This article originally appeared in the Taos Daily News.
http://www.taosdaily.com/index.php?fuseaction=home.viewarticle&article_id=1784
Chubby's Corner Strong-arms Demos
We Don't Need No Stinkin Rules
March 21, 2007
By Bill Whaley
Below, I call'em like I see'em. Don't read this unless you have a sense of humor. Some of my oldest acquaintances in Taos, occasionally, behave like crooks, especially when it comes to demo party politics. Last night, the majority on the credentials committee demonstrated that they have a more sophisticated grasp of party politics than newcomers-even if it means, to trope on the words of the bandido in John Huston's famous film, “The Treasure of the Sierra Madre, “We don't need no stinkin rules.” Even as the ghost of Skitt Trujillo haunted the meeting, I was reminded of the ill-fated Fetzer Mills, Susan Vernon's one-time county commission campaign manager, who said to me, “nothing in Taos is organized.” But, what we have is organized political chaos in terms of Machiavellian methods, where the ends justify the means. So much for process. Despite Billy's extensive expansion of the party and his side kick Theron's number crunching, party power ultimately resides in retail politics. Chubby, so far, has outmaneuvered and outsmarted the progressives because he played by Taos rules, not the Democratic Party rules. But there will be hell to pay for doing the dirty on the dogs.
The Democratic Party of Taos County credentials committee, last night, Tuesday, March 20, rejected the Arroyo Hondo Precinct 9 election, based on disputed claims, regarding late registrations. The challenger Thomas “Chubby” Tafoya, who is a member of precinct 9's central committee, asked the credentials committee to set aside the election because the votes of 8 or 9 late registrants weren't counted on precinct election night. Ironically, six of nine voters were validated by the time the challenge was made last night, according to precinct officials. Ironically, Chubby's wife, Amanda, would have taken her seat as a member of the central committee had the election been allowed to stand. In a perverse decision, the majority of the credentials committee supported their favorite son's challenge. So not only was Amanda unseated as well as eight other central committee members, so was Chubby. Indeed, the decision disenfranchised ten central committee voters from Arroyo Hondo and the democrats they represent.
After the first vote of the evening, involving Arroyo Hondo, the first of five precinct challenges, it was obvious how the credential committee members would vote: they were voting to win and support their candidate, Chubby, regardless of the rules. As Chubby's famous Uncle Bobby (Duran) likes to say, “I've got three votes.” In Chubby's case, his supporters had the votes. But the mistake in Arroyo Hondo means the wrath of the Anglo ascendancy and the old-time Hispanic Hondo Dogs will descend on Chubby. Chubby's movida means Billy loses seven central committee votes even as Chubby loses three.
Meanwhile, despite changing the time of the precinct election, the former and (now) current chair of Taos Pueblo, Linda Yardley, was allowed to caucus with Gladys Kozoll, also a two-time precinct chair, and elect central committee members during the credentials committee hearings. Gladys showed up at the appointed party time but the building wasn't open. (Gladys told me, “It reminded me of Skitt.”) Yardley also made one of those Taos Pueblo speeches we've all heard, like we're being patronized by our betters, which is true in some cases, but not in hers. Despite the violation of the rules, Gladys, who is as cantankerous as she is generous, and who fought the good fight on behalf of RISE, taking on the tribe, and showed up to fight against El Skitte with members of RISE years ago, consented to graciously take a back seat (She didn't have the votes.) Ironically, Yardley, the progressive, now holds, in all probability, three or four votes for Billy's camp. Indeed, one of the central committee members said they didn't want to disenfranchise the folks from Taos Pueblo at the Taos County Central Committee meeting. But I guess its okay to disenfranchise Arroyo Hondo.
Despite apparent violations of party rules at precinct 14, Ranchitos, precinct 21, Talpa, and precinct 35, Cruz Alta, the results were allowed to stand per Taos rules, i.e. power politics i.e. “We've got the votes.” Elections shouldn't be thrown out but some credentials can be denied without disenfranchising a whole precinct. Indeed, the denial of challenges, which involved Tom Trujillo in 14, (Skitt's bro), Mayor Bobby Duran, Chubby's uncle in 35, and Tommy Tafoya, Chubby's Dad in 21, means the party rules were cast aside. But at least the voters, regardless of how they were elected, were not disenfranchised as they were in Arroyo Hondo. Chubby may have gotten even with Billy for challenging his favorite precincts, but now the party is in chaos, the rules don't count, and Chubby has confirmed the superstitious notion in some minds that he's another Skitt.
According to testimony, Tom Trujillo, precinct 14, adjourned the meeting at 6:25. Party rules state that voting cannot begin before 6:30. The credentials committee refused to hear any evidence by the challenger in precinct 21, evidence of alleged fraud that included, according to one credentials committee member, who mentioned that he was concerned about “forged ballots” in Papa Tafoya's precinct. Uncle Bobby Duran's movida in precinct 35, ignoring the secret ballot process, manipulating naïve voters, and making deals means the mayor, who has the most experience and knowledge of politics, according to his own never-ending bragging, makes him the biggest crook of all. Even the mayor's son-in-law, Andrew Gonzales, who tried to defend his father-in-law, seemed embarrassed by the mayoral movida.
Toward the end of the meeting, Sarah Medina, precinct 18, Canon, said, we should “vote for the person regardless of whether he is Indian, Hispanic, or Anglo” and mentioned that “democrats are (or should be) one big family.” Well, families fight, separate, and come back together. For years, the Anglos have resented being ruled by the winning side in our democratic republic of Taos. And, while the Anglo ascendancy (I love this term) is interested in Green party progressive issues, they devote less time to personal relations and the phone calls and visits that create party alliances. As well the nature of the caucus process has backfired, creating an us against them mentality. Principles unite the partygoers and personalities separate them. Ultimately, last night, it felt as if the party was taken back by the native Taosenos. As my barber says, “The Chicanos run this town, Whaley.”
Now, in terms of realpolitick it's true that Billy's Camp and his numbers-oriented (email) approach ignored the culture gap that has grown between him and those in Chubby's Corner and Los Telephonos. I have never been sure how the underground Hispanic telegraph works, I just know its there-like some kind of highly developed sense of ESP. Now Chubby must cope with the outbursts of envidia that created a divisive meeting last night and threatens not only the solidarity of demos but also the progressives and former Greens, who have joined the party.
Last night's meeting was fun. I really have no problem with folks like Chemo Valerio from Ranchos, or even the bulldog sophist, Fernando Miera from El Prado. The mantle that has been passed from Chubby's grandfather, James Duran, is worth noting. But, he's going to have to make a distinction when it comes to supporters who brazenly misrepresent and corrupt the process like Tom Trujillo or Bobby Duran. They are dinosaurs, old school, and should step out of the way because they are tarnishing the candidate. By the way, when I asked Billy if he was going to appeal the decision of the credentials committee to the state judicial council, he said, “No. You and Trudy got what you wanted.”
What bullshit. I purposely didn't vote in precinct 9, Arroyo Hondo, so I couldn't be accused of taking sides. Trudy wasn't there at all. Hondo's election was thrown out. Billy failed to recruit strong precinct voters to counter the opposition in 14, 21, and 35. He and Theron screwed up by underestimating the opposition and not doing their retail homework. Meanwhile, Chubby is doing damage control. I have a lot of faith in the future of young politicos like Darren, Chubby, even Andrew Gonzales. This should piss off some of my friends. But, as I told James Duran last night, “James I like you fine. You're a gentleman. I just don't get along with your brother.” Indeed, we've got to get people like Tom Trujillo and Bobby Duran, who behave like crooks, out of politics. And you can't blame Tommy Tafoya for sticking up for his son even if he went too far and the occasional forged ballot showed up.
Just remember this: The Hondo Dogs may be quiet now but they will be growling at the moon soon enough.
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