Posted on 01/27/2007 4:04:11 PM PST by CedarDave
John Dendahl, the firebrand conservative who ... [ran] as the GOP's nominee for governor, is leaving New Mexico.
His reasons: family considerations and what he says is widespread corruption and the refusal of most public leaders to stand up to it.
Gov. Bill Richardson, who trounced Dendahl in 2006, was a prime target of Dendahl's criticism.
He said Richardson "has expanded what I think is corrupt conduct in government in New Mexico and people of New Mexico have accepted it."
"To govern through intimidation and fear and retaliation is corrupt conduct. ... To me, corruption goes beyond breaking laws. It's a style. It's a moral idea. It's a personal style."
~~ snip ~~
Richardson refused to debate Dendahl, whom Democrats portrayed as a political thug ...Dendahl had trouble raising money and lost the November election in a landslide, with Richardson receiving a record 69 percent of the vote.
~~ snip ~~
"What I was surprised and felt betrayed by was the unwillingness of too many people that I think know better and should have stood up against it (corruption) and wouldn't and won't," Dendahl said in a recent interview.
He said many are unwilling to challenge what he views as corruption because they benefit from it— for example, by having government contracts— or are afraid to do so for fear of retaliation.
"I have found myself more and more standing not alone, but with a very small minority and a minority that is so small that it probably can't make much of a difference for the foreseeable future," Dendahl said.
He said Richardson has handed out contracts and other favors to campaign contributors and punished those who have challenged his actions.
~~ snip ~~
Richardson has repeatedly denied any link between campaign contributions and actions of his administration.
(Excerpt) Read more at abqjournal.com ...
He also said that would-be campaign contributors to his campaign went so far as to try to "launder" the money to prevent the Richardson administration from learning about it.
Sounds tough, but running away doesn't solve anything.
If the state is so bad, it needs him to stay and fight.
The year in my editorial comment in the article title should be 2006 not 2008.
He's nearing 70 and has been in NM's political wars for almost two decades. I'd say he's earned his rest.
Perhaps NM needs another Lew Wallace to clean up this mess.
Just like the country Richardson was raised in, and is still loyal to: Mexico.
Corruption in New Mexico....
*snort* Didja just figure that out? Johnnie? It's been like this about 400 years!
Dendahl sucks. This, right here, is why I never liked nor voted for him--It's all about John....
Could you imagine the way that foot-inna-mouth halfwit would've gotten rolled by the legislature if he had been elected?!
"Hmmmmm.... I wonder what kinda crime John just got caught in by the dems?"
Interesting article and FReeper comments. Thanks.
Thanks for the Big Bill post.
Is there a NM-Richardson ping list?
Gallegos, the Richardson spokesman, pointed to some of the flaps in which Dendahl was involved and said Dendahl "acknowledged offering a six-figure bribe to lure a candidate into a congressional race."
In 2002 [when he was Republican party chairman] Dendahl offered campaign contributions of at least $100,000 to the Green Party if it fielded candidates in two congressional races to take votes away from Democrats. The Greens declined the money offer, and the state attorney general found Dendahl hadn't violated any state laws.
There are others mentioned in the article.
Yeah, but I knew about those....
Really, NM 'Pubs only benefit from that guy leaving.
We (the Republicans) got skunked in the last election, barely hanging onto Heather's seat (though she is a sometimes RINO, Congress needed everyone with an R after their name) and keeping Steve Pearce in Dist.2 and Pat Lyons in the SLO. Everything else in the statewide races went to the Dems. The party definitely needs some good leadership and not just bomb throwers. For better or worse the leaders resigned just recently so we're back at square one again.
Most Americans have a hard time thinking about how it is possible for Romney to be a Mormon and still be a liberal.
In NM, we know all about the Udalls, so we have LOTS of experience with liberal Mormons (as opposed to the conservative ones).
THAT'S the best thing about NM politics!!!
<\sarcasm>
He is one of my great grandfathers...not quite sure how many "greats" back though.
He's nearing 70 and has been in NM's political wars for almost two decades. I'd say he's earned his rest.
This isn't "rest." "Rest" is a quiet retirement. This is an announcement that he's quitting.
"Rest" means turning the good fight over to others, not announcing that the fight has been lost and running away.
Lived in NM 7 years and always thought my Republican vote had a 50/50 chance of just being thrown in the trash.
In 2004 I worked the phone lines for Repulicans and local Republican leaders said when Richardson took over the govenorship he took a plane ride around the state with various business leaders. He made some sort of comment about, "....his N-words in the back." ....referring to Republican Businessmen.
Richardson is a ClintonASSta AND a rascist!
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