Tit for Tat

So, the New Mexico Republican Party Chair, Harvey Yates Jr., is trying to connect Lt. Governor Diane Denish to the troubles at the New Mexico State Investment Council.  This is a large stretch since Denish has no authority at the SIC.  She is not a member and has never attended a meeting.  Her only connection is that a friend has contributed to her campaign.

So, in that spirit let us talk about Mr. Yates of the GOP.  He gave a lot of money and raised a lot of money for State Land Commissioner Pat Lyons, a republican.  Mr. Yates owns Yates Petroleum, one of the biggest independent oil operations in the U.S.  How many favors has Lyons done for the Yates outfit?  Unitizations of land leases?  Suspending drilling deadlines?  Etc.

And then there is GOP Governor candidate Alan Weh.  He was a big giver to George Bush.  How much money did his aircraft chartering business make from the administration during the Iraq war?  Millions?  Tens of millions?  Had to keep those rendition flights going you know.

And then there is the new GOP Governor candidate Pete Domenici Jr.  Lots of natural resource and oil and gas companies gave lots of money to his dad's campaigns in return for protection from fair royalties and environmental issues.  Did Pete Junior's law practice get business from these same folks?  He has removed his client list from his law practice website in hopes no one noticed.

Will these questions ever be looked into by mainstream media?  Don't hold your breath.

As an aside, did you notice the most viewed stories last week in the Journal all concerned sex!  You wonder if anyone reads these corruption stories sometimes.  I have the idea that one in twenty readers of the Journal will read them.  Then they stand around the water cooler at work and miserate about it with their co workers.