelt Counties, and you – I guess.
Not that I wish this on anyone, but if you had a family member murdered and Matt Chandler was the prosecutor you would probably want him to stay on your case too. Chandler has personally convicted over 30 people for murder or their role in a murder during his career in prosecution. I know Chandler committed to these families to stay on their case, and he won’t leave them midstream.
Here’s a proposal. If Gary King resigns from office so he can focus on a statewide race then maybe we can get District Attorney Matt Chandler to resign too. Although the AG’s Office wouldn’t probably be any different without King. Anyways, you work on King first and let us know…
Here is an interesting article on Mr. Chandler’s personal attacks on Mr. King.
http://www.cnjonline.com/articles/chandler-37021-attorney-clovis.html
I guess that is the Republican statewide strategy to brushstroke all of New Mexico elected officials with corruption! Sadly this is a campaign of style not substance with a touch of distortion.
I was under the mistaken idea that the Hatch Act would apply to Mr. Matt Chandler. However, the federal office that ensures compliance with the Hatch Act said in 2006 in a similar case that the act doesn’t apply to district attorney employees in New Mexico because they’re part of the judicial, not executive branch of government.
Nevertheless, Mr. Chandler should resign at this time so that DA’s office in Curry and Roosevelt Counties could focus on prosecuting criminals. Then he can focus on his upcoming statewide election campaign . Meanwhile a successor could be appointed with qualifications to best lead the Ninth Judicial DA’s office into the future. This would be a nice transition and fair to the residents of Curry and Roosevelt Counties.
New_Mexican, seriously, now people that are not supporting King are racist?
For your information my last name is Martinez. I am not related to the gov candidate, nor am I a Republican. I am in law enforcement and former military. I am not voting for King, although I did. It has nothing to do with my catholic background, or my location of the state, or my race.
I am voting for Chandler because he is the best candidate for the job. King isn’t wounded, he hasn’t been in any battles. That’s the problem.
I want a fighter in the AG’s office. Someone that is going to roll up his sleeves and take on the big boys. I don’t pay an AG to pass on corruption and wait for the US Attorney to pick up the slack every time. Chandler has done this, ask anyone that works for New Mexico State Police. He is well known for his work ethic and ability to get the job done.
Keep up the rapid fire, that really helps motivate me to tell my entire family and all of my friends to change their vote too.
Thank you for the update Heath. I am now really impressed that the AG’s office has 1 conviction in 4 years.
The Republican Party in New Mexico cannot elect anyone to a state wide office. That is unless the Democrat running for that office is mortally wounded. And Gary King is not wounded, much less mortally wounded. The Tea Party’s supposed strengths will not play out in New Mexico. They may in the SE part of the state, but no where else.
They Republican Party of New Mexico went too, too far to the right under right wing attack dog John Dendahl. And Alan Weh and Susana Martinez pushed or kept them there with their red meat politics. That is well and dandy with me but it will keep New Mexico, at the state level, in the hands of Democrats for the near future.
The Republican Party in New Mexico is in the hands of right wing racists or quasi racists, the religious right wingers and southern whites type of folks who seem by their nature to be racist. Those folks do not elect state wide candidates.
King has been in office for 4-years and doesn’t have a single corruption case resolved? That says it all for me, the state’s top prosecutor without a conviction is dangerous. When corruption sees that the benefits outweigh the consequences, corruption continues.
I recently met Matt Chandler, candidate for Attorney General. He is the real deal, a career prosecutor with numerous convictions under his belt. Chandler was named the Law Enforcement Prosecutor of the Year in 2006, because he works with law enforcement and dishes out justice for victims. This isn’t an award law enforcement takes lightly, it is an award that is earned through a proven track record. I know, I am in law enforcement.
In this era of corruption, we need a career prosecutor leading the AG’s office not a 30-year career politician (i.e. Gary King). I will admit, I voted for King 4-years ago because I thought he would do what he said he was going to do – this year will be different.
King is as much a do-nothing kind of AG as there is around. He and Iglesias did nothing and slow-walked all the corruption cases while much corruption expanded in NM. Iglesias was fired, it’s time to do the same with King.