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Submit to a background check or resign, Schmitt
Heath Haussamen
The New Mexico Senate adopted a process for conducting background checks on executive-branch appointees in 2007 for good reason: State government has had a lot of ethical problems, and background checks are one way to try to weed out those who engage in unethical behavior.
So the apparent refusal of Harrison Schmitt, Gov. Susana Martinez’s nominee to head the Energy, Minerals, and Natural Resources Department, is disappointing, to say the least.
Schmitt’s refusal was announced this afternoon by Sen. Linda Lopez, D-Albuquerque and chair of the Rules Committee. She said Schmitt met with her to inform her that he would not submit to the background check required as part of the confirmation process that starts in her committee.
The background check, Lopez said, is “an extensive review that includes a search for any prior criminal convictions and of the federal civil court records; verification of appointees’ assertions related to financial circumstances or improprieties such as bankruptcies, tax liens, and outstanding loans; and a review of disclosure statements related to potential conflicts of interest and ownership in business entities.”
The Senate is charged with confirming top appointees, Lopez said, “because of the tremendous influence and authority and power provided to those individuals in their official government capacity.”
“The review process is in place to protect the public and to provide the citizens of our state with an increased sense of confidence in their government,” she said. “As such, there can be no exceptions to the background review process.”
Lopez announced that she opposes Schmitt’s confirmation because of his refusal to submit to a background check.
As she should. So should all members of the Senate from both parties. Schmitt’s refusal is a challenge to the legislative branch’s authority to be a check on the executive branch. And it raises all sorts of questions about why Schmitt might not want a background check.
If Schmitt won’t act, Martinez should
Martinez was caught off guard by the situation. Asked about it earlier this afternoon by reporters, she said she had learned of it “just a few seconds ago” and needed time to figure out what was going on. She said her administration conducted a background check, “otherwise we never would have appointed him,” but added that Schmitt’s background should be “known to the public.”
Agreed. Schmitt’s previous, highly charged political comments have already made him the most controversial of Martinez’s nominees for cabinet positions. But his refusal to submit to a background check is simply unacceptable. The public must have the ability know that public officials are being transparent and honest with them. The Senate’s authority to ensure that happens must be respected.
Schmitt should immediately reverse course and agree to the Senate background check. If he won’t, he should resign, or Martinez should fire him.
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As opposed to Dr. J there, who is perfectly willing to make unsubstantiated personal attacks for free.
For political gain, these partisan pols would also violate HIPPA as well. They would do anything to discredit him, that is the kind of politics they play, for pay.
Your list of background check categories doesn’t include HEALTH. Is that investigated too? I’m wondering whether there are health issues (dementia?). Read the account in today’s Sun-News in which former Republican Governor Cargo says that Schmitt has gotten “strange” in recent years…
Well said Mr. macquigg. The government cannot be trusted with confidential info, especially the partisan political hacks on that Senate committee and their staffs. Before you know it all his private data would be on this blog, or the Journal, or some other public place, released by a source who demanded anonymity and of course was given it by the media to leak confidential info. No wonder no one of substance wants to be in these positions.
The headlines read as if Schmitt refused to allow a background check.
Apparently;
How ever one feels about automatic waivers of liability for even the most egregious mis, mal and non-feasance by the government, the implications of refusing a background check and refusing to forgive forward, are not interchangeable.
Let’s not loose sight of the ball, is it OK for government to insist upon violating anyone’s privacy, and simultaneously denying outright, any hope of due process, ever?
If he quit, it will be the first thing he has done that makes any sense. Does not bode well for NM that Martinez put him forward at all-didn’t she inform him of the Law? Did anyone tell him?
Just heard on KUNM that Schmitt has withdrawn his name for consideration as EMNRD Secretary.
Good move…way too divisive of a figure and too much of a distraction for the governor to move her policies forward.
Are public servants entitled to private lives?
The right to privacy is a constitutionally protected human right;
it cannot be invaded except with a warrant.
Where is the warrant?
His public service is fair game as it is a public record.
The need to know if a politician or public servant is trustworthy, stems from out need to trust them. We need to trust them because the system enables corruption and incompetence. If there is no opportunity (to speak of) to steal, there is no temptation; trustworthiness doesn’t play.
Casinos don’t avoid being ripped off by hiring a better class of people, they avoid getting ripped off by making it impossibly difficult to get away with.
Rather than searching for a better class of people ( and background checks are not foolproof by any means), why don’t we just make government an incredibly unpleasant place for the corrupt and the incompetent?
I guess Martinez didn’t do much of a background check or else she would have quickly figured out that Schmitt’s instability and propensity to say crazy things would eventually be a problem for her. What an embarrassment.
Couldn’t Gov. Martinez’ background check information be submitted to the State Senate Rules committee? It seems repetitive to me to make them go through two background checks, but I do agree that this information needs to be out there, whether submitted by Gov. Martinez or by Schmitt.
… and if he strikes ME as out-there, he must really be out-there!
wtg, Heath! And I’m not saying that cuz I’m one of those everybody-who-doesn’t-think-like-me-doesn’t-deserve-to-live types. or because Schmitt strikes me as a bit on the out-there side, which he does, but because we’ve loosened a lot of cultural, societal and political standards about conduct, ethics, honesty and reality lately, and I’m glad you’re sticking up for truth, justice and the American way, even though most people can’t even spell them anymore with 2 thumbs and a spell checker.