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Huerta-supporting PAC won’t have Huerta’s support
Michael Ray Huerta
Las Cruces mayoral candidate Michael Ray Huerta initially said he was honored to have the support of a Rhode Island political action committee formed by a corporation, but he now says he “strongly” disagrees with such PACs getting involved in any election.
Huerta is also criticizing two other candidates in the Nov. 8 mayoral election – incumbent Ken Miyagishima and District 2 Councilor Dolores Connor – for failing to do anything as city policymakers to stop corporations from being able to give unlimited amounts to political campaigns.
As NMPolitics.net reported last week, the Total Newport Campaign PAC plans to aid Huerta by taking advantage of the U.S. Supreme Court’s 2010 Citizens United ruling allowing unlimited corporate spending to affect elections as long as there’s no coordination between the corporation or its PAC and the candidate it’s supporting.
Huerta said he “strongly” disagreed with the Citizens United ruling in an Aug. 25 commentary for NMPolitics.net, before the PAC announced its involvement in the Las Cruces race. When questioned Wednesday about the PAC, Huerta said he was honored by the support of all his backers, including the PAC, and said the campaign should be about Las Cruces’ future, not the PAC or Citizens United.
At the time, Miyagishima pointed to Huerta’s commentary and said the PAC’s involvement in the race would test whether Huerta would stand by his convictions.
Friday, Huerta sent NMPolitics.net an additional statement – and posted it online – denouncing any corporate-funded PAC that gets involved in an election.
“As I stated before, I strongly disagree with the Citizens United decision, I strongly disagree with the ability for corporations to contribute without limit, and I strongly disagree with these type of PACs getting involved in any race anywhere,” he said.
Huerta once again challenges opponents
Huerta also pointed to the fact that Las Cruces doesn’t limit campaign contribution sizes or outlaw direct contributions from corporations to candidates.
“In short, we’ve always operated under our own version of Citizens United,” Huerta said. “And my opponents have done nothing in their entire political careers to have that changed.”
Local governments can pass laws outlawing direct contributions from corporations. The Citizens United ruling rejected laws that banned corporate-funded independent expenditures that don’t coordinate with candidates, but didn’t reject laws that ban direct contributions.
Huerta also pointed out on Friday that, in his recent commentary, he challenged his opponents to limit contributions to $2,300 apiece and reject corporate money.
“To this day, they have stayed silent, choosing to defend the status quo rather than take clear action toward making this the most fair and clean election in our city’s history,” Huerta said. “And now, when my campaign is faced with the opportunity to benefit from tens of thousands of corporate dollars, I stand by my values.”
Still silent on disclosure issue
The PAC’s founder, Bobby Oliveira, says he doesn’t intend to file finance reports disclosing funding sources and spending in Rhode Island or New Mexico. He said he expects that to lead to legal battles in both states but believes the secrecy will withstand legal scrutiny because of Citizens United and weak finance laws in New Mexico.
Las Cruces’ clerk says the city elections ordinance requires the PAC to file finance reports, and Common Cause New Mexico’s director says nothing in Citizens United would exempt the PAC from that law.
Despite his challenge to make this a “clean” election, Huerta has, to date, refused to comment on the PAC’s intention to keep its financing and spending secret, saying he’s not commenting because it’s against the law for PACs and candidates to coordinate.
Huerta’s full statement
Here’s the full statement Huerta released Friday:
“Yesterday I learned that a group of Las Crucens came together, contacted a Political Action Committee out of Rhode Island, and urged them to get involved in this mayoral race on my behalf. That PAC, the ‘Total Newport Campaign PAC,’ agreed to get involved and announced that they will be sending staff, money and resources into this race.
“It is against federal law for campaigns to coordinate with a PAC in any capacity, nor do campaigns have any legal say or influence in the decision of a PAC to enter or leave a race. In short, because of federal law, my campaign has no say in the implementation, planning or strategy of this, or any other PAC. What makes this situation unique, however, is that this PAC is operating under new rules established in Citizens United. Under Citizens United, the U.S. Supreme Court determined that corporations have the right to donate unlimited funds to outside groups to campaign for or against candidates. In this case, the ‘Total Newport Campaign PAC’ will be receiving limitless corporate money to achieve their goals in this race.
“As I stated before, I strongly disagree with the Citizens United decision, I strongly disagree with the ability for corporations to contribute without limit, and I strongly disagree with these type of PACs getting involved in any race anywhere.
“But what’s more concerning is that even if Citizens United never became law, and even if the Supreme Court reversed its decision today, Las Cruces election law has and still does allow for corporations anywhere to donate an unlimited amount of money to any city candidate. In short, we’ve always operated under our own version of Citizens United. And my opponents have done nothing in their entire political careers to have that changed.
“That is why weeks ago, I asked my opponents to join me in rejecting any corporate money in this race. To this day, they have stayed silent, choosing to defend the status quo rather than take clear action toward making this the most fair and clean election in our city’s history.
“And now, when my campaign is faced with the opportunity to benefit from tens of thousands of corporate dollars, I stand by my values.
“Ken and Dolores, it’s real now. I’m putting my money where my mouth is. Will you join me, or will you again stay silent?”
Update, Sept. 12, 9:20 a.m.
The Total Newport Campaign PAC posted a comment below in response to Huerta. I wanted to highlight part of it here.
“We believe Mr. Huerta’s campaign strategy is flawed, while he will make the best mayor, he cannot get there from here,” the PAC said. “We believe that he cannot win without us. Therefore, we will drag him kicking and screaming to victory.”
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Dear BobbyO1967,
Wow, get ready for some culture shock. Sorry to tell you, but you can’t find an octupus in the Rio Grande, even when there’s water running above ground.
We’re in the desert. While you can get more seafood than salted oysters transported in a barrel, even though Fed Ex exists it’s still not a place to come for the seafood.
As for breakfast, Huevos Rancheros at Nellies. Be sure to have the answer to the state question ready (I usually answer with another question, “Which is hotter?”)
Q, thanks for the heads up and when I get there, I’ll make sure those spots are on the list.
Icarus, before Citizens United, I would have agreed with you. Now, I just don’t give a damn who knows who is up to what. These are the rules we have been given. I’m not going to stand by and watch one side take advantage while the other side stands on “principle” and loses election after election. I believe in things like choice, a fair path to citizenship, the separation of Church and State, marriage equality and a host of other liberties. If I have to construct a scheme to buy them so I can have them, so be it.
Stever, here’s what I know about Las Cruces: the current Mayor by any objective standard can’t do the job. Electing his Republican opponent would only make your lives worse. The guy who can do the job fails the “when we analyze this, who’s gonna win” test. Some good folks reached out and want change. I can help provide that change. That’s all I need to know.
By the way, in case you were wondering, I am monitoring NY very closely today especially for turnout models. In my heart of hearts, if the seat, where we D’s hold a 3 to 1 registration advantage, goes GOP, as a good Clintonista, I will be on the phone to Hillary’s people. (I was Bill’s RI Field Coordinator in 92, life long member of the DLC, and Hillary’s East Bay Coordinator last time around)
What do I do for breakfast?? If I’m in touch with my Portuguese roots, breakfast is octopus. If I’m not, like today, it’s crabcakes benedict.
BoobyO1967,
If your Pac chooses to exhibit respect for the community of Las Cruces, and are not total boors who intend to intervene in the internal politics of a community 2,000 miles distant from Rhode Island, then you will choose to abide by local law
.
Even the Spanish chose to exhibit respect for local customs when they arrived in this area of the world more than four centuries ago. Anything less will permanently distinguish your character in a manner that disparages Mr. Huerta, and undermines the credibility of your PAC. Go finance your constitutional challenge elsewhere, and leave New Mexicans alone.
Ribs? Really? And you want anyone to believe you have a clue about Las Cruces. If you insist, we have a Texas Roadhouse. lol
Do everyone, including Mr Huerta, a favor. Save your money and donate it to a charity.
While I admire your honesty, Mr. Oliveira, that’s what’s commonly known as “buying an election”, and the reason most PACs are smart enough to be a lot more subtle about it than you have just been is because Americans of all political stripes tend to object to that rather strongly.
Bobby, you don’t come to LC for ribs. You eat chile here. Robertos, Napolitios, Ranchway, Old Town, Dicks, La Posta for atmosphere.
Durable, if Las Cruces law does not meet up to Federal standards, our legal advisors say it doesn’t, are we still supposed to follow it??
Stever, I want to know about ribs. I plan to spend some time there before and after the election. I don’t expect great seafood but I do expect great ribs. C’mon now, hook a brother up. As to the best candidate: one’s a republican, one can’t follow through on his promises, one has a real vision. Kinda easy choice.
Hemingway, what if it’s already raised?? Hence the beauty of the Corporate PAC – corporate revenue can be shifted to political purposes. Is the Mayor really this scared?? His performance should scare him, not me.
By the way, don’t be afraid to email me, follow me on twitter, hit me up on facebook, call, if you’re in the neighborhood stop by (GoNewport.com is my neighborhood) any time you have a question.
@ show me
Where would you like the cement for the bridge poured?
Since we will be doing it rhode island style, there weren’t any permits.
Huerta is becoming a serial panderer…He says one thing, does another. How can he say he’s against the PAC campaigning for him, while his right hand assistant gets hired by them? This just smells bad. If Huerta was against their help, he could publicly denouce them, and publicly ask that they dont come into this race. If anyone belives that they would operate in this race against his desires, Ive got a bridge to sell you over the Rio Grande.
This is a good first step.
Now Mr Huerta, will you tell us exactly what you will do as Mayor to specifically strengthen the ethics laws of the City? You don’t like the law, what will your first action be as a leader of the City Council to strengthen these laws?
Words our fine, and you made the right decision here. But planning, specific promises, and action are what make separates the strong policy makers from the political blowhards.
This is really a non-story. I doubt Bobby Oliveira could even raise money for this PAC venture!
We believe that Las Cruces deserves to have the best candidate win the race
We believe Michael is that candidate.
And you would know this because……?
You folks are a joke, busy businessman Mr. Oliviera swoops into Las Cruces and wants to know where to eat.
1. We believe that the Citizens United case makes our actions legal.
2. We believe that Las Cruces deserves to have the best candidate win the race.
3. We believe Michael is that candidate.
4. We believe Mr. Huertas campaign strategy is flawed, while he will make the best mayor, he cannot get there from here.
5. We believe that he cannot win without us. Therefore, we will drag him kicking and screaming to victory.
6. Since Mr. Oliveira will be in Las Cruces at some point, he wants to know where the best place to eat is.
Huerta must demand that Total Newport Pac abide by Las Cruces law and file financial reports.
To do less is an obvious attempt to have it both ways… without actually standing up for anything. A candidate has a moral duty to distance himself from that which he believes to be immoral or illegal, whether it serves to increase his chances for success. This is a Machiavellian test for Mr. Huerta, and by the contents of the speech above, it would appear that he has apparently failed to demand that the Total Newport Pac abide by local law. Instead, Mr. Huerta has broadly cast aspersions in an attempt to place blame on opponenets for his own “opportunity to benefit from tens of thousands of corporate dollars .” Exactly whom does Mr. Huerta believe that he is fooling?