Even the highest standard of conduct is just words without honest accountability to it. Honest accountability will never by provided by those whose existence depends on the lack of accountability.

Accountability will be the result of a grassroots movement like the effort to hold the APS school board accountable.

A precedent set in that election could well carry over,eventually, even to the legislature and the governor.
ched macquigg | Homepage | 01.26.07 - 8:27 am | #

Federal law, not state statutes, control in a federal election. It's called "pre-emption". It would be foolish and unfair (not to say unconstitutional) to hold any state official seeking federal office to the prohibitions and limitations of a state law while their opponents follow the federal rules. In such a situation the federal election law controls equally for all candidates.
Mike Runnels | 01.27.07 - 10:07 am | #

Mike, while that may be true, it sends the wrong message for the Governor to ignore state law regarding campaign contributions at the same time that he is endorsing an ethics reform package. If he wants to run for President and be free to raise money in contradiction to NM laws, he should either:

1) resign so that he is unencumbered

OR

2) ask the legislature to change the law so that he is not bound by it.

Let's face it, the statute is to prevent people with business before the Governor and Legislature from buying favors. And, based on this Governor's track record, it's a safe bet that he is selling favors to fund his presidential campaign.
Mario Burgos | Homepage | 01.27.07 - 4:24 pm | #