Buried

Think what the Albuquerque Journal would do if Democrat Governor Bill Richardson has entered into a transaction that caused a lot of heartache with citizens and that ended up being taken directly to the Supreme Court by the State Attorney General Gary King.  Do you think that story might be at the top of the front page in bold headlines?   I am pretty sure it would be.

Now think about the republican Land Commissioner Pat Lyons being in the same position.  (the operative word here is republican)  Do you think that might qualify for at least being above the fold on the front page, even if it were not the headline?  Of course not, because this little controversy does not involve the Governor.  This story was buried on the state page.  This is the kind of thing driving some people crazy.  One of our dinner guests  on Sunday said he could not stand it any more and he cancelled his subscription last week.

A couple of years ago I met with Thomas Cole of the Journal to brief him on what I thought were really suspect transactions at the land office.  It was complex stuff and required deep investigative reporting.  I never saw any thing come of it.  But, it did not involve the Governor where much of his efforts were shifted towards.  Maybe it is time to turn Cole loose on the Land Office.