Finally, finally, lawmakers step up.

Trip Jennings reports, link, that legislators have put all of
Governor Bill Richardson's political plum appointments
on the table.

According to Jennings; Rep Nate Cote has written a bill limiting the authority of the Governor to reward loyal supporters and their friends, relatives, and acquaintances with high paying jobs in state government;

“I’m not going after the governor,” ...(he) said, “We believe the number of political jobs is larger than ever before. We have to take some steps to reduce that number.

Cote isn't going after classified employees, some of them earning only $20K. Rather, he would like to look at some who are making more than $100K and, "... don’t have much of a job.”

Jennings reports that Richardson may have as many as 500 appointees, where a previous governor, Gary Johnson had only 170.

Jennings illustrates his report with a number examples of actual employees and their extraordinary salaries. For example, he points to Gary Bland, a Richardson appointee, who should have protected tax dollars from being ripped of in investment schemes, and did not, who pulls down nearly a third of a million tax dollars a year.

Jennings reports bipartisan support for limiting access to the public trough.

Hear, hear.