Posted on 06/21/2005 8:29:47 PM PDT by woofie
Gov. Bill Richardson is at the center of another speeding controversy.
According to a report Monday by KRQE’s Larry Barker, a state police driver for the governo r refused to stop June 2 for an Albuquerque police officer who noticed the governor’s white Cadillac sport-utility vehicle “speeding and driving erratically” on an interstat e frontage road in Albuquerque.
Barker’s report showed footage of the chase and a recording of the Albuquerque police officer. The report didn’t say how fast the governor& #8217;s driver was going.
A spokesman for Richardson referred questions about the incident to the state Public Safety Department, which called the incident “a simple misundersta nding,” noting that the Albuquerque officer was in an unmarked car and not in uniform.
In a written statement, DPS circumstances, state police are trained to take evasive action and not to stop. Likewise , there was no procedure in place for the APD officers to make contact with the Governor’s vehicle.”
“They had flashing lights and a siren , but that doesn’t cut it,” Olson told The New Mexican.
Because of the incident, there now is a direct phone line state police can use to instantly communicate with Albuquerque police dispatchers , Olson said.
The report comes at a time in which state Republicans are airing radio commercials spokesman Peter Olson said, “There was no p rocedure in place for the governor’s driver to verify it was indeed an APD unit. Under those blasting Richardson’s “high roller” lifestyle, including his highway habit s. One ad says Richardson “isn’t bothered by speed limits.”
The speeding first was picked up on the political radar in 2003, when a Washington Post reporter, traveli ng with Richardson on the way to a political function, noted that the governor ordered his driver to go faster when they already were in excess of 100 mph.
There have been similar rep orts of Richardson’s speeding since then. Public Safety Secretary John Denko has defended Richardson’s high speeds, calling the practice a security measure.
Olson’s statement Monday says, “The state police officer driving correctly followed the procedures mandated to safely and securely transport the governor. … The state police will continue to take every precaution and follow recognized procedures to ensure the safety of the governor …”
Another graduate to the Ted Kennedy Submarine Driving School! BURRRRRRPPP!
Not much water out here though
True, but Ted wasn't driving a submarine, either. (get it?)
I live less than an hour from the New Mexico border and visit there often. Accroding to folks with whom I chat and some friends there, Richardson runs the state like it is his personal fiefdom (maybe I should say "thiefdom" in honour of the governor). Most of his support comes from the People's Republic of Santa Fe.
A Clinton cabinet member behaving as you describe? Imagine the look of shock on my face...
As I hear it Richardson and Clinton also share the love of the fairer sex
Shocking, isn't? :-)
When I visit NM, I often chat with folks when I stop for gas or enter a restaurant, shop, etc. Mostly, Richadrson support comes from people who A) are Fellow Travellers 2) people who believe everything that the MSM tells them, or 3) are folks who have something to gain from his socialist ways.
As I see it, they also share the love of the Burger King.
There are a lot of them out here.
Comunistas inmune.
That's because Democrats love have royalty to bow down to.
>>Public Safety Secretary John Denko has defended Richardson’s high speeds, calling the practice a security measure.<<
I don't think I'll try that line ona Nevada trooper!
With democrats, it always is.
A friend of mine lives near Cimarron (he and his wife and kids live in Springer). What part of NM is your stomping ground?
I moved here from a very conservative area in North Georgia. Major culture shock.
Taos, egad! You are in the People's Collective of Northern New Mexico. I enjoy skiing there, but cannot stand to have too much contact with the folks from town (aside from some of the business people).
As bad as Taos is, the People's Democratic Republic of Santa Fe is mucho worse. I remember a visit there a few years ago when I had some relatives in tow. We stumbled into a store that looked like a gift store only to discover that they sold "magical Rune stones" and those bloody ubiquitous new age crystals. You never saw a bunch of Texans leave a store so fast in your life!
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