If the Democrats in the State House vote Representative Ben Lujan back in as Speaker of the House, Republicans across the state can rejoice. Democrats will be sending a clear message that the political corruption turned into an art form by Michael Montoya, Robert Vigil and Smiley Gallegos is alive and well in New Mexico.
Ben Lujan has turned a blind eye one too many times:
[Democratic Party Activist Frances F.] Williams also criticized Luján for his receptionist getting a rent-free house from Gallegos.
Luján said he appointed Gallegos to the Housing Trust Council “because that’s his background.” He said he didn’t see a conflict of interest.
As for the computerized learning system, he said, “I didn’t carry that bill for Smiley. I did it at the request of public schools systems, including Pecos and Santa Fe Public Schools.”
In regard to Ortiz’s free rent from Region III, Luján said, “With God as my witness, I knew nothing at all about that until Lisa told me a couple of weeks before (the newspaper article) was published. I never question my employees about their private lives.”
Luján said he advised Ortiz to “make sure she paid her back rent. And my understanding is that she’s doing that.”
Representative Lujan SHOULD NOT be considering staying on as Speaker of the House. He SHOULD be considering resigning from the House. The nation sent a clear message on Election Day that it is tired of national politicians that look the other way when corruption runs rampant.
Mark my words, if the Democratic Representatives show they are devoid of a backbone by re-electing Ben Lujan as Speaker of the House, in two years New Mexicans will send a clear message that they are tired of local politicians that look the other way while corruption flourishes at the expense of hard-working New Mexicans.