Governor Richardson is not a happy camper:
The governor said he was disappointed that legislators did not approve several measures he sought, including increasing the state’s minimum wage, limiting fees on payday loans, cracking down on corruption among state officials, providing tax relief and financing road projects. “This is the least-productive session that I’ve had as a governor,” Richardson, who has been in office since 2003, said last week.
Oh boy, I can see the campaign literature now. “Re-elect Governor Bill Richardson, he’s just finished his least-productive session as Governor. ” Ouch, not exactly the kind of statement to make before running for re-election – where’s Billy Sparks when you need him?
So, what’s a Governor to do? Well, dang it. It’s time to go get them GOPers (subscription):
The New Mexico Labor Department has ordered what it calls a routine audit of the state Republican Party, putting the GOP on notice that the agency may be poring over a long list of confidential party documents.
State Republican Party executive director Marta Kramer said Saturday she suspects politics from Democratic Gov. Bill Richardson’s administration is the reason for the audit.
Oh, I know what you are thinking. Now it’s the Republicans crying, “Conspiracy.” However, you have to admit, the timing of this “audit” is pretty convenient. The Republican State Bernalillo County Pre-primary convention is this coming weekend, and with the legislative session over the campaign season has officially begun. And don’t forget the type of things this “audit” is looking for:
The notice outlines an extensive list of documents the Labor Department may be examining, including salary and payroll records, tax-return paperwork, checking-account registers and “All contracts between your company and independent contractors that did work for you during the period mentioned above.”
If I were a conspiracy theorist, I would say that it sounds like the Governor is trying to redeem himself and dig up the dirt to support his previous accusations.