Democracy for New Mexico

Friday, July 09, 2010
Message to Susana Martinez: Darren White Is No Longer a Sheriff; Bob Martinez Was Fired From Parole Board Job

You just never know what kinds of lies, distortions or misrepresentations will show up in a Susana Martinez campaign ad. In her latest TV spot, GOP gubernatorial candidate Martinez seems more than a little confused about the roles and credibility of folks she has vouching for her alleged "tough on crime" credentials.

Oh Susana, why does your new ad feature Darren White wearing a Bernalillo County Sheriff's vest even though he's no longer on the force? White serves in a $125,000-a-year desk job as the Public Safety Director for Albuquerque Mayor Richard J. Berry -- not as a law enforcement officer. Do you think New Mexicans -- and especially Bernalillo County residents -- won't notice that White is play acting in costume in support of your partisan political ambitions? Tacky, isn't it? Not to mention dishonest and misleading.

The new ad -- which has law enforcement "types" looking nasty and talking about Susana like she, herself, is the new denim-wearing sheriff in town -- also depicts another problematic "character" shilling for Susana. Turns out Bob Martinez, shown below in a cut from the commercial, was FIRED from his job as Executive Director of the Adult Parole Board back in August of 2004 for failing to notify victims of a parole hearing for sex-offender priest David Holley. Given Martinez's spotty record regarding prosecuting sex offenders so they show up on the sex offender register, perhaps it's a case of birds of a feather ....

According to an article in the Albuquerque Journal:

Executive Director Bob Martinez apologized on Thursday for failing to notify victims before the May hearing, when Holley's parole was granted. His parole has since been rescinded. But Richardson fired Martinez on Friday, saying he was responsible for the oversight.

"The Adult Parole Board's failure to notify victims about this hearing was a violation of the state constitution and a serious breach of public trust," Richardson said.

... "As director, Bob Martinez is accountable for the actions of the board and its employees, and this kind of error will not be tolerated," the governor said. "The public, especially crime victims, must have complete confidence in the system."

Holley had been sentenced to prison in 1993 for a minimum of 55 years up to 275 years for molesting eight boys while he served as a priest at the St. Jude Mission in Alamogordo. State Parole Board Chairman at the time, Tim Kline -- another Republican -- defended his decision to parole Holley, saying he showed remorse for his crimes during a one-hour interview he and another board member had with him in May.

Is it just me, or is it faint praise indeed to have a city administrator dressed up as a sheriff and a former parole executive director who was fired for failing to warn victims of a pending parole of their sexual abuser vouching for Susana's credibility and toughness as a crime fighter? And, anyway, what does that have to do with Susana's qualifications to govern the State of New Mexico?

Governors aren't out chasing or prosecuting criminals -- they're responsible for getting legislation passed and executing laws having to do with a myriad of highly variable and often complex policies. Martinez has spent her entire career in the DA's office, without any experience in the private sector or dealing with non-prosecutorial issues in the state. This can't be the person New Mexicans want holding down the state's top job as New Mexico -- like almost every other state in the union -- faces unprecedented and incredibly complex problems in the coming years. At least I hope not.