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The Making of a Political Animal

After reading a post over at Duke City Fix about Joanie Griffin, I was ready to write Ms. Griffin off as a viable candidate:

Joanie Griffin failed to disclose. She fibbed to the Albuquerque Journal — exactly what’s she’s been attacking her opponent for doing. Welcome to Council District 6.

On Griffin’s Journal questionnaire published September 19, she answered “No” to the question: “Have you or your business, if you are a business owner, ever been the subject of any state or federal tax liens?” The answer should have been “Yes.” In 1994 Griffin and her husband were issued a state tax lien for $1,057.67.

After reading that, how can you feel anything but disgust? Then, I decided to read the Journal article Coco sourced (subscription), and I found that Coco was not entirely forthcoming with the facts:

The lien lists the Social Security number of Griffin’s ex-husband, Charles Griffin. The unpaid taxes date to 1987— two years before Charles and Joanie Griffin were married [empahsis added].

The lien, however, was filed after the two were married and jointly owned property in Albuquerque. It was filed in January 1994 and repaid by March 1994, according to county records.

Now, it can be argued that Coco is “technically” correct, and Ms. Griffin’s answer should have been “Yes” to the Journal question. But, the fact remains that Ms. Griffin never did anything to cause a state or federal lien against herself, which I’m sure is the intent of the question. Moreover, I believe it is entirely plausible that she may not have been aware of the lien against her husband for his tax issues, especially a lien he paid off within three months of it being filed.

So, where does this leave us?

Well, Coco is obviously upset (probably an understatement) by the recent push polls and campaign literature coming out of the Griffin campaign against her own favored candidate for the City Council seat, Rey Garduno. So, in an effort to “hit back,” Coco is trying to equate the actions of Mr. Garduno’s attempt to hide his conviction of shoplifting at 45 years old (subscription) with the failure to disclose a three month state tax lien against Ms. Griffin’s deceased ex-husband, which happened before she married the man.

Sorry, but that’s just not going to fly.

Worse, this really is an example of Coco becoming politically intoxicated in the late hours of a campaign and transforming into the type of political animal she is going to hate to see when she looks in the mirror on the morning after the election.