Miller, "That question is not relevant."

So says Richardson Finance Secretary Katherine Miller in response to a couple of questions during an interview with KRQE's Larry Barker, link.


It was one of a number of "sketchy" answers given to Barker by Miller and others, as he investigated a political appointee who telecommutes to work in apparent violation of the rules for telecommuting.

The story within the story, the story that Barker reported but took no specific interest in, was the lack of candor, forthrightness, and honesty in the answers he got about the telecommuting employee's whereabouts.

This isn't Miller's first brush with a scandal in the Richardson administration.

Miller has been a favorite of Richardson's for years, and as such, has been close to the corruption and incompetence the pervades his administration. She was appointed by him in 2004 as the Executive Director of the New Mexico Mortgage Finance Authority and remained there until for two years until being bumped up to Secretary of the Department of Finance and Administration.

Coincidentally, taxpayers were taking a merciless screwing as a result of unchecked corruption and incompetence in the Housing Authority, link, and apparently that was not held against her in Richardson's consideration of her for appointment to a position of even greater authority and trust.

More recently, she was aboard the Bloody Merry, with Richardson, when it went plowing into other boats and a dock at Elephant Butte Lake. Their lack of interest stepping up with the truth manifest itself in their departure from the scene before the Police (except for those already on board, who apparently never files a report) arrived, link.

To her credit, Miller did return to the scene, later,
to inquire after any injuries they might have caused.

It has been oft noted; where there is smoke there is fire.
Is Miller on fire? Well, the smoke(screen) is hard to ignore.

It makes one wonder if there will ever be a time in NM state government, when politicians and public servants will ever be compelled to provide candid, forthright and honest answers to legitimate questions about the public interests, even against their will.

It makes one wonder if there will ever be real transparent accountability to the people, for politicians and public servants within their public service.

A quick consultation of the Magic 8 Ball, wikilink, offers little in the way of succor; it said;

"Outlook not so good"

photo Mark Bralley