"Record"

New Ad: Meet the Real Susana Martinez

District Attorney has worst murder conviction rate in state; now Martinez thinks she deserves a promotion?

Albuquerque, NM – After Susana Martinez won the Republican nomination by distorting her record and making empty promises, the Denish campaign today released an ad to introduce New Mexicans to the real Susana Martinez – and her failed record as District Attorney.

The ad directly quotes Susana Martinez talking about the importance of looking at candidates’ records, and then challenges Martinez to explain her broken pledge on felony DWI plea bargains and her horrible murder conviction rate – which is the lowest in the state. [New Mexico Administrative Office of the Courts, New Mexico State Court Annual Reports, FY 1999-2009]

“Susana Martinez won the Republican nomination with sound bites and empty promises, but in reality, she’s been a failed District Attorney who doesn’t deserve a promotion,” said Chris Cervini, Denish’s campaign spokesman. “New Mexicans want a Governor who they can trust to get the job done, not a failed District Attorney who broke her pledge to be tough on DWI offenders and has the worst felony murder conviction rate in the state. New Mexicans deserve more.”

The new ad entitled “Record,” is running statewide on network/cable television and it can be viewed here: http://www.youtube.com/user/Denish2010

Background facts to support assertions made in the ad:

1. Martinez Broke Her Promise Not To Cut Plea Bargain Deals On DWIs:

2004: Martinez said, “We Will Not Plea Bargain A DWI Case,” Particularly For Repeat Offenders. According to the Las Cruces Sun-News, “The dubious record for most previous DWI convictions in Dona Ana County is 22…It happens almost everywhere in New Mexico and the reasons vary, but in Dona Ana County, steps are being taken to put an end to it. ‘We will not plea bargain a DWI case,’ Dona Ana County District Attorney Susana Martinez said. ‘We don’t pretend it is a first or second offense just to move the court docket along.’” [Las Cruces Sun-News, 9/5/04]

Fiscal Year	District 3 Felony DWI Plea Bargains
FY 2009	120
FY 2008	111
FY 2007	181
FY 2006	150
FY 2005	170
FY 2004	104
Total	836

[New Mexico Administrative Office of the Courts, New Mexico State Court Annual Reports, FY 2004-2009, accessed 5/11/10]

2. Susana Martinez Has The Worst Felony Homicide Conviction Rate In The State:

Judicial District	Felony Homicide: Average Conviction Rate from FY99-FY09
District 9	81.25%
District 11	77.45098%
District 6	75%
District 5	74.7191%
District 12	74.19355%
District 1	70.90909%
District 8	70.27027%
State-Wide	69.4704%
District 7	68.18182%
District 10	66.66667%
District 4	65.78947%
District 2	63.46154%
District 13	60.60606%
District 3: Susana Martinez	60%

[New Mexico Administrative Office of the Courts, New Mexico State Court Annual Reports, FY 1999-2009, accessed 5/11/10]

Notes:

1. To obtain the total number of convictions: pleas at trial, pleas before trial and convictions were added together. The total number of convictions was divided by the total number of cases and multiplied by one hundred.A complete spreadsheet of all of the DA homicide rates is available upon request.

2. The charts above cover FY 1999 – FY 2009, which are the only years that statistics are available in a consistent format at the Administrative Office of the Courts.

# # #

The Real Susana Martinez

While you’ve probably seen Susana Martinez’s TV commercials boasting about her being a tough prosecutor, it’s what she is not saying on TV that many New Mexicans will find deeply troubling.

Now that the Republicans have their nominee, the choice for New Mexicans couldn’t be clearer.

In Diane Denish, we will have a different kind of Governor – a leader who will stand up to the powerful interests and insiders on behalf of New Mexico’s families and small businesses.

And Susana Martinez – well, the saying “all sizzle, no steak” comes to mind.

Below are a few quick facts about Sarah Palin’s choice for the next Governor of New Mexico:

• In 2004, Martinez said she wouldn’t plea bargain a DWI case – in fact it was a campaign pledge – and then she broke her promise more than 800 times. She cut plea bargain deals with more than 800 felony DWI offenders since making the pledge, and more than 1,000 in total. [Las Cruces Sun-News, 9/5/04; Albuquerque Journal, 5/19/10; Administrative Office of the Courts, Annual Reports, Third District Court, FY 1999-2009, accessed 5/11/10]
• Martinez boasts about her conviction rate, but in reality, one out of every three district court criminal defendants gets off. [Administrative Office of the Courts, Annual Reports, Third District Court, FY 1999-2009, accessed 5/11/10]
• Nearly 40 percent of felony murder defendants got off and her rape conviction rate is only 57 percent. [Administrative Office of the Courts, Annual Reports, Third District Court, FY 1999-2009, accessed 5/11/10]

With a record like that, does Susana Martinez really think she deserves a promotion?

But beyond distorting her failed record, Martinez won her primary by pandering to the special interests and showing her far-right wing colors. A quick look at some of the facts:

Needless to say, Susana Martinez is as ready to be Governor as Sarah Palin was to be president.

• Susana Martinez’s campaign is largely being bankrolled by big oil interests and she just received $450,000 (the largest contribution in New Mexico history) from the Texas millionaire and his wife behind the disgraceful Swift Boat ads against John Kerry in 2004. [New Mexico Politics with Joe Monahan, 5/28/10]

• Martinez is a darling of the Republican establishment in Santa Fe and the Tea Party, participating in more than a dozen rallies and forums across the state.

• Two weeks before the primary, Martinez was behind in the polls – and then Sarah Palin came to town and threw her enthusiastic support behind her favorite candidate. Palin said at the endorsement event: “Send her to Santa Fe please to do the job, and it’s not just for New Mexico, it’s for the rest of the U.S.”

Now that you know about the real Susana Martinez, we need your help to spread the word to your friends, neighbors and colleagues. We need help to stop Martinez from getting an undeserved promotion to the Roundhouse. Susana Martinez is wrong for New Mexico.

Keep New Mexico Blue!

Sincerely,

Javier M. Gonzales
DPNM Chairman

Susana Martinez's Swift Boat Donations Getting National Attention

THE DALLAS MORNING NEWS

Bob Perry Bankrolls Republican in New Mexico

By Wayne Slater

Houston homebuilder Bob Perry has his favorite in the Texas governor's race - incumbent Rick Perry (no relation). The Republican governor has been a long-time recipient of campaign cash, and has reciprocated by creating a state agency that protected builders from consumer complaints (now disbanded after a storm of protest). Perhaps the nation's most prolific campaign giver, Bob Perry is putting big money behind a candidate for governor in New Mexico. Perry and his wife have contributed $450,000 to Republican Susana Martinez. That's about two thirds of her total campaign haul over the pasts three weeks as she heads into today's primary runoff.

The very fine Chris Cillizza at the Washington Post reports that Martinez has benefited from get-tough ads on immigration and the endorsement of tea-party favorite Sarah Palin. Perry's largesse in New Mexico is part of the homebuilder's big-dollar political giving - including $2.5 million to the Republican Governor's Association. Back in Texas, the homebuilder is an advocate of having the government limit lawsuits against business, including his own. At the same time, he's refused to pay court judgments against him. A jury in Fort Worth ordered him to pay $58 million to a retirement-age couple for refusing for a decade of fix their defective home. Perry's lawyers are appealing, and the case could continue in years.

http://trailblazersblog.dallasnews.com/archives/2010/06/bob-perry-bankrolls-republican.html

WASHINGTON POST

Morning Fix

By Chris Cillizza

Doña Ana County District Attorney Susana Martinez pulled in an impressive $721,000 for her GOP gubernatorial bid during the past three weeks but nearly two-thirds of that amount was contributed by a donor who funded the 2004 "Swift Boat" ad campaign against Massachusetts Sen. John Kerry.

Texas home builder Bob Perry (and his wife) donated $450,000 to Martinez who appears poised to win the Republican nod in today's gubernatorial primary in New Mexico. Perry has donated to a number of 2010 candidates including Texas Gov. Rick Perry (R) (no relation). He's also given $2.5 million to the RGA.

Martinez campaign manager Adam Deguire defended the donation. "Susana appreciates the support she has received from Bob and Doylene Perry, both of whom have been very supportive in the past of Republicans in New Mexico, including the state party," he said.

Martinez has been riding a wave of momentum following her strong showing in the March GOP pre-primary convention where she won with 47 percent of the delegate vote in a five-candidate field that included the son of legendary former New Mexico Sen. Pete Domenici.

But it was Martinez's ads hammering former state party chairman Allen Weh on immigration as well as Martinez's endorsement by former Alaska Governor Sarah Palin (R) last month that have been the main forces behind her recent surge.

Polls show a competitive race between Lt. Gov. Diane Denish and Martinez in the fall. Denish faces no Democratic primary competition today.

http://voices.washingtonpost.com/thefix/morning-fix/electability-and-the-californi.html?wprss=thefix

Swift Boat Funder Bank-Rolls Susana Martinez with $450K

Swift Boat money makes up over 60% of Martinez’s total; candidate officially abandons campaign based on ethics

Albuquerque, NM - After taking $450,000 from Texas multi-millionaire Robert Perry, the chief financer of the disgraced Swift Boat Veterans for Truth, Susana Martinez has made it clear that her pledges to bring ethics reforms are nothing more than empty campaign rhetoric. Her actions speak louder than her words.

According to the most recent finance report, the $450,000 Perry and his wife gave Susana Martinez accounts for more than 60% of her contributions this period. The Swift Boat Veterans for Truth are widely known for funding the shameless ads that recklessly challenged John Kerry’s patriotism during the 2004 presidential election.

“Susana Martinez talks a big game about ethics, but actions speak louder than words. By taking $450,000, the largest donation in state history from the people responsible for the dirtiest campaign ploy in years, Martinez is announcing that ethics reform will no longer be part of her campaign platform,” said DPNM Chairman Javier Gonzales. “Susana Martinez’s campaign strategy is simple: first saddle up to powerful oil companies, then to Sarah Palin, and now to the Swift Boaters. Meanwhile, New Mexico families are left completely behind.”

###

Leading GOP Contenders Come Out in Support of Extreme Arizona Immigration Law

Domenici Jr./Weh/Martinez side with the extreme right, fail to condemn racial profiling

Albuquerque, NM- The leading Republican candidates for Governor today came out in support of Arizona's controversial immigration law, siding with the extreme right over New Mexico families. In an Albuquerque Journal article published today the three GOP frontrunners praised the Arizona law and none of them took the opportunity to condemn racial profiling that may result from the bill. [Albuquerque Journal, 4/27/10]

The law has been widely criticized, world-wide, for going too far and creating an environment conducive to racial profiling and infringement on the individual rights of law-abiding citizens.

"It's shocking that in a state as diverse as New Mexico, the three GOP frontrunners would not immediately come out against this dangerous law. New Mexicans know racial profiling and fear is not the way to address immigration reform, but unfortunately the Republican candidates disagree," said Democratic Party of New Mexico Chairman Javier Gonzales. "Weh, Martinez and Domenici Jr. are showing their true colors, siding with the extreme right-wing instead of New Mexicans. Their extreme positions will not be forgotten on Election Day."

Stand up to the NM GOP and Karl Rove: Donate Today!

You may have heard the news.

In two weeks, Karl Rove – architect of George Bush's disasterous Presidency– is coming to New Mexico for a reunion with the Republican Party of New Mexico.

You can count on all the old Bush cronies, like Steve Pearce and Allen Weh, to be there along with the other Republican candidates for governor like Susana Martinez and Pete Domenici Jr. to stop by for the reunion.

Rove is here on May 1 to raise money for the Republican Party of New Mexico – so they can bring the same policies of the failed Bush presidency to New Mexico.
We simply cannot let that happen -- not here in New Mexico.

Click here to donate $25, $50, $100 to take a stand against the failed policies of the Bush administration and reject Rove's far-right schemes.

We could go through all the ways in which Karl Rove’s influence was destructive to our country, but you know the rap sheet. Scandals. Record budget deficits. An economy on the brink of complete collapse. Heck, we’re still cleaning up the mess that Rove helped create.

But that’s in the past – and our focus must be on the future. We must prevent Karl Rove’s favorite candidates for Governor and Congress from prevailing in November. We must fight to give New Mexican's policies that bring jobs, better education, and healthy communities.

Click here to give whatever you can to help stop the radical right from taking advantage of an upset electorate - an electorate that is upset because of the problems these same Republicans are responsible for!

It’s hard not to forget the last time Karl Rove made news in New Mexico. Rove and his “good friend” Allen Weh emailed back and forth about firing U.S. Attorney David Iglesias because Iglesias decided not to launch a politically-motivated investigation during an election. Rove and Weh chose to use their trusted positions to influence the outcome of criminal investigations. Think of what they'll do to New Mexicans if Republicans win this November!

Don't just let Karl Rove waltz back in to New Mexico, stand up and make a statement by donating today!

Send a message to Karl Rove and the right-wingers, and give whatever you can. Let's all send a message to Rove and all the other Bush Republicans: you are not taking back any power!

Sincerely,

Scott Forrester
Executive Director, DPNM

Monahan: "Martinez Ad Merely Average"

MARTINEZ TV DEBUT

http://www.joemonahansnewmexico.blogspot.com/

The first TV spot from Susana Martinez would be a sure-fire hit if she were running for attorney general, but in the hotly competitive GOP race for Governor, her thirty second spot falls into the merely average category. That's far from the "game changer" her most ardent Las Cruces supporters and potential press secretaries have labeled her candidacy.

The ad does get the job done when it comes to pumping up the name ID of the relatively unknown Dona Ana County district attorney. The announcer mentions it three times in the ad, the Web site--susanamartinez.com--is posted for the full thirty seconds and one shot includes a collage of Martinez campaign posters.

But the spot endeavors to stretch Martinez's narrow background--she has been DA for 13 years--to justify her guv run. It only partially succeeds. Compared to a Bill Richardson, Diane Denish or even an Allen Weh, it comes across as, well, an ad for attorney general.

She emphasizes her record of fighting Dona Ana County corruption, citing conviction of a municipal judge and a county clerk. In another example, the ad declares she has "taken on members of the most violent Mexican drug cartels." That left us a little queasy. Aren't the drug cartels still running riot through the streets of Mexico leaving thousands dead in their wake?

We also note for another reason the candidate's emphasis on border security as the campaign heats up. Her primary appeal is in the south where she hails from. She will go for a big score there to overcome her inability to break through in the ABQ metro.

Martinez, 50, does come across as an outsider which seems to be the mood du jour this cycle, and the ad is nicely paced and well-produced. And maybe the tough on crime angle mollifies male GOP voters who might otherwise shy away from her. Of course, the downside is the opposition research that will focus on any cases where Martinez might not have been so tough.

And we see many sides of Martinez in this ad, perhaps too many. In one close-up she plays tough, in another she plays friendly and in yet another she appears smug.

Because she lacks an extraordinary moment in her long tenure as DA, Martinezwill need a series of ads to break through, including something about the woman, not just the lawyer. And she will need plenty of money to do it. That remains a problem. The campaign says her buy is "significant" and is on ABQ broadcast and cable, but it's unlikely she will match the output of the self-financed Allen Weh. This spot will have to move numbers for her if she is to raise the necessary cash.

Martinez had a blockbuster performance among party activists at the March pre-primary convention where she dominated the field. She fights hard in her TV ad to keep the momentum going but scores a single. As we said, it's far from a game-changer, but the game is on.