Union's Anti-Martinez E-Mail Riles Republicans (NM Gov race)

The Albuquerque Journal ^ | June 19, 2010 | Sean Olson

[CedarDave]

A mass e-mail from the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees is making waves in the governor's race, with Republicans complaining the group is using a "scare tactic" and state resources to influence the election.

In an e-mail sent to state employees, an AFSCME political coordinator, Josh Anderson, wrote that Republican governor candidate Susana Martinez would lay off 5,000 state employees — read: union members — if elected. That e-mail was later forwarded by Department of Health employees using state e-mail accounts.

"We can not afford to have Susana Martinez as our next governor, our members jobs literally depend on it," Anderson wrote.

Martinez has never said she would lay off a significant number of employees, although she hasn't ruled it out either. In a Journal interview in May, Martinez said she would first eliminate about 3,000 vacant positions in state government before analyzing other places the state could trim. But she also acknowledged it would not be an easy process to pick where cuts need to be made.

Republican Party of New Mexico spokeswoman Janel Causey said the union crossed the line using state e-mail accounts to further distribute the e-mail.

"It is completely inappropriate to use taxpayer resources to perpetuate a special-interest scare tactic," Causey said.

[CedarDave]

Typical union scare tactics. They are worried because Susana is tied with or slightly ahead of her Dem opponent in early polls.

[CedarDave]

Another story about the governors race (excerpted from the Journal):

Richardson: Denish Must Distance Self From Him

By Dan Boyd / Politics Notebook

In a turn at political punditry, Gov. Bill Richardson said Lt. Gov. Diane Denish will have to steer clear of his shadow to win this fall's gubernatorial election.

In an interview with the online news site Stateline that was posted Thursday, Richardson said Denish is well-positioned to keep the Governor's Office in Democratic hands.

"She's going to have to separate herself from me but define herself as a Democrat moving the state forward on the traditional Democratic issues of job creation, health care and education reform," Richardson said.

The two-term governor also said Republicans will have to take advantage of having two Hispanics — Susana Martinez for governor and John Sanchez for lieutenant governor — at the top of their ticket.

"That's probably never happened anywhere in the country," Richardson said.

Richardson: Denish Must Distance Self From Him

[FrankR]

Actually, everyone else except the union heads/members are probably thrilled to hear that she wants to cut the budget.

The wailing and gnashing of teeth begins.

[CedarDave]

NM list PING!

(The NM list is available on my FR homepage for anyone to use. Let me know if you wish to be added or removed from the list.)

[CedarDave]

Translation:

"She's going to have to separate herself from me but define herself as a Democrat moving the state forward on the traditional Democratic issues of [government] job creation, [government] health care and education reform [i.e. more union teachers]," Richardson said.

[ABQHispConservative]

That would be great. The public employee unions have a sense of entitlement. They think their jobs are never expendable, while the rest of us have to bear a heavier burden. The GOP needs to start working on a strategy to destroy all public unions everywhere. They are nothing more than leaches on society.

[Quix]

THX THX

[Quix]

Sue their socks off.

[EQAndyBuzz]

Arrest them, charge them with theft of state property then fire them.

[EQAndyBuzz]

“The GOP needs to start working on a strategy to destroy all public unions everywhere.”

Privatize them. Why have toll collectors? Why have union people cleaning buildings, fixing subway track, maintaining a fleet of vehicles? All these things can be sold to a company for a piece of the action.

[joelt]

Imagine how many jobs down at UNM you could cut. Alot of uneeded work being done down there.

[libertylover]

That e-mail was later forwarded by Department of Health employees using state e-mail accounts.

Criminal behavior.

[OneWingedShark]

>”We can not afford to have Susana Martinez as our next governor, our members jobs literally depend on it,”

All the more reason to do so.

[Tijeras_Slim]

Criminal behavior.

Another day in Nuevo Mexico.