Journalists to Attempt Webcasting Ethics Reform Hearing in Santa Fe

Online journalist extraordinaire Heath Haussamen just gave us some good news.

Haussamen is reporting on his blog that the New Mexico Independent, an online news portal, will attempt to webcast (video & audio) from the Senate Rules Committee's hearing on ethics reform on Friday.

The hearing is scheduled in Santa Fe at 8am.

This is a must watch hearing because critical reforms in campaign finance laws, for one, are needed in the state.

Just look at all the pay-to-play investigations and grand jury investigations underway in the state and federal systems involving leaders who may be taking advantage of big money donations and giving access and contracts to friends, family and companies that support their campaigns.

Haussemen has been reporting on ethics reform for years. This morning, he wrote a summary on many of the pending reform measures here.

The omnibus bill he outlines is downright scary. Read why leaders may be able to kill most ethics bill in one clean sweep. Haussamen makes it easy to find and read the actual bills with multiple links in this morning's story.

Everyone has been hopeful during this year's 60-day session lawmakers would adopt drastic changes and pass new ethics laws.

Tomorrow's your chance to monitor the webcast to see if Senators kill the bills to protect their own interests.

For more information on tomorrow's planned webcast read the New Mexico Independent online here, and plan to tune to the webcast here on Friday morning at 8am.