Monday, September 26, 2022Cries Of Hypocrisy After Saturday's Senate Democratic Caucus; Ivey-Soto Punished Over Sex Harassment Charges With More Set To Come This Week, But Another Senator Previously Charged Is Picked By Caucus For Top Leadership Post
Sen. Daniel Ivey-Soto, charged with sexual harassment, was stripped of an interim committee chairmanship by Senate President Pro Tem Mimi Stewart while another, Michael Padilla, who settled harassment claims for subjecting women to a "sexually hostile work environment" was chosen by the caucus as the new majority whip. Here's the deal. ABQ's Ivey-Soto is under fire for alleged harassment, putting tremendous pressure on Stewart and the Dems from well-funded interest groups who not only revile Ivey-Soto personally but also despise him for his often moderate/conservative stands on their pet issues. Stewart Saturday stripped him of his chairmanship of the NM Finance Authority Oversight Committee. However, she did not have the power to do the same with Ivey-Soto's important position as chairman of the powerful Senate Rules Committee which the interest groups are clamoring for. Late Sunday Stewart, obviously feeling more heat from the progressive interest groups planning a protest outside the Roundhouse today over Ivey-Soto, ratcheted up her attack on him: Pro Tem Mimi Stewart announced that the Senate Committees’ Committee will be meeting on Thursday, September 29 to discuss her recommendation that Senator Ivey-Soto be removed from his position as chair of the Senate Rules Committee.“As I stated when announcing the removal of Senator Ivey-Soto as chair of the NMFA Oversight interim committee, it is inappropriate for him to remain in a position of authority until the allegations against him are truly resolved,” said Senator Stewart. “We must send a clear signal that inappropriate behavior will not be tolerated, and the Roundhouse will be a welcoming, safe environment for all people who engage in the legislative process.” So the takedown of Ivey-Soto appears on the fast track with the progressive interest groups that now essentially run the party giving Stewart her marching orders, although she has tried to drag her feet as some fellow senators reminded her of the constitutional right to be presumed innocent until proven guilty. That fell on deaf ears. The full Senate in January would have to approve any recommendation to remove Ivey-Soto as chair. The charges against Ivey-Soto went before a senate subcommittee which decided (controversially so) not to advance them but not before his allegedly aberrant conduct was major news and calls for his head were everywhere. But that didn't stop the caucus (including Sen. Stewart) from placing ABQ Senator Michael Padilla back in the position of majority whip, despite the city of ABQ paying out $250,000 over sex harassment charges leveled against him in 2006. The charges forced Padilla out of the 2018 primary for lieutenant governor as well as his position of majority whip that the Senate Dem caucus stripped from him in Dec. 2017 but on Saturday reappointed him to. One of our Senior Alligators Alligators comes with the hypocrisy hit: How quickly the senators forget. They want to punish one of their own charged with sexual harassment but promote another with the same charges in the very same meeting. This looks so bad to the public. No court has ruled on the charges against Sen. Daniel Ivey-Soto but the city of ABQ did pay out over $250,000 to settle lawsuits accusing Sen. Padilla of harassment. This will all come back to bite Mimi. The silver lining in this cloud is that it gives the House more space to shine. The Senate has demonstrated they are no longer the upper house but the dog house. The House of Representatives now has a chance to lead with integrity. More background on Padilla's problems when he was placed in charge of overhauling ABQ's 911 dispatch center: The city settled one lawsuit for $149,000. A jury sided with one of Padilla’s accusers in a second lawsuit, finding the city liable for subjecting the woman to a “sexually hostile work environment.” The city paid $1,200 to the woman and more than $101,000 in legal fees.  Should Padilla's errant ways follow him all his life? No. He has paid a stiff price. But should the senate have consistency in applying ethical standards? Yes. And politically, should Senate Dems have reinstalled him to power in the middle of a contested gubernatorial campaign? No. They could have at least waited before they shoved the voters' face in it. That the monied interest groups powering the anti-Ivey-Soto movement simply stood by and had their silence stand as their assent to the Padilla promotion also showed that their drive to oust him is in no small part ideological. For Ivey-Soto they want the death sentence but for Padilla? Well, let bygones be bygones. That the harassment charges against Ivey-Soto arose soon after he helped kill a voting reform bill in the senate had already revealed that this is not only a war against Ivey Soto's allegedly boorish behavior but an attempt to change the policy framework of the New Mexican senate. That's politics, for sure. But the background needs to be reported. (More on that below.) Would a senator facing the same allegations who was politically acceptable to the interest groups get as much grief from them? We got our answer to that loud and clear Saturday on the hypocrisy watch. GOP AND STEWART At the caucus Stewart was again the pick for the important Pro Tem position that influences committee assignments and the direction of the senate. Afterward she declared the 26 Senate Dems "unified." But ABQ Sen. Linda Lopez again challenged her for the post and other Hispanic senators remain unhappy with her leadership, even as they voted to retain her. The pro tem is selected by the entire Senate which means the Republicans will have a say when the full senate votes but Stewart is expected to prevail. WIRTH AGAIN Despite constant mumbling that Santa Fe Senator Peter Wirth is one of the weakest majority leaders in memory, his ability to go along, get along and do a good job as a traffic cop won him another two years at the Saturday caucus. But his inability to corral the senate and enforce discipline (why didn’t he stop Ivey-Soto’s behavior from going too far as well as halt the Saturday hypocrisy?) will continue to shadow his leadership and the senate. OTHER VOICES
Ivey-Soto was duly re-elected for a four year term in 2020. Two years into that term these interest groups who knew about some of the claims had said nothing to inform voters.
Only after their voting reform legislation stalled out did they blare their horns.
That seems like they are serving their own special interests more than the public’s interest after already voting to re-elect the senator. As for Ivey-Soto, he needs to be intellectually honest and consider the public’s interest.
Has he served with integrity? Can he continue to serve in a leadership role? Does a rehab program fit the bill and allow him to serve the remaining two years he committed to serve? These groups appear to be the ones playing games. They didn’t get what they wanted and then speak up. They should have informed voters in 2020. They did not and so they can wait two years for the next election. Then Ivey-Soto can make his case or ride off into the sunset. This is the home of New Mexico Politics. E-mail your news and comments. (newsguy@yahoo.com) Interested in reaching New Mexico's most informed audience? Advertise here.   (c)NM POLITICS WITH JOE MONAHAN 2022 |
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