It’s all in the family as former NM House Speaker Raymond Sanchez is called on by Governor Richardson to serve as his lobbyist on the sex offender bill making it thru the Legislature’s Special Session. That’s according to longtime supporters of Raymond’s in contact with “New Mexico Politics With Joe Monahan.”Sanchez, the longest serving House Speaker in NM history, will be spending most of his time in the State Senate. Who will he be lobbying? None other than his own brother State Senator Michael Sanchez of Valencia County, Chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee and a criminal defense attorney. In past years that committee has been the political graveyard for sex offender legislation similar to that being pursued by Big Bill. While it easily passed the House this week, the trial lawyers and civil liberties groups have a stronger lobby in the Senate, thus Bill’s employment of Raymond as his lobbyist. No word on whether or how much the former speaker is being paid for his lobbying.
Sanchez was elected to a 13 year stretch as Speaker in 1987. It ended when John Sanchez ousted Raymond from his ABQ north valley seat in 2000 in the the most expensive House race in state history. John Sanchez became the GOP gubernatorial nominee against Richardson in 2002. Interestingly, Raymond Sanchez lost his seat to John Sanchez in part because John accused Raymond of being soft on child porn laws. Raymond was outraged and even recevied a letter of support on the issue from Republican Senator R.L. Stockard of Farmington. Stockard was punished with the loss of his seat when then GOP Chairman John Dendahl let loose on him for supporting Raymond. Earlier this year Big Bill hired Stockard for a short-lived stint as Homeland Security Director.
Raymond is a trial lawyer. The brothers Sanchez came from humble beginnings in Belen to walk the corridors of power in Santa Fe.
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