Rep. Andrea Romero

 Alright. Let's dive in to all the political news from New America. . . er. . . New Mexico. 

Talk about crashing and burning. State Rep. Andrea Romero has done both in grand style, leaving a promising political career in ruins.  

It is a story no one relishes—concerning a Santa Fe rising star who showed great promise. After a speed bump winning her first term in District 46 in 2018, Romero, steadied herself and became a leading light for progressive Democratic women in the Roundhouse. But that was then. 

Romero, a UNM Law grad with a Stanford political science degree, turned pugnacious when Attorney General Raul Torrez called her out for taking an unlawful part-time job with First Judicial District Attorney Mary Carmack-Altwies. State law prohibits legislators from working for the state government they fund and oversee. Carmack-Altwies and Romero both pushed back, but the AG stood firm. Under immense pressure, Romero—chair of the legislative Truth Commission investigating Jeffrey Epstein’s Zorro Ranch—resigned her DA job. 

After claiming Torrez gave her conflicting advice, Romero asserted his opinion was "an attempt to disrupt" the Commission's work. She neglected to mention Torrez had reopened a criminal probe into Epstein and sued the federal government over withheld files. 

Torrez, a fellow Dem, was still accused by some of being weak-kneed when he did not seek sterner penalties against Romero for her flaunting of the law. Republicans cried foul and demanded Romero resign not only as chair of the Epstein panel but also from her House seat. 

Already wounded in one foot from her illegal deal with Carmack-Altwies, Romero then aimed her gun at the other by using a PR firm hired to represent the Truth Commission to respond to her legal woes even though they had nothing to do with the Commission's work. 

REPUBLICANS STRIKE

Sen. Sharer

As the GOP filed an ethics complaint against her, Romero argued her use of the PR firm was an innocent mistake. Senate Minority Leader Bill Sharer knew he had low-lying fruit and bit hard: 

Representative Romero was already caught taking a state job the Attorney General says was unlawful for a sitting legislator to hold. Now the evidence suggests she used taxpayer dollars appropriated for a Truth Commission investigating one of the most notorious predators in modern history to instead pay a contractor to clean up her own political mess. That is not what that money was for, and it is exactly the kind of self-dealing New Mexico’s Governmental Conduct Act was written to stop.

The Chicago PR firm promptly ended their relationship with the Commission. 

Even before this job dispute, the Truth Commission had begun contributing to Romero's downfall. Its initial report consisted largely of public newspaper clippings, reinforcing claims it was a showhorse rather than a workhorse.

ROMERO'S PAST MISSTTEPS

This job controversy conjures memories of 2018, when Romero faced scrutiny for mismanaging public funds as Regional Director of LANL Communities--including a infamous $28 shot of WhistlePig Rye on the taxpayer dime. Now, this second ethics scandal could doom her chances for higher office. Though unopposed for re-election, she will return to the Roundhouse badly wounded.

Only months ago, Romero was in the limelight: chairing the Truth Commission, attending the State of the Union, and passing legislation banning ICE detention centers. Those glory days are forgotten as she tussles over an ethics lapse she refused to admit. Pride goeth before the fall and for Romero it has been a free fall.

MORE DEM HOUSE TROUBLES 

Heather Ellison

Making matters worse for House Speaker Javier Martinez, Romero's slide coincided with San Juan County Rep. Joseph Hernandez getting drunk on a legislative trip to Chicago and wandering hotel hallways naked. Forced to withdraw from his race after the legal deadline, the Supreme Court ruled Democrats could not replace him—handing Republican Heather Ellison an unexpected gift in District 4. A similar late withdrawal in District 23 left Republican Alan Martinez unopposed. 

Ellison, 71, is a Navajo early childhood educator.  

PAY THEM? 

The outbreak of disturbing behavior by House Democrats could impact--and should--the proposed constitutional amendment on the November ballot to award state legislators a full-time salary of up to $68,000. This has been rejected repeatedly since statehood in 1912. 

This time the pay hike plan starts off with 39 percent in favor, 21 percent opposed and a large 40 percent undecided or wanting more information. The Journal poll was conducted Aug. 21-28. Proponents have already started media in favor. Opponents will have to follow in order to sway those undecided especially independent voters. 

Not that any of the 112 legislators are starving. They receive over $200 in expense money each day they meet in session and also receive that sum when attending one of the many interim committee meetings. These payments would continue even if they received salaries,

In addition the lawmakers now have district offices with a full-time paid staffer. 

Then there's their freshly liberalized pensions providing a comfortable cushion.

Then there are the yearly lobbyist expenditures topping $1 million with a substantial portion devoted to free meals and hosting social events for lawmakers. 

THE BOTTOM LINES

Joe Monahan

The Domenici conference is is back and starts today at the Las Cruces Convention Center. The annual conference, named for the late NM GOP US Sen. Pete Domenici, went into hibernation for eight years This year former GOP US Rep. Heather Wilson will be a speaker as will Dem NM Senator Ben Ray Lujan. The southern congressional candidates--Rep. Vasquez and Greg Cunningham are also scheduled. The midterms will be discussed with national pundits Paul Begala and Charlie Black. More info here. 

By the way, Pete decided before his death that NMSU would receive his congressional papers although he was an ABQ native and received his undergrad degree from UNM. It was a rare Aggie victory over the Lobos. 

We have analysis of the upcoming election with Santa Fe radio host Richard Eeds of KTRC. You can tune in here. 

We'll step on the gas and add some more weekday posts as the '26 campaign heats up. Stay in the loop by subscribing to the blog here or from the subscription box at the top of the page. 

Thanks for tuning in. 

Reporting from Albuquerque, I'm Joe Monahan.

This is the Home of New Mexico politics. 

Labels: Attorney General Torrez, District Attorney Carmack-Altwies, Rep. Alan Martinez, Rep. Andrea Romero, Rep. Heather Ellison