Abuse of power
Last week, Capitan residents received their March water bill, several days earlier than usual. It was accompanied by a letter from Mayor Sam Hammons, which amounted to a campaign endorsement of incumbent trustee Lilly Wood, who was criticized in a letter to the editor printed in the Ruidoso News on April 22. Instead of responding to the newspaper, the mayor used taxpayers money to defend an incumbent running for office in the March 4 election. Everyone I've talked to says this is illegal, and an abuse of power. We are looking into it at the state level to get a definitive ruling.
This is just one more example of the dirty politics from this arrogant mayor, who has presided over a puppet board of trustees. What are your thoughts? Is this an abuse of power, or was the mayor within his legal rights?
posted by Ruidoso News @ 10:32 AM
8 Comments
8 Comments:
Nice to see a new post.
Smells like the old Mayor might have stepped in something.
Thanks for the reply, I've been woefully negligent in the blog. Just have to get into the habit, and promise to do so. I'll say upfront that my wife is running for Capitan trustee, but regardless, what the mayor did is wrong on mny levels, and I hope if backfires. See Friday's Opinion page in the paper – Marty
I do feel like it is definately an abuse of power. It's frightening to me that the state gives as much power to any one being. It really ties the citizens hands in expecting any accountability from these public officials, once they've hoodwinked their way in to office.
It may have been an inappropriate reference, but the point behind the newsletter was that the current leadership has done a good job financially for the village. That is important to know. Yes, it was the wrong venue to use. Not criminal in my mind.
You make a good point, Debbie. The audit was positive. But as it turns out, most of the grant money the mayor is taking credit for was applied for during the previous administration. It's just coming in now during Hammons' tenure. – Marty
The Office of Special Counsel, (OSC). Nearest office is in San Francisco. GO to the website. Its a Federal Violation and the link is to the HATCH ACT. This is also the whistleblowers act.
Has to involve federal money/grant managment.
Otherwise contact the Office of the Secratary of State in New Mexico, sos.state.nm.us. There are laws prohibiting that, good luck on getting it prosecuted (IT will be by a Civilian board not a criminal act)
At least they got their bills. Mine seem to have a habit of going astray, even though the village has the right address!
Wanna see a real abuse of power? For the Ruidoso News (who probably never reads these blogs): A tip.
Why don't you check into the progress of the code enforcement cases against Yon Rue. You know, the ones that were filed in district court because Judge Mansell is corrupt and would not pass judgement against them. These cases are going nowhere, if they haven't been already dismissed by the mayor.
Yeah, the same Yon Rue and Corinna Baca that are related to Mayor Armstrong and the Mayor's wife, Virginia (the municipal court clerk) by marriage. Maybe you should poke around and ask for the police reports regarding Yon's excavation under Wood Lane. Look at the fact that several people including the then City manager witnessed Yon digging in a tractor dangerously close to the road without a permit. Ask yourself this why is the mayor trying to bury these cases. Then interview residents around Yon's house and ask them how many complaints they have lodged against him. Hell, take pictures of the cr@p around their supposed residence. Yeah, that what it is supposed to be. Check the zoning and ask yourself what is this mess doing here? I was paying a water bill at city hall when Manager John Waters himself was threatened in City Hall (after reporting the code violation involving the dangerous excavation) by Yon who said that that his job was toast after the election when Tom won... Mayor Tom is just making good on those campaign promises. Don't ask the employees whose jobs have been threatened, ask a former employee, af former trustee- Garrett for example-, maybe the former big man -Waters- himself what happened- he never bull$#!+ted me, not once, even though I didn't agree with him occasionally.
Come on Ruidoso News! Where is your investigative instincts...are you so wrapped up in ignoring the Downs that you can't cover it properly for the residents???
Post a Comment
Subscribe to Post Comments [Atom]
<< Home