Lt. Governor, and Bill Richardson protege, Diane Denish has finally agreed to obey the law….after she got caught.

Diane Denish has finally agreed that she will start to comply with state regulations on use of the state jet. According to a recent KRQE TV News report, Diane Denish has used the state jet 39 times since 2006 in violation of state regulations requiring that three or more official passengers be on a flight. These regulations are in place to guarantee cost-efficient use of the state jet. (http://www.krqe.com/dpp/news/larry_barker/taxpayer-tab-sky-high-for-state-flights)

This comes after an investigative report by the Rio Grande Foundation revealed that Denish flew in the state jet a total of 143 times between 2003 and 2009 costing New Mexico taxpayers about $208, 729.17. (http://newmexico.watchdog.org/2184/texas-guv-spartan-in-use-of-state-aircraft-richardson-denish-extravagant-in-comparison/)

So, Diane Denish, who is pushing to ‘fight for better ethics in Santa Fe’, has decided to change her law-breaking, high flying ways…..after she got caught.

Kinda like her entire record of saying nothing during the eight years of spending, taxing and corruption of the Richardson administration.

Sorry Diane….EIGHT YEARS TOO LATE.

We here at Denish Watch are calling on Diane Denish to renounce the Obama administration’s new policy of stopping border security enforcement proceedings which give a free pass to tens of thousands of illegal immigrants and injure New Mexico’s border security. (http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2010/08/27/new-immigration-policy-halt-illegal-immigrant-deportations/)

For eight years Diane Denish has sat silently and allowed rampant corruption and perverse spending orgies to drive the State’s  bottom line into the red. Now is Diane’s opportunity to have a voice of her own and denounce this blatant attack upon the security of the border states.

We therefore call out Lt. Governor Denish to take a stand against the Obama administration’s foolish and dangerous new policy.

Diane, you had the opportunity to stop your boss and political padron, Bill Richardson, from giving New Mexico drivers licenses to illegal aliens. You said nothing.

Diane, you had the opportunity to voice your concern publically about the plan of your boss and political padron, Bill Richardson, to prevent New Mexico law enforcement from checking on the immigration status of criminals in our penal system via executive order.  You said nothing.

Diane, you had the opportunity to voice your opposition to a LOT of things. Yet, you said nothing.

Denish Watch is now giving that chance. On August 20th, the Immigration & Customs Enforcement agency of the U.S. government issued a memo basically giving a free pass to tens of thousands of illegal aliens in the U.S. facing deportation.

For eight years you have said nothing. Now, we are giving you the chance to stand up for our border security and take a stand against this move by the Obama administration.

Can’t wait to hear from you.

Diane Denish likes to talk about bringing jobs to New Mexico and helping small business create more jobs. Yet, for eight years Diane Denish helped her padron, Bill Richardson, implement anti-job creating union policies. Such as:

How can we trust Diane Denish to help create jobs when she supported Governor Richardson for eight years in bringing back and enforcing the Little Davis Bacon Act which forces collective bargaining New Mexico businesses?

How can we trust Diane Denish to cut the eight years of spending she supported and keep the budget under control when her labor union bosses oppose public employee pension reform?

How can we trust Diane Denish to make New Mexico more business competitive when she has received over $140,00o from public sector unions and $63,350 from private sector unions? (www.followthemoney.org)

How can you trust Diane Denish to make New Mexico a pro-business state and support business growth when she has been endorsed by the following labor unions who’s own agendas oppose making New Mexico a pro-business state? (www.dianedenish.com/endorsements)

(Denish Union Endorsements)

• The American Federation of State, County, and Municipal Employees (AFSCME)
• The National Education Association (NEA) of New Mexico
• United Steelworkers District 12 
• Committee of Interns and Residents/SEIU Healthcare–UNM Chapter
• International Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employees Locals 480 and 423
• International Association of Fire Fighters–Albuquerque Area Fire Fighters Local 244
• International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers Local Union No. 611
• International Union of Operating Engineers Local 953 PAC
• New Mexico Professional Fire Fighters Association
• New Mexico Building Trades and Construction Trades Council including:

           Asbestos Workers #76,
            Boilermakers #627,
            Bricklayers & Tile Setters #3,
            Electrical Workers #583 & #611,
            Elevator Constructors #131,
            Iron Workers #495,
            LIUNA Local #16,
            Operating Engineers #953,
            Painters & Allied Trades #823,
            Plasterers & Cement Masons #254,
            Plumbers & Pipe Fitters #412,
            Roofers #123,
            Sheet Metal Workers #49,
            Sprinkler Fitters #669,
            Teamsters #492

• United Food and Commercial Workers of New Mexico Local 1564
• Southwest Regional Council of Carpenters
• American Federation of Teachers
• New Mexico Federation of Labor, AFL-CIO

Diane Denish equals eight years of Little Davis Bacon. Diane Denish equals eight years of no reform to union boss supported spending hikes. Diane Denish equals eight years of NO reform of public employee pension reform. Diane Denish equals eight years of labor union campaign contributions.

Diane Denish equals more of the same for making New Mexico anti-business and anti-job. Eight years of union bosses bloating the budget and increasing regulations on business is enough.

Sorry Diane but EIGHT YEARS TOO LATE!

Looks like Diane Denish loves the jet-setting lifestyle. She and Bill Richardson have had eight years of it.  

According to New Mexico Watchdog (http://newmexico.watchdog.org/2184/texas-guv-spartan-in-use-of-state-aircraft-richardson-denish-extravagant-in-comparison/) Diane Denish flew in the state jet, that Richardson claimed was ‘essential’, 143 times between 2003 and 2009. New Mexico Watchdog’s analysis showed that the heaviest use of the jet by Denish was near primary or general election days. They cite an example of how Denish used the jet five times in October of 2008 when she was campaigning for Obama in New Mexico.

New Mexico Watchdog found a study by the Texas Watchdog site and found that Texas Governor Rick Perry used his state plane sparingly and that his use of the Texas state jet was ‘spartan’.

What did New Mexico Watchdog find out about how much Diane Denish charged taxpayers for her use of state aircraft through November 9, 2009? She charged you, the New Mexico taxpayers, a total of $208, 729.17.

At the following link is a spreadsheet of every time Diane Denish used the jet and to where and how much was charged to you the New Mexico taxpayer: http://newmexico.watchdog.org/1240/denishs-flight-records/

Diane Denish has enjoyed eight years of turning a blind eye to the corruption of the Richardson – Denish machine in Santa Fe. Diane Denish has enjoyed eight years of using state aircraft at a disturbing rate. Diane Denish may want you to think she will spend your tax dollars wisely but her conversion is EIGHT YEARS TOO LATE!

After standing by quietly for eight years as the Richardson - Denish machine slowly turned New Mexico into a ’California-like social experimentation petree dish’ Diane Denish is attempting to re-package her image as being ‘tough on crime’. Denish has even gone so far as to attack her opponent, fourteen year District Attorney Susana Martinez, as being ’soft on crime’.  

But, the facts speak for themselves and no other issue exposes Denish’s hypocrisy more than her support of repealing the death penalty in New Mexico last year.

The death penalty is a proven way to prevent violent crime. A growing body of research suggests that ending the death penalty would result in more murder victims. Studies released over the past several years by economists from Emory University, the University of Colorado, Clemson University, State University of New York, Western Illinois University, University of Houston and the University of Chicago, among others, found that for each murderer executed, five to 18 murders are prevented (http://www.cjlf.org/).

Yet, Lt. Governor Denish decided to side with criminal defense attorneys and the radical left in calling for Governor Richardson to sign the bill that repealed the death penalty in New Mexico in 2009 (http://newmexicoindependent.com/22427/denish-urges-richardson-to-sign-death-penalty-repeal). In fact, Lt. Governor Denish stated the following:

“Today I urged the Governor to sign legislation ending the death penalty in New Mexico.”

Eight years of quietly helping her political padron Richardson force radical social policies on New Mexico. Sad time for New Mexico and its law abiding citizens. Now, Diane Denish wants to ‘make over’ the last eight years and try to re-package herself as being ‘tough on crime’.

Sorry Diane but…EIGHT YEARS TOO LATE.

For eight years, Diane Denish stood by while her political padron and boss, Bill Richardson, appointed donors and liberal politicos to so-called ‘exempted’, politically appointed state jobs. For eight years, Diane Denish stood by while these ‘exempted’ employees only worked half days or didn’t even show up, yet, still received a taxpayer funded pay check. Some of those taxpayer funded pay checks are up in the range of anywhere from $60,000 to $100,000 a year.

Handing out ‘exempted’, politically appointed jobs to supporters is nothing new in the eight years of the Richardson/Denish machine. Another part of this same machine is their support of their machine’s soldiers who hold county offices. No wonder then, in a slap to the face of the tradition set forth by George Washington, that Diane Denish has come out in favor of a constitutional amendment in this year’s fall election that would allow county officials to serve THREE terms instead of two.

Our nation’s tradition of term limits for certain political offices is inherit in our belief in limited government and supporting new blood and new ideas.

Yet, Diane Denish attacks this great tradition when she was quoted in a June 18th article from the Farmington Daily Times by Steve Lynn. Diane Denish stated:

“I’m going to be voting for constitutional Amendment 2 so you guys can continue to do your great jobs. The experience and continuity is really worth something.”

So, after eight years as a member of the Richardson – Denish machine that pushed cronyism and keeping long time machine members in power it appears that Diane Denish wants to continue this tradition instead of the one that our Founding Fathers laid forth of keeping a balance and limited how much power one citizen has for a certain period of time.

Diane Denish is proudly continuing the eight year tradition of cronyism and politics as usual that we have seen under Richardson – Denish.

EIGHT TOO LATE DIANE!

Diane Denish LOVES the rail runner. According to a December 19, 2008 article from the New Mexico Independent by Matthew Reichbach, Denish is quoted as saying the following:

“Cost savings, environmental benefits, and safer transportation during winter weather make taking the Rail Runner a win-win. I am encouraging New Mexicans to make the commute on the Rail Runner and I am leading by example.” 

Cost savings????!!!! ‘Leading by example’?

Let’s take a look at Denish’s favorite train. Let’s look at the facts.

According to an August 3, 2009 article by Jim Scarantino of the Rio Grande Foundation the Rail Runner train has been a huge waste of taxpayer money. The research in Mr. Scarantino’s article shows the following:

1. ’From the first date of service in July 2006 through May 31, 2009, the average daily “ridership” on the train was a mere 2,539. Since the average commuter gets on the train coming and going, the actual average number of daily commuters using the Rail Runner for its three years of operations is just under 1,270′;

2. ‘The Rail Runner cost $400 million to get rolling. That start-up investment will never be recovered through the fares charged passengers. In addition, its annual operating and maintenance deficit is exploding. The data received from the Rail Runner’s management show that in 2006, the train’s first year of operation the operating deficit was $7.8 million. Its operating deficit last year was $10.8 million. Its operating losses for its third year of operation to May 31, 2009, already exceeded $13.4 million. That is a total of $32 million in operating losses so far’;

3. ‘The taxpayer subsidy per commuter has also been increasing as the Rail Runner produces ever higher operating and maintenance costs far in excess of the fares it charges. The subsidy has grown from $6,128 per commuter in its first year to over $10,500 this past year’;

Mr. Scarantino’s conclusion: “Taxpayers are effectively paying a select few to ride the rails instead of a taking a bus or driving. At the average daily ridership of 2,539, taxpayers were kicking in $16.89 per ride during the past year.”

Yep, Diane Denish just loves big government boondoggles that waste taxpayer dollars….on a daily basis.

Diane Denish sat silently for eight years as she was a part of an administration that saw the size and reach of New Mexico government reach unprecedented levels.  

Eight too late Diane….EIGHT TOO LATE.

Diane Denish has been fighting hard to cleanse herself of her eight years of collusion and silence under Bill Richardson’s two terms of corruption, graft and out of controlled spending and power grabs.

In a December 1, 2009 article at Politico.com, the following is stated: “Denish touted her work expanding the role of the lieutenant governor’s office from simply being a tie-breaking vote in the state Senate to taking a lead role on state policy, from education to economic development. That experience, she argued, puts her in strong position to win next year’s gubernatorial election.” Diane Denish is the ’anti-Bill Richardson’…..REALLY? REALLY? (http://www.politico.com/blogs/scorecard/1209/Diane_Denish_the_antiRichardson.html)

Sorry Diane but the facts speak for themselves. Let’s take a look:

1. Governor Richardson had to withdrawal his name as Obama’s Commerce Secretary nominee after it was made public that Richardson, and several associates, where under investigation for ‘pay to play’ with the California based company CDR Financial Products. Where was Diane? Diane was nowhere to be found or heard from. EIGHT TOO LATE DIANE;

2. Let’s see, since he was first elected, Governor Bill Richardson has spent millions of dollars of public funds without authorization from the state legislature. These millions in funds are from federal ‘economic relief’ and ‘stimulus’ bills. Spending this money without legislative authorization violates the state constitution. Jim Scarantino, an investigative journalist for the Rio Grande Foundation, reported in his study “The Governor’s Unconstitutional Spending of Public Funds without Legislative Authorization, that Richardson gave his own office $370,000 in unauthorized tax dollars and then gave $225,000 in unauthorized tax dollars to the office of Lt. Governor Diane Denish. For the record, $2 million went to the money bleeding Rail Runner and millions more to different projects determined by him. Where was Diane in protesting this use of tax dollars for her own office and other projects without legislative oversight? Diane was nowhere to be found or heard from. EIGHT TOO LATE DIANE;

3. Governor Bill Richardson ran as a ‘pro-business’ Democrat and promised New Mexico’s oil and gas industry that he would support energy development in New Mexico. Diane, on her own website, http://www.dianedenish.com/issues?id=0008, states the following: ”Growing up in rural Hobbs, New Mexico, Diane appreciates the importance of the oil and natural gas industry to our state’s economy. The industry provides $2.5 billion in economic activity each year and employs 23,000 workers, and Diane will support its efforts to meet the needs of the 21st Century.” Yet, where was she in voicing her opposition to Richardson’s pushing of the pit rule? Diane was nowhere to be found or heard from. EIGHT TOO LATE DIANE;

4. In his first term, Bill Richardson purchased a new ‘jet airplane’ for himself. He claimed it was for traveling the state. However, it was soon discovered that he used it to run for President in 2008. Where was Diane in protesting this unjustifiable and costly waste of taxpayer money? Diane was nowhere to be found or heard from. EIGHT TOO LATE DIANE;

This is just the tip of a very big iceberg.

Finally, nothing shows Denish’s opportunistic effort to become the ‘anti-Bill Richardson’ then the following video in which Diane endorsed Bill Richardson for President and even served has his national Women For Richardson’s group. If she’s trying to run from him now then why did she endorse and praise him for President just two years ago?

Sorry Diane, but you can’t run away from eight years of collusion. EIGHT TOO LATE DIANE….EIGHT TOO LATE.

New Mexico’s left-wing Lt. Governor, Diane Denish, came out against the state of New Mexico giving driver’s licenses to illegal aliens in the Albuquerque Journal on June 3rd. Actually, the truth is not as clear.

In the article, Denish is quoted as saying the following:

“When that law was passed, it was well-intentioned. It was done with the idea that people wanted to be safe. We wanted to increase the number of insured motorists. But we have found that there are scam artists and there are con men that are fraudulently manufacturing documents, that are coming here to get driver’s licenses. So I think we need to tighten that up. We need to comply with the Real ID Act, and make sure that we have that comprehensive approach across the country.”

(You can read the whole Albuquerque Journal article here: ABQJOURNAL NORTH: Denish: No Licenses for Illegals http://www.abqjournal.com/north/032324322661north06-03-10.htm#ixzz0qIUjImAO)

Diane Denish never came out against the law in all of the eight years she was Richardson’s Lt. Governor. Diane Denish, as usual, is EIGHT TOO LATE when it comes to reform and good policy.

EVEN WORSE, SHE TALKS OUT OF BOTH SIDES OF HER MOUTH! In the Albuquerque Journal article linked above Diane Denish says the law was ‘good intentioned’ and that we need to ‘tighten it up’. HOWEVER, in a Fox News article from June 1st. The Fox News article states the following:

“Though Denish doesn’t list the subject of immigration or border security on her campaign website’s issues page and DOESN’T WANT TO REPEAL THE DRIVER’S LICENSE LAW, SHE HAS SAID SHE DOES SUPPORT MAKING ‘CHANGES’ TO IT, including tightening restrictions to prevent fraud.”

Denish was later quoted in the same article saying the following:

“Based on evidence that suggests the law has not worked as intended, the law needs to change. As governor, I would approach changes to the law with a thoughtful discussion that focuses on fact — not ideology, fear and divisive rhetoric.”

(You can read the Fox News article at the following: http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2010/06/01/immigration-looms-large-new-mexicos-gubernatorial-primary/?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+foxnews%2Flatest+(Text+-+Latest+Headlines)

CHANGES?! NOT REPEAL?!

So, which is it Diane….REPEAL OR CHANGE?

Not only is Diane Denish EIGHT TOO LATE but she also doesn’t know if she wants to repeal the law giving driver’s licenses for illegals or if she just wants to tweak it. 

EIGHT TOO LATE DIANE. EIGHT TOO LATE.