It still stinks of cronyism

Governor Susana Martinez has received a considerable amount of support for her nomination of Darren White to the Judicial Standards Commission. Most speaks to the fact that he is "qualified" to hold the post.

Assume for the sake of argument, Darren White is "qualified" to assume a seat on the commission. He is still a political crony of Martinez'.

His support of her campaign, including impersonating a police officer in one of her campaign ads, link, paints him as a political crony regardless of his qualifications to sit on a standards commission.

There is no excuse for appointing a political crony, not in this state, not when Martinez campaigned long and hard promising to end political patronage in state government.

If he were the only qualified candidate, if he was the best qualified candidate, Martinez could argue;

"I know it looks like a political payoff but, there is really no other choice because he is the only qualified candidate, or at least the best qualified candidate."

In truth he is neither.

So all she can say is;
"I know it looks like
political cronyism;
blatant and egregious
political cronyism;
and add; so what?"

The "what" is, because perception
is reality to the perceiver,
New Mexicans have justification
for less faith in their government
than they had before her misbegotten appointment of Darren White.

That's, so what.




photos Mark Bralley