Role-model governor won’t apologize (Long-knives out for NM Governor)

The Albuquerque Journal ^ | April 27, 2014 | Leslie Linthicum

[CedarDave]

I’ve always thought there must be a special place in this world for women who call other women bitches. And now I’ve found it. It’s the New Mexico Governor’s Office.

And I’ve always wondered if there is any place on the planet where people call other people “retard.” There is. It’s on the communications staff of the New Mexico Department of Human Services, which serves developmentally delayed clients.

We know this thanks to a Mother Jones magazine story that included leaked email exchanges and sound bites from debate preparation sessions while Susana Martinez was running for governor in 2010.

There was a lot of vaguely embarrassing stuff on the taped snippets and leaked emails – Martinez, then the district attorney in Doña Ana County, wasn’t familiar with WIPP, the Commission on the Status of Women or the Hispano Chamber of Commerce and smacked on schoolteachers for getting the summers off.

Her campaign team displayed potty mouths, aggression toward women in an email (“I (EXPLETIVE) HATE THAT BITCH!”) and revealed a disregard for voters by conspiring to create a fake public statement to cover her if anyone accused her of breaking a campaign promise not to cut benefits for teachers.

Martinez can be heard referring to her opponent, Lt. Gov. Diane Denish, as “that little bitch.”

Her deputy campaign manager, Matt Kennicott, can be heard making fun of how Speaker of the House Ben Lujan (now deceased) speaks. Kennicott tells Martinez that he’s been told Lujan speaks beautiful Spanish but speaks English like “a (expletive) retard.”

Martinez, after the Mothers Jones report, brushed off her “B-word” utterance and promised to feed the cuss jar. Kennicott, now spokesman for the state agency that oversees behavioral health services, said ... that he’s sorry if it offended anyone.

[SunkenCiv]

My pleasure.

[SunkenCiv]

Thanks EQAB.

[LegendHasIt]

So.. Is this Leslie Linthicum the wife or daughter of “Sarge” Linthicum, the ‘professional Vietnam Veteran / poet’ and left-wing activist?

[CedarDave]

Have no idea of the relationship, if any.

[Clinging Bitterly]

Ah, "bitch" has special meaning, worse than "jerk" or "liar". Well I guess there are certain columnists at this paper who would be experts on the subject. Lets be serious though - Martinez inherited probably the most corrupt state government in the United states from that last fellow (who would want me to mention his name) and it does take some major grit to hone that down.

My complaint with Martinez is only that she has not shown enough of it in her first term. She still has a little bit of time to redeem herself and I sure hope she does. I want to see her swinging chains. State police HQ would be a good place to start, and it wouldn't hurt to go over and slash a few tires at Albuquerque police HQ while she is at it (there are state laws being broken, after all). And I don't care what kind of names she calls them while she is doing it.

[Jane Long]

Looks like maybe the wife of Sarge? (Has since gone gray?)

http://www.mrmrssarge.com/Leslie.html

[CedarDave]

Same name but the resume doesn't match. She is married to Michael Haederle, a self-described Buddhist monk ( http://michaelhaederle.com/personal/ ). Both are in to the "alternative" lifestyle and, other than journalism, it is unlikely either have had jobs in the private sector.