In politics these days it seems "anything goes" but sometimes there is a price to pay. Just ask former City Councilor and 01' ABQ mayoral candidate Mike McEntee. He campaigned as "the conservative Republican" candidate for mayor. Problem was city elections are officially "non-partisan." But McEntee ignored the pleas to stop and as a result has found himself out of a bit of money. As a federally employed air traffic controller, McEntee was found in violation of the rules that prohibit such employees from engaging in partisan election campaigns. McEntee, who represented the northeast heights, began a four month unpaid suspension November 1. During the campaign he said he was making about 120k a year. So the suspension will cost him at least 16k. But some fellow Republicans are trying to take the sting out for the Albuquerque native. They've organized a couple of fund raising events for him to replace some of the money he's losing. The cash will go directly to McEntee who is married with two teenagers.

Four years ago the state GOP under John Dendahl blew the cover off of nonpartisan elections by openly funding campaigns. Nothing happened to him for doing it either. Meanwhile, we're glad McEntee's GOP friends are having fundraisers for him. After all the executive committee of the Bernalillo County GOP endorsed him two years ago, helping to get him into the trouble. Of course, I can hear the Democrats now joking that most of their members get by for a year on what McEntee makes in those four months he is suspended. Fans of McEntee can call 281-2913 to pony up money.

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