NewMexicoMatters.com

Judge probed for harassment while other Judge admits to probing

I'm sure there's something funny to be made out of this headline.

Las Cruces Sun-News - Local News:

SANTA FE -- The state's high court denied a request Wednesday from the Judicial Standards Commission to immediately suspend without pay District Court Judge Larry Ramirez of Las Cruces, who has been accused of sexual harassment and making inappropriate comments.Commission Executive Director Jim Noel told New Mexico Supreme Court justices that Ramirez had engaged in an ongoing pattern of sexual harassment and making inappropriate comments, which has continued even after he was warned. Noel said the allegations are serious enough that leaving Ramirez on the bench would pose an "immediate threat to the judiciary," so Ramirez needed to be removed while the commission conducts its investigation into the allegations.

Chief Justice Richard Bosson, in denying the request, said there is not enough evidence in the record to remove Ramirez from the bench. The request was denied without prejudice, meaning the commission can make the request again once it has completed its current investigation.

In other Judge probing related news, Heath Haussamen served this one up in his non-blogger disguise, Magistrate Carlos Garza admits to ethics violation. The case involves a relationship with a 23 year old woman whom he first met when she appeared before him on drunk driving charges in 2004.

The Purple Party and Other Recomended Reading

Instead of writing anything today, I've selected some recomended reading for you to chew on. The first piece is by Kurt Anderson for New York Magazine, titled, "The Purple Party," and is about the rising tide of discontent amongst Americans with both Democrats and Republicans, and the potential for a legitimate third party challenge to the status quo.

We are people without a party. We open-minded, openhearted moderates are alienated from the two big parties because backward-looking ideologues and p.c. hypocrites are effectively in charge of both. Both are under the sway of old-school clods who consistently default to government intrusion where it doesn’t belong—who want to demonize video-game makers and criminalize abortion and hate speech and flag-burning, who are committed to maintaining the status quos of the public schools and health-care system, and who decline to make the hard choices necessary (such as enacting a high gasoline tax or encouraging nuclear energy) to move the country onto a sustainable energy track. Both line up to reject sensible, carefully negotiated international treaties when there’s too much sacrifice involved and their special-interest sugar daddies object—the Kyoto Protocol for the Republicans, the Central American Free Trade Agreement for the Democrats. Read the article here

The second piece is an essay by Ana Marie Cox of the Wonkette, titled "Lobbyists in Love," on the power couples of washington D.C. and conflicts of interest that make them interesting. I figured it's kind of relevant to our little ol' land of entrapment.

For many in Washington--Congressmen and Senators especially--being married to someone in the de facto auxiliary club of this company town means the spouse doesn't live in the city at all. A lobbyist friend (people do have them, even now) recently rattled off six current and former legislators who had come to Washington married to a "high school sweetheart type" back home and then found themselves married a second time to someone a little more "in the game"--a staff member or lobbyist, usually. My friend added, for emphasis, "Newt Gingrich has done it at least twice." People don't just want not to be "the wife"--they also don't want to be married to her.

That's because, along with whatever dream it is that brings people to Washington in the first place (universal health care, peace in the Middle East, unlimited think-tank cheese plates), one of the perks is the power marriage. Few are aiming for a truly high-wattage pairing on a par with Ben Bradlee and Sally Quinn's or James Carville and Mary Matalin's. The hope is to be an equal partner in a couple where you make a difference while also making loads of money and not getting indicted, if you can manage it. Both of you don't have to be famous; you just both have to have a slot in the gigantic circuit board of connections that make Washington go. Perhaps it's less a power marriage than a power-grid one. Read the rest here

Technorati Tags: Congress, corruption, Politics, reform

Qwest Says Profit Rose 54% on Higher Sales and Cost-Cutting--NYTimes

By KEN BELSON

Published: May 4, 2006

Qwest Communications, the smallest of the four Bell phone carriers, said yesterday that its profit jumped 54 percent in the first quarter as it added more broadband, long-distance and wireless customers.

The profit was the company's first since the second quarter of 2002 that was not driven by one-time gains. It is a sign that Qwest has made progress cutting costs and selling its services to the customers in the 14 Western states where it operates.

Since the collapse of the telecommunications bubble in 2000, the company has been plagued by bulging debts, sagging customer demand and government investigations into its accounting. In response, Richard C. Notebaert, Qwest's chief executive since 2002, has sold the company's wireless and directory businesses, eliminated jobs and cut billions of dollars in debt.

This one will hit close to home

Due to some changes in the personal schedule, I'm going to be writing my posts in the evening for a while. I'll try and figure out some way to get the headlines back in the loop soon. Anyway, I didn't know what I was going to write about this evenin----er, morning technically. In fact, I didn't even have a chance to watch, read or listen to the news this today. And I'm embarrassed to say, I didn't even read the papers on Sunday. Sometimes there's only just so much corruption you can take before your brain tells your stomach you're going to puke....unless you play x-box for a couple of hours.

However, no sooner had I opened my web browser and started cruising the ol' N.M. blogosphere, than inspiration struck me, and by that maybe I mean disappointment mixed with sprinkling of surprise and a dash of sorrow.

According to Heath Haussamen, "Gov. Bill Richardson unveiled the names of members of his ethics task force late Monday. He made some impressive choices.

Common Cause Executive Director Matt Brix, Chief Deputy Attorney General Stuart Bluestone and Judicial Standards Commission Executive Director Jim Noel bring credibility to a task force that has already been accused of being nothing more than a diversion from the governor’s own ethical challenges."

Matt Brix, makes sense. Stuart Bluestone, sure that makes sense. Jim Noel, terrific--tenacious fighter for judicial standards, love' em, but NO, Jim Noel should not be on the commission.

Even though I think Jim Noel has more integrity in his pinky than most elected officials have in their whole body, Jim Noel is married to Amanda Cooper, Contarino's Campaign Assistant---meaning she handles the corporate cash, the special donor cash, the cash that gets accepted and then returned once the donor is indicted or their name appears in a federal corruption case cash, all while the Gov and Karl keep their hands clean.

While some may not see Jim's participation on the commission as problematic, to them I say yeah, well that vigilant attitude has really done wonders for the state. Also, think about Jim-- how's a guy supposed to advocate closing the very loop holes that his wifes' actively exploiting in the process of raising funds for the Guberedential campaign?

Under any other circumstances, we'd be lucky to have Jim Noel represent the Public's interest, and I have no doubt that if Jim does serve on the commission that he will do an excellent job. None the less, this is an issue any individual hoping to run for elected office, as I hope Jim Noel someday will, should steer clear of.

If the commission doesn't get the legislation right or the proposal doesn't come out with the massive reforms needed, why put yourself in a position to be blamed or for the appearance of a conflict of interest to tarnish what is now a bright shimmering future of service?