News

Weh: I Wouldn’t Trust Denish With My Lunch Money

1/21/2010

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE                                     CONTACT: CHRISTOPHER SANCHEZ

Jan. 20, 2010                                                                  (505) 344-9220 OR (505) 504-8881

Weh: I Wouldn’t Trust Denish With My Lunch Money

Lt. Gov. wasted $170,000 in tax money to travel NM in a jet; her office still refuses to release documents

ALBUQUERQUE – Republican candidate for Governor Allen Weh said today that he wouldn’t trust Diane Denish with his “lunch money,” much less the state’s multi-billion dollar budget and extensive financial holdings and investments. 

Weh, who says he will use his business experience to turn the state around and put New Mexicans back to work, launched a successful aviation charter company in Albuquerque 30 years ago and built it into the multi-million dollar business that it is today.

“Lt. Governor Denish had the audacity to blow $170,000 of tax money to jet around the state and in one case actually used it to get to a parade,” Weh said.  “She doesn’t have much money under her control in the Lt. Governor’s office, and that’s a very good thing.  Given her track record, I wouldn’t trust Diane Denish with my lunch money.”

Weh said that Denish has refused to comply with a simple records request to produce important documents relating to expenses in her office and believes that she may be doing so to prevent further embarrassment during an election year.  When it was revealed that Denish inappropriately spent federal money intended to create jobs on her own Christmas card program and public relations events, he called for an investigation. 

“Given recent revelations about Denish’s spending priorities, I’m not surprised that she won’t hand over the documents,” Weh said.  “But she is still required by law to do so.  I have renewed my call to her office for those documents and will take whatever steps necessary to ensure that the people of New Mexico are given all the facts.”

###

Reporter’s note: It was reported in the Albuquerque Journal today that “Denish's office has been billed more than $170,000 for use of state planes. In paying that $170,000, nearly $33,000 came from a 2003 federal jobs stimulus bill ...” http://www.abqjournal.com/upfront/20226333940upfront01-20-10.htm

Below is the follow-up to the two records requests.

January 20, 2010

Custodian of Public Records

Lt Governor Office

State Capitol Building, Suite 417

Santa Fe, NM 87501

Dear Custodian:

On November 6, 2009, I requested that your office produce a copy of all documents relating to the $225,000 of federal fiscal stimulus funds transferred to the New Mexico Treasury under the 2003 Jobs and Growth Tax Relief Reconciliation Act and which was reportedly used or spent by the Lt. Governor. 

Your office only released an accounting for $86,270.71, leaving approximately $139,000 of these funds unaccounted for.  Due to this denial, your office is currently in violation of the Inspection of Public Records Act, Chapter 14, Article 2 NMSA 1978.

On November 11, 2009, I requested copies of all contracts entered in to by the Lt. Governor’s office and their supporting documents.  However, your indication that your “objective is to respond in 90 days”  is not responsive and appears to be a denial of this request, and again places your office in violation of the Inspection of Public Records Act, Chapter 14, Article 2 NMSA 1978.

If you are unable to respond fully to both pending requests within 15 days of this correspondence, we will deem your responses a denial and proceed in accordance with the law to enforce our requests.

Sincerely,

Allen E. Weh