So It Takes Republican to do a Democrat's Job!?

And so it begins-- for those of us who wondered if anything would actually happen as a result of Robert Vigil's indictment, the wait is over--sort of.

New treasurer fires 5 Vigil employees

By Steve Terrell The New Mexican 
November 22, 2005
It was housecleaning time at the state Treasurer’s Office on Monday as newly appointed Treasurer Doug Brown fired two top assistants of indicted former Treasurer Robert Vigil, and terminated three other employees who had been hired by Vigil. Brown also placed another employee close to Vigil on administrative leave. At least some of those fired were close friends or relatives of Vigil, who is facing multiple federal charges of extortion and money laundering. 


Brown, a registered Republican who was appointed to the post on the condition that he wouldn't run for election in 2006, begs the question: Does it take a Republican to do a Democrat's Job in New Mexico?

Here's what I mean: Nationally, the GOP is reeling after a succession of indictments of senior GOP leaders on range of offenses:

Scooter Libby Indicted: Obstruction of Justice, False Statements and Perjury Charges
DeLay Indicted in Texas Finance Probe: Criminal Conspiracy and Money Laundering
Rep. Randy "Duke" Cunningham: violations of federal bribery statutes
Abramoff Lobbying Questioned: Bribery
Abromoff Partner Pleads Guilty: Bribing a congressman and Conspiracy to Defraud

And these are only the indicted Republicans-- not counting Karl Rove, Dick Cheney and Andy Card. So if you were an outside observer, the fact that Heather Wilson, is in a district with the state's most populous county (Bernalillo) in which Kerry earned 51.5% of the vote just 12 months ago, and the fact that Heather has been considered a rising star in the Delay/Bush/Rove/Cheney GOP machine, voted "lock step" with Delay and the administration prior to the 109th Congress and recently took steps to publicly distance herself from the indicted leader, you just might think there was a perfect storm on the horizon and a chance for the Dems to pick up CD 1.

But here in the state, as if it were some alternate universe, national stories of Republican cronyism and indictments have been countered by local stories of detailing violation of public trust by Democrats. And while the biggest story is Robert Vigil's indictment, there are many stories of bafoonery by Elected Officials calling themselves Democrats, that sink into our collective unconscious. Just to name a few of the inductees in the Hall of Shame:

• State Senator John Grubesic for reckless driving, yelling at the cops and being an ass. SF New Mexican, March, 13, 2005
• Former Rep. Bengie Regensberg (D) for his drunken scuffle with state police when they went to bring him back to the house for a vote. Feb. 17th, 2004.
• Former Chief District Judge W. John Brennan for DWI and Drug possession.

And who is the most prominent and outspoken Democrat on the issue of Robert Vigil, none other than the Democratic Party's former Vice-Chair Sam Bregman, Mr. Vigil's attorney. So here is the question: when Democrats and swing voters in the state hear Howard Dean say that the Democratic Party is "committed to reform that ensures elected officials act ethically--not just with the law, but within the spirit of the law" and they look at the message being sent by Elected Democrats in the state, do they see any inconsistencies between the words of the national party and the actions of Democrats in the state ?

Technorati Tags: Bill Richardson, corruption, Hall of Shame, State Treasurer Robert Vigil

Comments

[la llorona]

Unless we clean up the corruption in the Democratic Party, there's no way we can win in 2006. People in glass houses shouldn't throw stones.

[NewMexicoMatters]

la llorona, I'm with you all the way up to the glass house thing. Could you expand a little. Are you suggesting that Democrats in the state shouldn't criticise corruption at the national level until they take care of their own problems here in New Mexico?

[la llorona]

You got it, Matters.