Democratic House Leadership press release hypocritical, at best.

The press release from the leadership of the House of Representatives deserves some scrutiny.
It is pasted here in significant part;

House of Representatives
Ben Lujan, Speaker of the House
Ken Martinez, House Majority Leader
Sheryl Williams Stapleton, House Majority Whip
PRESS RELEASE
For Immediate Release Contact: Bailey Sachs 505-261-2419
June 29, 2010
Webcasting Approved for Interim Committee Meetings
SANTA FE – Today members of the Legislative Council voted unanimously to approve webcasting of interim committee meetings. The decision was applauded by Rep. Jeff Steinborn (D-Las Cruces), who helped pass legislation to start webcasting committee meetings during the regular session. Steinborn was also the first to introduce a joint memorial during the regular session to webcast interim committee meetings.
“This is another step in the right direction. We are always looking for ways to make government more transparent and accessible to the public. Webcasting is a useful service for our constituents,” Steinborn said.
...

What it doesn't tell you regarding the folks in the header; as revealed in Mark Bralley's photograph of the moment of the vote; neither House Majority Whip Sheryl Williams Stapleton, nor Speaker of the House Ben Lujan were even present for the vote. The third, House Majority Leader Ken Martinez, according to one of my allegigators, was central to gutting the webcasting of archiving.

Without archiving, the whole point of webcasting for the overwhelming majority of New Mexicans, is lost.

The Senate Majority Leader Michael Sanchez also left the room before the vote, as did Minority Floor Leader Stuart Ingle. House Minority Whip Keith Gardner, though allegedly part of the effort to obstruct the creation of a searchable archive, at least stayed around for the vote.

One has to wonder at the commitment of legislative leadership, in either party, to holding themselves accountable to their constituents by means of webcasting anything at all.

They also don't mention that the motion they approved came from Rep Janice Arnold-Jones, the real hero of Roundhouse webcasting, nor do they mention their audible groan heard from the obstructionists when it was revealed to them that the motion was hers.

The only thing they were truly honest about was that this was only a (baby step) in the right direction. Without a searchable archive, webcasting is nearly useless for any practical purpose.

Update; Rep Keith Gardner has taken exception to my description of his part in this process. I have offered him an opportunity to respond, and promised him a retraction and apology as appropriate. My investigation will continue.

Further update; I have done more research and have settled upon House Resolution 1; sponsored by none other than Rep Keith Gardner, here quoted in significant part;

“The live stream shall not be archived.”

and;

The provisions of this rule shall apply when the house is meeting as the committee of the whole and when any standing substantive committee is meeting in the chamber shall not be archived.”

and further; The live video stream shall be produced from cameras configured and operated in such a way that as much of the chamber is displayed as practicable (read; no close ups of their faces, no way to look them in the eyes while they speak)

While there might be nearly inconsequential inaccuracies in my perception of what goes on in secret; I am now confident that my reporting that Gardner is an obstructionist with respect to the single most important aspect of webcasting; archiving, and to webcasting in general (distant cameras a la google earth) requires neither retraction nor apology.

My offer to post his any objection on my blog remains open.

Updated; one last time;
Rep Keith Gardner and I have exchanged a number of emails. I have also learned that the motion was written by the Legislative Council Services, and the denial of archiving was included by them to make the motion consistent with House and Senate Rules.

My use of the word "conspired" was not accurate or fair. I apologize to Rep Gardner for mischaracterizing his involvement in the finally wording.

Though Rep Martinez and I have not discussed it, I owe him the same apology for the same reason. Therefore, I apologize to him as well, for my use of the word "conspired".