Denish milking half-baked ethics reform package.

In the Journal, link, we read that Lt Gov Denish still believes;

"Tougher ethics laws and a more transparent government would be good ways to boost New Mexico's economy ..., improving government accountability would entice more businesses to move to the state."

When Denish rolled out her plan,
she said that although the plan had
been "a long time" in the making,
it was "a work in progress".

Yet, if you look for progress in her
plan, you will find no progress at all,
it is unchanged. link,

Her second of a kind ethics reform plan, (Greg Solano's was the first, link,)
remains the same as when she rolled it out three weeks ago.

It was pointed out immediately, that her plan lacks any additional support for the offices of the State Auditor, the Attorney General, and the Secretary of State.

It is pointless to write standards without providing enforcement;
not to mention disingenuous.

The Auditor's Office in particular, needs more funding. State Auditor Hector Balderas has said straight out that his office lacks the resources that it needs to keep the stimulus funds on their way to New Mexico, from being plundered, link.

Yet it would appear that Denish has no intention of updating her plan, or in pushing it for the very next meeting of the legislature (a Special Session) where the fate of a quarter of a billion tax dollars will be determined.

Perhaps those who argue that
her plan was a bluff, and that
Gov Bill Richardson would
keep her from being "called",
are right after all.




photos Mark Bralley