New Mexico Mercury

A recent story by Daniel Libit in the National Journal about the behind-behind the-scenes workings of the Martinez Administration provides further insight into a complicated agenda of well-financed deception that should sound off alarms in the minds and hearts of most New Mexicans.

To most of us who have a front row seat to the workings of state government, the article only reaffirms the hidden agendas and mean-spirited politics of what is commonly referred to as the “fifth floor.”  Libit and the National Journal have done the country, as well as the average New Mexican, a great service by helping to further expose a ruthless man behind the curtain in the governor’s office.

What is interesting about Libit’s article, which of course was quickly criticized by the governor’s office with the typical, blame-shifting responses we’ve come to expect, is that many of the sources are from the governor’s own party as well as the very people who worked closely with the campaign that got her elected.

Many of these people who once came from Governor Susana Martinez’s inner circle left disgusted on their on accord because of the very same shenanigans she continues to accuse the previous administration of committing.  Now, thanks to the article, we have sources close to her operation detailing how Jay McCleskey is empowered to dictate policy, influence contracts, and keep millions of dollars in dark money well-cloaked and at an arm’s length from the governor, who can, politically, legally and conveniently feign ignorance.

It’s no wonder that the administration is fervently calling the story’s sources disgruntled. The list of people who were once on her side and are now against her continues to grow. The governor’s Machiavellian style, a la “It is better to be feared than to be loved,” is never so crystal clear than in McCleskey’s own words as he was quoted in the article.

Indeed, the relentless fear, intimidation and domination doled out by the Martinez Administration and McCleskey, who is really calling the shots, has already been suffered by the many teachers, state employees, and persons once on her own team. The administration’s target list also continues to grow.

We can only hope, for the public’s sake, that more articles like these come out, which rely more on facts and informed sources rather than prepared statements from the administration. This article sheds more light on what is really driving the decisions from the governor’s office.

We need true transparency from our leaders and not just words.