2018 Primary -- VOTE TUESDAY!!

I voted Friday. 

In the county sheriff primary, I wish incumbent Kiki Vigil had only one challenger. Having talked to deputies and watched the department deteriorate, I hope Kiki – for whom I voted in 2014 – loses. With name recognition and four challengers, he probably won't; but Eddie Lerma and Kim Stewart, two very different candidates, offer the best chances. Lerma has extensive local law-enforcement experience, and law-enforcement endorsements, while Stewart offers new ideas and extensive law-enforcement experience elsewhere. 

Last-minute information strengthened my preference for Steve Fischmann in the PRC race, despite annoying ads from both sides. We have a clear choice between a public-interest candidate (Fischmann) who'll fight for a fair shake from the utilities and for faster progress toward renewables at fair prices, and current PRC Chair Sandy Jones. Jones seems too close to regulated utilities. He complains that environmental groups concerned about climate change are backing Fischmann; but Jones is getting huge backing from companies that benefit from his decisions. PNM, a major utility he regulates, dropped $440,000 this month on a PAC that's been inundating us with misleading mailers against Fischmann. Officially, Jones has no connection with “New Mexicans for Progress.” But a PRC source has described seeing top PNM officials visiting with Jones in his office before meetings. Judging from Jones's mailer attacking Merrie Lee Soules the Saturday before the 2014 primary, expect a similarly misleading attack on Fischmann.

I voted for Xochitl Torres-Small for Congress – with great delight. I'll strongly support either Democrat against any of the Republicans; but I know and trust Xochitl. Years ago I thought she'd be a great candidate for this seat. 

Nothing against Mad Hildebrandt. However, recently, she seems to be on the attack over Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee (DCCC) interest in Xochitl.  Instead of attacking Xochi because the DCCC sees in her what a lot of us see, Mad should focus on issues and how Dems take back this seat. DCCC apparently has not contributed money during the primary.  Almost all of the "Top Donors" to Mad's campaign, as listed on the Secretary of State's website, are out-of-staters, mostly in tech. [Note: this paragraph was changed as a result of my further review of it, sparked by a complaint from Mad.  The paragraph apparently overstated the amount of her out-of-state support, for which I apologize.]

Land Commissioner is a far more important job than folks realize. Garrett VeneKlasen and Stephanie Garcia Richard are viable candidates, the former the favorite of environmental groups. George Muñoz, who voted against banning coyote-killing contests, doesn't deserve our votes. He's raging at conservation groups now, calling them “special-interest groups” because their concern about our environment makes them leery of him. 

I voted for Bill McCamley, a dream candidate for state auditor. I voted for Billy Garrett for Lieutenant-Governor because he's the real deal. Deputy County Assessor Paul Ponce has learned the job in eight years as deputy, and deserves our votes. I voted for Micaela Lara Cadeña for State Rep. I recommend Karen Trujillo, who seems likely to be a thoughtful, responsive, and responsible commissioner for District 5. (Delighted so many capable young women running!) 

Many great folks have worked hard. Please vote – thoughtfully.

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[The column above appeared this morning, Sunday, 3 June 2018, in  the Las Cruces Sun-News, as well as on the newspaper's website and KRWG's website.  A spoken version will be aired on KRWG and on KTAL-LP, 101.5 FM during the week.]

[Do want to emphasize appreciation for all local candidates, who ran good races.  A lot of votes were tough decisions between or among good candidates.  And from what I saw, a lot of the races were run in a positive way, with each candidate mostly promoting himself or herself, and her or his ideas and positions, rather than attacking each other.  (The PRC race was an unseemly exception.)]

[With regard to the PRC: as I mentioned in the column, Mr. Jones is not legally permitted to coordinate activities with the PNM PAC, and we should presume he's not breaking the law.  However, the very size, nature, and timing of the donations are extremely telling.  For PNM to contribute $440,000 in two weeks' time is unusual -- unprecedented, so far as I can tell -- which means PNM really cares about this one.  (The money is also going to support another PRC incumbent up north against challenger Janine Yazzi.)  PNM would stand to make millions of dollars more in the next few years under a Jones-led PRC than a PRC with Fischmann on it.  
I discuss the PNM funding of New Mexicans for Progress, and include some PNM documents, in a post from yesterday, Saturday.  [To reach that material, either page down or click here. ]

[Should note that just as PNM jumped on the scales in the PRC race, two big oil-and-gas companies jumped into the Land Commissioner race to support Muñoz.  There too, conservationists have been supporting Garrett VeneKlasen or Stephanie Garcia-Richard.  It'll be interesting to see how the industries' huge media show will affect the voting.   (Thanks again, Citizens United!)]

Problems Again at Dona Ana County's Sheriff's Office

Is Doña Ana County Sheriff's Office a disaster waiting to be exposed as such? [Three columns will explore that question.] 

Sheriff Enrique Vigil lacks relevant experience. He was a long-time U.S. Marshal; but he hasn't dealt with state laws or the variety of situations a cop faces. He's not a state-certified law-enforcement officer. 

Vigil wisely compensated for that inexperience by naming Eddie Lerma as Undersheriff. Lerma had served two other sheriffs as undersheriff, had many years of experience with DASO, and seems generally respected. 

But Vigil soon replaced Lerma with Ken Roberts, a far less experienced DASO officer who reportedly told five deputies he had “axes to grind” with formerly superior officers, though Roberts has denied that. (Vigil, who's free to choose his undersheriff, announced he had accepted Lerma's resignation; when others called to congratulate Lerma, he was startled to hear he'd resigned.)

Roberts makes a great first impression but has limited qualifications. Before getting demoted, he was  a police sergeant in Shawnee, Oklahoma, many years ago. He served in the military police. He failed to complete the Border Patrol training program.  In 2008, he applied to DASO as an uncertified cadet. Folks in and outside DASO don't give him high marks as a detective.

Good officers are fleeing DASO. “Hundreds of years of experience have been lost,” a current DASO officer said recently. 

“They'll say they're cleaning house,” said a former officer. “That we don't fit in with their philosophy. We don't. We don't fit in with a philosophy of favoritism, cronyism, head-hunting, and lying.” LCPD Chief Jaime Montoya confirms that in asking DASO refugees why they wanted to make a change, he's hearing complaints of “targeting of officers.” I've heard the same from several, have read it in formal complaints, and wouldn't be surprised by a new flurry of lawsuits.

Current and former officers paint a consistent picture: senior officers who speak up or ask questions get punished; officers are threatened, or receive written reprimands for minor offenses that go unpunished in others. 

There are allegations of Whistleblower Act violations, bullying, and harassment. There are allegations that people who should be terminated are not, and that hirings and promotions are made easier for friends and allies. That sort of office politics is annoying anywhere; but with people who take guns into difficult situations, it could prove dangerous. (Some also say Roberts's relative inexperience with SWAT teams negatively affected a SWAT call-out earlier this month.)

Many officers believe (or hope!) that Vigil often doesn't know of questionable decisions by Roberts. They say they can't talk to Vigil, that Roberts always says “I've spoken to the Sheriff, and he agrees with my view on this,” but that in a couple of cases where an officer who heard that ran into Vigil later, Vigil said he knew nothing about it and would fix it. I hope they're right. I believe people close to Vigil have warned him that Roberts could bring him down.

Deputies who talk with me fear retribution. County officials say that Vigil and Roberts seem a lot more interested in identifying the complainant than in the merits of the complaints. Vigil asked Montoya which DASO officers had applied to LCPD. Montoya declined to answer. DASO set an event for the day LCPD had scheduled tests for applicants. 

Vindictiveness may play a role in what's happening. (One senior officer's complaint claims Roberts said he'd retaliate against the officer.) But I'd note that neither Vigil nor Roberts knows much about running DASO. When you're out of your depth, it's tempting to eliminate anyone who might recognize your mistakes or speak up about them. 

                                                  -30-

[The column above appeared in the Las Cruces Sun-News this morning, Sunday, 29 January 2016, went up on the newspaper's website the newspaper's website Saturday evening, and on KRWG-TV's website KRWG-TV's website this morning.  I invite comments, here or on those sites, positive or negative or adding information.]

[The whole DASO situation is unfortunate.  A couple of years ago, when an earlier sheriff made a bad hire and couldn't be convinced it was bad, I saw some folks who seemed like good people and good officers suffering in the workplace.  That sheriff never did see the light.  His friend sued me and many others, but lost badly.  Some at DASO have said this situation is worse.  I hope it will resolve itself in a positive way somehow.  As in the earlier situation, the views I'm hearing are widely shared.]

[I've made repeated efforts to obtain comment from the Sheriff and Undersheriff.  I still hope they'll articulate their views -- and, if they feel I have any facts wrong, point those oout.  I have, as an expert I consulted recently on one aspect of this said recently, no dog in this fight. I voted for Mr. Vigil.  I liked Mr. Roberts when I first met him; and, personally, I've had only pleasant encounters with him.  However, I'm troubled by what I see, and am just trying to see and share the truth.]

[I've asked the County and DASO for documents, pursuant to IPRA.  I've received some, and expect others soon.  I prefer not to rely solely on what I'm told.]

[Readers will notice I haven't quoted present and former DASO officers and deputies by name.  For obvious reasons, that's the way it is.  Some have talked to me, others have not.  I can only say that in such a situation I'm particularly careful.  Thus I've spent a lot of hours researching this situation and will continue to do so.]

[Note: I realized I shortchanged former Undersheriff Edward Lerma in describing his experience.  He actually had served three previous sheriffs, not two: Jan Cary, Jim Robles, and Todd Garrison.  I know Garrison was a Republican and Vigil is a Democrat, too.]