Broadcasters want to share legal ad revenue

Sen. David Ulibarri
Online technology is driving a proposal in this year's legislature which could authorize state broadcasters to publish legal ads and notices on their websites -- but not everyone is sure it’s a good idea.

State law currently only permits the legal material to be published in newspapers.

Sen. David Ulibarri, D-Grants, is carrying SB147 for the New Mexico Broadcasters Association’s new NM Legal Notices service.

NMBA President Paula Maes says her organization was asked by various municipalities to provide an alternative posting site for legal notices, because of declining newspaper circulations, and the fact that some rural newspapers only publish once a week.

The state’s open meeting act requires agendas be posted at least 24 hours before an official meeting, so supporter's of the measure suggest that government entities need an alternative posting site.

“With our site, people in towns like Taos, will be able to find their school board meeting agendas online,” Maes said.

“The Journal’s circulation is down 21 percent, and, people have to buy subscriptions to read the legal ads. This leaves many people in the dark,” Maes said. “Checking notices on a broadcaster’s site will be free.”

According to Maes, broadcasters in Illinois have already started publishing the legal ads on their website, and states like Rhode Island and Maine are watching what happens in Santa Fe this month before they roll out similar programs.

Maes said NM Legal Notices would charge about the same rate as newspapers and any money raised will be used to fund high school scholarships and intern programs.

While newspaper sales executives may be resisting the measure because it will dampen their ad revenues, a special interest group is opposing the alternative site claiming it will “keep the public in the dark.”

Conservation Voters of New Mexico insists legal ads and notices be published in community newspapers.

In a news release the group wrote:

This change would mean that New Mexicans would no longer be able to learn about government notices or issues that may affect their community by reading the local paper. Any notice of hearings for permitting dairy farms, power plants, regulatory hearings, or many other issues would no longer be published in the affected communities. Residents would need to seek out this information on the internet.

The NMBA counters that assertion and claims radio stations in small towns will be able to publish the ads more quickly on their website and residents won’t have to wait for a weekly or bi-weekly newspaper to be published.

Citadel New Mexico General Manager Milt McConnell says the majority of people in his audience get their information online. And, he wants public information to be publicly available on the internet.

“We believe it is past time to be able to have municipalities, school districts, county commissions etc to post their public notices on NMLegalNotices.com and have the electronic media be able to drive the message home,” McConnell, who oversees 770KKOB News Radio, said.

Both McConnell and Maes believe placing ads exclusively in print is not the answer going forward and say now is the time to insure an alternative delivery system.

For years broadcasters have aired free public service announcements, or PSA's, and worked closely with state and federal government agencies to disseminate valuable information to the public.

Opponents don't like the bill because they say 32 percent of residents have no access to the internet.

Members of the Senate Corporations Committee will consider the measure today at 2p in Santa Fe.

Disclosure: This reporter has worked for various broadcast outlets since 1980, including: Citadel Broadcasting, Hearst Television Inc, Hubbard Broadcasting and American General media.

Natural Gas outages reported across New Mexico

Updated 6:15p

Rolling pipeline outages in West Texas have impeded the delivery of natural gas coming into New Mexico, and thousands of homes and businesses are without the key fuel needed for their heaters and furnaces.

The New Mexico Natural Gas Company says its pipeline system is intact and their crews are working to minimize the impact of the outage.

The City of Albuquerque has activated its Emergency Operation Center, and some 20,000 people have reported their furnaces are out in the state's largest city.

Outages are being reported in smaller cities including Alamogordo, Ruidoso, Espanola, the entire town of Bernalillo, Taos, and most of Otero County.

Safety First

Residents are encouraged to remain in their homes if they can use safe alternative sources of heat to keep warm, such as electric heaters, wood or pellet stoves, and electric blankets.

Officials say DO NOT use unvented heaters, grills, propane or kerosene heaters or camp stoves inside their homes or enclosed spaces, as these can result in carbon monoxide poisoning.

Once gas pressure is restored, New Mexico Gas Company technicians will need to relight each home and business individually. A blue tag will be left to schedule a relight if you aren't home when our technicians visit.

Officials with the gas company are warning customers to think safety first and to seek shelter.

The safety of our customers is of top concern. New Mexico Gas Company has been working with National, County and State emergency services and officials, as well as local assistance agencies.

Seeking Shelter

Emergency shelters have been set up at these locations for residents unable to safely remain at home. These heated facilities will have coats, blankets, food and water, and other emergency relief in coordination with the Red Cross and/or National Guard.

* Alamogordo: Alamogordo Civic Center at 800 East First Street, at the corner of South Florida and First Street.
* Silver City: Grants County Conference Center at 3050 Hwy 180E (next to Ace Hardware); phone: 575-388-3180
* Questa: Alta Vista Elementary School gym at 2556 State Road 522
* Espanola: Beatrice Martinez Senior Center at 735 Vietnam Veterans Way


Officials urge neighbors to check on friends, especially the elderly, sick or homebound.

Emergency Numbers

For additional assistance or help getting to an emergency shelter:

In Alamogordo and Otero County:

* Alamogordo Department of Public Safety: 575-439-4300
* Otero County Sheriff: 575-437-2210
* Tularosa Police Dept.: 575-585-2704

In Silver City:

* Convention Center: 575-388-1198, Ext. 10 (no charge)
* Corre Caminos: 575-388-3180 ($2.50 and 50 cents each additional person at same address)

In Questa:

* Mayor's Office: 575-586-0694 or 586-1610

For regular updates check the New Mexico Natural Gas' emergency update webpage.

Update 11a: ABQ Officials Respond

At a mid-morning news conference, Mayor Richard Berry said the outages are "historic" and he and his staff are coordinating their response with Governor Susana Martinez. For now he said widespread outage have not hit the city. To avoid more serious problems, the mayor asked residents to lower their thermostats by at least 10 degrees and pull on a sweater.

Anyone seeking shelter in Albuquerque is asked to call the city's 311 service.

Update 615p - State of Emergency

KRQE TV reports:

Gov. Susana Martinez has declared a state of emergency as arctic temperatures and unprecedented demand for gas and electric heat left thousands of consumers without basic utilities.

Martinez signed two executive orders, one declaring the emergency and the second lifting limits on the number of hours propane-delivery drivers can work.

Martinez earlier had ordered thermostats lowered in all state buildings and sent non-critical state workers home to help conserve energy supplies. She also urged New Mexicans to lower their thermostats to reduce energy demand.

In an afternoon news conference in Albuquerque, a Gas Company of New Mexico official said the extreme weather conditions may affect gas deliver for another day or two. He also said the company expected demand to rise, but the below-zero temperatures and power brownouts in west Texas combined to reduce natural gas pressure in New Mexico.

When pressure drops below certain levels, gas in those areas must be shut off for the safety of the system, he said.

UNM Closed until Monday - Local Hotels offer discounted rooms

Officials at the University of New Mexico notified students at it's Albuquerque campus that it will remain closed through Sunday Feb. 6 to help N.M. get through energy crisis. Normal operations to resume Feb. 7.

Hotels in the Duke City have responded to Mayor Berry's call for help and are offering discounted room rates to people affected by power or gas outages.

These are just several around the City that have offered discounts:

• Plaza Inn $39
• Fairfield Inn $49
• Hampton Inn $69
• Marriott Pyramid $69
• La Qunita Suites Midtown $69
• Holiday Inn Express on 12th Street $69

DPNM Chairman Gonzales seeks re-election

Gonzales roping
with his horse Bullet

Democrat Party Chairman Javier Gonzales has decided to seek re-election to the post.

He become chairman in 2009 after Brian Colón resigned to run for Lieutenant Governor.

Today, he say’s he ready to put his “blood, sweat, and tears” into the party again for the next two years.

Gonzales, a Santa Fe businessman and New Mexico State Regent, will face Albuquerque attorney Sam Bregman who announced last week. Several other names have surfaced as possible candidates for the post.

Political gossip columnist Joe Monahan blogged this morning about the candidate's party support.

Insiders say Gonzalez has solid support among the county chairs of northern New Mexico and can also count on support from a number of state legislators. The state's congressional delegation is also though be with him as is national Dem chair Tim Kaine.

Several names have also been floated on the Monahan's blog as contendors for the chairmanship, including Lawrence Rael and Joe Campos (both 2010 primary candidates for Lt. Gov), but it's unclear if they'll enter the field now that Gonzales is staying in the race.

Gonzales' news release includes a new seven point plan to help elect party candidates in 2012 and “build a better New Mexico.”

Barbara Wold at Democracy for New Mexico has posted the elements of Gonzales' plan.

Despite election losses in last fall’s general election Gonzales said he’s proud of the work he has done, including raising more than $2 million for the 2010 elections.

“ We stood together and overcame a historic electoral wave, remaining focused and united on what's important -- being a voice for all New Mexicans and assuring a fair and equitable chance at a better future.”

Members of the party's state central committee will cast their votes the last Saturday of April.



Note: We had offered to do a video interview with Gonzales -- similar to our Flipcam interview with Sam Bregman -- but his campaign never called to schedule one. The offer remains open.

Senator proposes felony sanctions for copper thieves who damage utility plants

As the number of copper thefts increase -- often to fund drug addictions -- so could the penalties.

Sen. Steve Neville, R-Aztec, wants wants to send a message to thieves and vandals who steal copper from or damage energy production facilities.

He’s sponsoring a Senate Bill 240, which could make ripping off $50 worth of the metal a felony with a large fine or even imprisonment.

A vandal who rips off a $50 dollar piece of copper from a gas well to sell it as scrap metal, potentially causing an explosion and costing thousands of dollars in lost production time would only be slapped with a misdemeanor. But, Neville says the real cost of the crimes need to be taken into account before a suspect is charged.

“The law should take into consider the true costs of the crime to utility plants, not the value of a piece of metal.”

Last October Albuquerque police cracked down on copper thieves after they targeted recycling centers to find out who was committing the crimes. Police said then they recognized the steep increase in thefts.

The main purpose of APD's tactical plan was to educate recycling centers about a 2009 state law which mandates recyclers set aside items for five days and document who sold it to them. Many recyclers had not been reporting the names of people selling the metal.

Sen. Steven P. Neville
In this morning's news release Neville said the ramifications of power plant strikes are deep.

“Ripping off what is essentially to them scrap metal could cost thousands of dollars worth of damage and could even cause an explosion, shutting down production for days.” Neville said.

His bill would make it a felony crime to intentionally and without authorization vandalize, destroy or remove from an energy production facility any property of value, including tools, scrap metal, parts and petroleum products.

An energy production facility could be a power plant, storage or transmission facility or even oil rigs, regardless of whether such facility is still under construction or is otherwise not functioning."

If approved the bill would make it a fourth degree felony for property damage of $2,500 or less, a third degree felony if the value of property vandalized, destroyed or stolen over a six-month period has a value of over $2,500, but not more than $20,000, and a second degree felony if the value of property vandalized, destroyed or stolen over a six-month period has a value of over $20,000.

Defense attorney says it's too early to reinstate the death penalty

A prominent defense attorney, who has represented several murder clients facing the death penalty, including convicted sheriff killer Michael Paul Astorga, doesn’t want to see a repeal of New Mexico’s 2009 death penalty repeal.

Gary Mitchell told me this afternoon it’s too early to consider reversing course.

“We haven’t given it time to work,” Mitchell said. “We have a new governor, who never sought the death penalty when she was as a prosecutor, and now she wants to repeal the repeal. I don’t agree with that.”

But Roswell Republican Rep. Dennis Kintigh, isn't persuaded and today he proposed a ballot initiative measure which will put the issue in the public's hands.

Just last week, Gov. Susana Martinez called on the legislature to reinstate the death penalty, stating that “some crimes deserve the ultimate punishment."

Mitchell claims Martinez’ request is politically motivated and that she's “obligated to certain conservative right-wing groups who helped her get elected.”

Martinez made restoring the death penalty a prominent campaign issue last year, and on Tuesday she reiterated her pledge when she told legislators she believed juries should have the option to impose death.

“When a monster rapes and murders a child or a criminal kills a police officer, the death penalty should be an option for the jury,” Martinez said.

Rep. Dennis Kintigh
Before introducing today's legislation, Rep. Dennis Kintigh, R-Roswell told KOB TV he favors letting voters decide the issue and plans to sponsor a constitutional amendment.

"There's a lot of good people on both sides of the issue," Kintigh told the television station. "It's a fundamental issue of how we deal with this in society and I believe the best way to deal with these kinds of issues is to let the voters decide, give it to the voters."

Larry Larranaga

But other lawmakers don’t believe this is the year to consider the issue.

"We have very pressing issues during this legislative session," Rep. Larry Larranaga, R-Albuquerque said. "There's the budget, education reform, we've got job creation, we have the economy to look at."

The state only has two men currently on death row, and only executed one man since 1960. In 2001 Terry Clark received a legal injection after being convicted of raping and murdering a child.

When lawmakers dropped the death penalty two years ago they decided to replace it with life in prison without the possibility of parole, but allowed some then death qualified cases like Astoraga’s to continue. He was convicted last year, but the death sentence hearing has delayed while the state’s supreme court reviews petitions by Mitchell.

States Face Shortage of Key Lethal Injection Drug

While it may not become an issue in New Mexico, some states are running out of sodium thiopental, which is used to put prisoners to sleep before other drugs stop breathing and shut down the heart.

That’s because the drug’s manufacturer, Hospira Inc., decided to stop making the drug at its plant in Italy after that country decide to prohibit its export to countries who use it for capitol punishment.

Mitchell said case law would allow the state to change it’s form of executions without additional hearings, but the constitutionality of executions is still the priority.

He said some of the drugs currently used in lethal injections have caused inmates to suffer from painful deaths.

“It’s the main reason executions are not public nor video taped,” Mitchell said. “The gruesome nature of executions offend our human decency.”

Sodium Thiopental is used by 34 of the 35 states that use lethal injection to carry out the death penalty. The scarcity of sodium thiopental has led to execution delays in in at least two states, California and Oklahoma.

Michelle Lyons, a spokesperson for the Texas Department of Criminal Justice told the New York Times they have enough for two scheduled executions in Texas. Texas' supply is expected to expire in March.

“There currently are four executions scheduled in Texas — two in February, one in May and one in July,” said Michelle Lyons, director of public information at the Texas Department of Criminal Justice. At this time, we have enough sodium thiopental on hand to carry out the two executions scheduled in February.”

Last week's story in the NY Times reported an average of 55 executions have taken place annually over the last 10 years, with 46 last year and 52 in 2009, virtually all of them by lethal injection.

Errol Chavez succumbs to cancer

Last year’s Republican candidate for state auditor Errol Chavez has died. He had been diagnosed with inoperable brain cancer just a few weeks before the 2010 election.

Chavez, who was raised in Española, talked to me for an hour after then GOP Chairman Harvey Yates announced his candidacy last January and said wanted “to save the money the state is losing by going after people who are corrupt.”

Balderas beat Chavez by more than 60,000 votes.

The former DEA agent, who originally planned to run for public land commissioner, worked 31 years for the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), where he managed money laundering investigations; directed the administration’s policy implementation in Europe, Latin America and the United States; and supervised several hundred agents in various assignments.

After retiring from DEA, Chavez became the executive director of the High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area (HIDTA), a federal drug-prohibition enforcement program. In this position, Chavez was responsible for administering and auditing $11 million of federal funds directed to law enforcement agencies and prosecutors in New Mexico.

Chavez served as president of both the Hispanic American Police Command Officers Association and the International Narcotic Enforcement Officers Association, an international law enforcement organization with 12,000 members.

Senator Ingle, who asked for a moment of silence to remember Chavez in Santa Fe this morning, said the state of New Mexico “appreciated Chavez’ willingness to serve the public his entire life. He said the state and the country is grateful to Errol Chavez”

Funeral services are still pending.

Attorney General outlines legislative priorities

New Mexico Attorney General Gary King, a former legislator himself, said he plans to propose a number of measures to lawmakers meeting in Santa Fe for the state’s 50th Legislative Session.

His wish list includes ethics and campaign finance reforms, and Forfeiture and Drug law revisions to apply to real property seizures, along with several others.

Ethics reform was a focus of King's first term as AG and this year he plans to urge the Legislature to enact a law that prohibits government contractors from donating funds to the government officials with whom they contract, and to require full disclosure of all funds either given to them in the past or directed to other organizations, including nonprofits, at the request of the elected officials.”

King said that he wants all local government employees to be subject to the Governmental Conduct Act, the same law that state officers and workers are bound by.

King, who served 12 years in the New Mexico House of Representatives before losing his 2004 congressional bid to Rep. Steve Pearce, said his measures are “designed to improve the lives and protect the well being of all New Mexicans.”

King’s 2011 priorities (from a news release):

• Ethics and Campaign Finance Reforms, focusing on enhanced campaign practice and government contractor disclosures. I am particularly interested in helping New Mexico enact a good, strong public disclosure law so that at a minimum all funds used for political campaign purposes, and all of the sources for those funds, are fully disclosed. Additionally, I will again urge the Legislature to enact a law that prohibits government contractors from donating funds to the government officials with whom they contract, and to require full disclosure of all funds either given to them in the past or directed to other organizations, including nonprofits, at the request of the elected officials. I intend to renew my request to have all local governments subject to the same main Ethics law that governs state officers and employees, the Governmental Conduct Act. This will incorporate a patchwork of Ethics laws into one Code, and be applicable statewide.
• DWI and Underage Drinking Prevention...McKinley County has successfully used its ability to raise additional revenues to address serious alcohol and drug abuse problems; that option should be expanded statewide so that the voters in every state county can decide whether they want to tax sales of alcohol to provide additional funds to address alcohol and drug abuse problems.
• Domestic Violence law improvements, especially to protect victims using Uniform Orders of Protection.
• Criminal Law Enforcement initiatives, including Securities Laws enhancements, Child Pornography law amendments and Animal Cruelty law revisions.
• Border Violence and Drug Enforcement issues such as Money Laundering Act revisions to update property crime violations and Administrative subpoenas for computer and bank records to investigate and prosecute sexual exploitation; ID theft and computer crimes; Forfeiture and Drug law revisions to apply to real property seizures and authorize community service improvements.
• Consumer Protection proposals, such as a Usury cap on small loans and mortgage foreclosure practice reforms to protect innocent homeowners.
• General Fund increased revenues for the State, including strengthening the Fraud Against Taxpayers Act and Tobacco law amendments to maximize the State’s access to full recoveries.
  

New Katies Law proposal faces uphill battle

During her State of the State address Gov. Susana Martinez asked lawmakers to strengthen Katies Law by requiring law enforcement agencies to take DNA swabs from all suspects arrested on felony charges. But, lawmakers' reaction to the proposal is mixed.

Many, like Sen. Trip Jennings, D-Roswell, worry those swabs are an invasion of privacy and worry about having records expunged if a suspect is later acquitted.

But the mother of Katie Sepich, a 22-year-old graduate student at New Mexico State University, who was brutally raped, strangled, and whose body was eventually abandoned at a dump site in 2003, says legislator’s concerns are unfounded.

Jayann Sepich, who was invited to sit next to First Gentleman Chuck Franco on Tuesday, says since the law was originally adopted in March 2006 only 12 people have asked for their records to be expunged.

Since January 2007 authorities have gathered 7000 swabs from violent offenders, sex offenders, and burglars. And the results have been overwhelming successful.

Sepich said investigators have solved 173 crimes using the DNA records. Now 24 other states have adopted some version of Katies Law and half of those require swabs from all felony arrests, not just from violent offenders.

In our video interview Sepich told us the DNA samples include no genetic information and when they are entered into a computer do not list suspect's name nor social security number. She says the DNA information only surfaces when a match is made. Only after that do investigators received a name of a potential suspect.



Sepich said DNA can easily and quickly be expunged, while fingerprints, which are taken after every misdemeanor arrest, become part of a permanent file. She says scientists picked 13 points in the DNA strand to use as markers and those points contain no genetic information, which should alleviate privacy concerns.

Traveling around the country, Sepich said she’s heartbroken every time she hears about homicides that could have been prevented. One of those cases is Brianna Denison who was killed in Reno two years ago.

Sepich says her murder could have been prevented if James Michael Biela’s DNA had been collected after an earlier domestic violence arrest.

She also thinks the new proposal can help exonerate innocent people up front. She hopes lawmakers approve it and will be in Santa Fe trying to persuade them that "collecting DNA upon felony arrest will not only solve crimes, but prevent crimes, and save lives."

This year’s bill is being carried by Sen. Vernon Azbill , R-Carlsbad and Rep. William Rheem, R-Albuquerque, a retired police officer himself.

Cargo urges Martinez to visit Hollywood

As lawmakers prepare to consider what do to with the state’s film incentives, the man who started the first governor's film commission in the world, former Gov. David Cargo, is weighing in on the debate.

He’s urging Gov. Susana Martinez to be more empathic toward the state’s film industry.

Cargo suggests her decision to lower incentives from 25 percent to 15 percent is an “attack” on the industry, and he suggested the new governor plan a trip to Hollywood.

“She needs to go out there and talk to the people in the industry and reassure them that they can film in New Mexico and make a profit,” said Cargo.

He said Hollywood executives want assurances the state is open for business and not political attacks on their industry.

“She ought to be talking about the advantages that the motion picture industry brings to New Mexico, how affirmative it is, how much we gain out of it, all of the wonderful things they’ve really done it. It’s a way of assuring them," said Cargo.

He recommends Martinez learn how to approach movie and television producers.

“She’s explaining this in a campaign mode," said Cargo. "You’re not running against the motion picture companies. You’re running a state, and you’ve got to be involved, not in politics, but in government,” said Cargo.

He disagrees with those making the argument that producers will take their business to states that offer the highest incentives.

“They go were they can film and do it most effectively and they’ve got the most cooperation and they’re welcomed. You see it’s the welcome mat that brings them in," said Cargo. "You bring in more people by empathizing with them and understanding what their problems are and working with them.”

During a news conference a day before Martinez' State of the State address Martinez outlined her legislative priorities and told reporters she plans on sticking with her budget plan which includes the incentive reduction.

She contends the incentive amount needs to be reduced to help balance the budget deficit. Martinez has said her priority is to make sure money is not taken away families and children in the state.

Meanwhile, Cargo gave former Gov. Bill Richardson a B grade for his work luring films to New Mexico, but criticized that administrations heavy reliance on subsidies.

Cargo, who never asked then California Gov. Ronald Reagan to send films to New Mexico, believes Martinez will be more successful going straight to the heart of the industry in Los Angeles.

That’s where Cargo spent his time. In fact, in 1971 he made a cameo appearance in Bunny O'Hare, which starred Bette Davis and Ernest Borgnine, as well as parts in 11 other films.

A dedicated promoter of the New Mexico film industry, Cargo, a Republican, was beloved by liberal Democrats in Hollywood, actually becoming personal friends with those behind the camera as well as the stars facing it.

“I had a vision for what we were going to do in filmed entertainment,” said Cargo. “I had a plan. I had a way of working it out. And it worked out rather well -- extraordinarily well.”

Former Lt. Gov. Diane Denish had high praise for Cargo's vision for the film industry.

"Dave Cargo was a visionary governor," said Denish. "He was one of the first New Mexico governors to see the value of the film and television industry to our state's economy."

After his term as governor Cargo shared that vision with his successor Gov. Bruce King. Later he took King, and First Lady Alice King, to visit with some of the producers and studio executives he had already established relationship with in Southern California.

During the trip, they visited Lawrence Welk’s studio During taping of a show, King danced with Albuquerque native Cissy King, while Mr. Welk danced with Alice.

Time to govern

Cargo, who was only 37 when he was elected governor in 1967, also told us he was disappointed in Martinez’ first State of the State speech, calling it "too political."

“She’s got to make the transition from being in campaign mode to being governor. She had a lot of things that were good. But, she’s talking about things that are exciting partisan feelings and that’s not going to get her through the legislature,” said Cargo. “She’s got to get after things that she can agree with them on. She’s got to work with them. She can’t antagonize them.”

Cargo, who celebrated his 82nd birthday last week, wrote an autobiography titled Lonesome Dave several years ago.

Tea Partiers want government spending cut

Between 200 and 300 hundred Tea Party supporters rallied in the shaded area of the Roundhouse Tuesday morning just hours before the start of the 2011 legislative session.

Former State Rep. Janice Arnold-Jones, who only hours before turned her seat over to freshman Rep. Conrad James, R-Albuquerque, greeted the rambunctious crowd and introduced former Gov. Gary Johnson, the rally's keynote speaker.

Arnold-Jones got cheers and applause when she mentioned Johnson's 750 vetoes and her distrust of former Gov. Bill Richardson's administration.

Braving the wind and cold, Johnson told the crowd both political parties are responsible for the state's current economic mess. He said "this level of spending cannot be sustained."

He also said it was time to consider eliminating the State Treasurer's office, claiming a few people could do the job.

In the rotunda, current Treasurer James Lewis responded to the suggestion, "Gary is Gary."

Johnson also weighed in on the House Speaker's race, telling SF New Mexican Reporter Steve Terrell he thinks it would be "a good change" if Rep. Joseph Cervantes was elected to the leadership post.

But, Heath Haussamen, New Mexico Politics.net's publisher, is reporting that pressure from many of Tea Party supporters, like Tina Carson, who attended the outdoor rally, want Republicans to unite behind a conservative candidate rather than vote for "the lesser of two evils." Haussamen writes a division in the GOP could hurt Cervantes' chances to oust Rep. Lujan, who has had the job since 2001.

Several noteable Republican VIP's were spotted in the rally crowd including, Tom Mullins who was last year's GOP candidate for congress in Congressional District 3, and Adam Kokesh, who lost to Mullins in the primary election. Albuquerque City Councilor Dan Lewis, who launched his congressional exploratory committee two weeks ago, and may run against Rep. Martin Heinrich, also braved the chilly weather to attend the rally.

Standing Room only

Every seat in the public gallery of the House chamber is reserved (with yellow stickies) and members of the public who didn't have an invitation and chair, are upset. In fact, they're being forced into a standing room area behind a waist high wall.

One woman from Santa Fe said she noticed them roping off the gallery yesterday and is disappointed that no seat were reserved for the public.

While you might not have a seat in the gallery you can view today's roll call vote and Gov. Susana Martinez' first State of the State online. Several media outlets will be streaming it.

UPDATE:

House GOP Caucus communications director Larry Behrens tells us he's not sure why all the gallery seats were reserved. So far, the Santa Fe fire marshal is allowing people to crowd the space behind the wall, but there does not appear to be much room left.