Posted on 08/28/2007 8:10:48 AM PDT by greyfoxx39
Gov. Bill Richardson on Monday ordered the state Department of Transportation to expand an investigation to include both of its proposed redevelopments in Santa Fe.
At least two defendants in the Metropolitan Courthouse construction scandal in Albuquerque have links to the DOT projects.-SNIP-
Meanwhile, Santa Fe businessman Gerald Peters held a fundraiser for Richardson's presidential campaign last week in Jackson, Wyo., as a Peters company held confidential contract talks on the headquarters projects with the Transportation Department.
-SNIP-
Peters also was a contributor to Richardson's gubernatorial campaign fund, as was Jaguar Development and Dellaportas.
Finance reports for Richardson's re-election campaign show he received $10,000 each from Dellaportas and Jaguar Development last Nov. 3.
Dellaportas has since contributed $2,300 to Richardson's presidential campaign. That is the maximum allowed for the primary season.
Spokesman Gallegos said contributions to Richardson's campaign are separate from his role as governor and have no impact on decisions he makes as chief executive.
(Excerpt) Read more at abqjournal.com ...
I'm sure someone can explain it better. In any case, this is the guy who wants to be our POTUS, and this corruption in the state of NM is as bad or worse than it has ever been under his "leadership".
If you want on or off the NM Ping list, please FReepmail me.
"Former New Mexico state insurance regulator Joe Ruiz has been indicted on federal corruption charges for allegedly misusing his office by soliciting payments from insurance companies in exchange for reducing regulatory fines.
A federal grand jury on Friday indicted Joe Ruiz, a former deputy superintendent of insurance, on 31 counts of extortion, mail fraud, wire fraud and corrupt solicitation. A conviction on most of the felony charges carries a penalty of up 20 years in prison.
Ruiz is scheduled to make his first appearance in federal court in Albuquerque on Monday. Telephone messages seeking comment were left at his home in Santa Fe.
The Public Regulation Commission fired Ruiz last year after allegations surfaced that he had solicited charitable donations from insurance companies. He worked as deputy insurance superintendent from June 25, 2001 through July 31, 2006.
According to the indictment, Ruiz asked companies for donations to organizations or individuals "in exchange for recommending a reduced fine, or no fine, to the superintendent of insurance."
Eric Serna served as insurance superintendent and recruited Ruiz for the deputy position. Serna retired last year in an agreement with the PRC after the agency had suspended him over conflict-of-interest issues, including some involving donations to a nonprofit health foundation, Con Alma, for which Ruiz solicited payments from insurance companies.
Most of the time, Ruiz directed that insurance companies make payments to Con Alma, which was founded by Serna, or to the Southwestern Arts Institute, which the indictment said consisted of just one individual. The person was not named in the indictment, however. The institute bought bilingual books for children, mostly books written by Ruiz with the stories in Spanish and English."
Need I say that NM state government has been dominated by the dems for decades?
Riiiight! He expects us to believe this nonsense? What a joke. He's as corrupt as the rest of them are.
Btw, thanks for the ping! :)
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