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>> WE'RE ON THE CLOCK NOW WITH A MINUTE AS A GROUP TO
HIGHLIGHT SOME OF THE TOP STORIES OF THIS WEEK.
FIRST UP, ACCORDING TO STATE REPORTS, NEW MEXICO
LEGISLATORS HAVE RECEIVED $400,000 IN CAMPAIGN
CONTRIBUTIONS FROM LOBBYISTS AROUND THE STATE.
THIS MONEY IS IN ADDITION TO THE $660,000 SPENT ON GIFTS,
RANGING FROM EXPENSIVE DINNER PARTIES TO SKI PASSES.
JD BULLINGTON, A LOBBYIST WHO HANDED OUT 81,000-DOLLARS FROM
HIS CLIENTS LAST YEAR, SAYS HE SUPPORTS A BAN ON ALL
CONTRIBUTIONS FROM LOBBYISTS, BUT ANY LEGISLATION TO PREVENT
SUCH LOBBYING HASN'T MADE IT VERY FOR.
>> JD JUST DOING HIS JOB THERE BUT INTERESTING, ARE WE AT THE
POINT WHERE IT SHOULD BE ABOUT CUTTING ALL PERKS AND GIFTS
AND MOVE ON FROM IT? DOES THAT HAVE A POSSIBILITY
IN OUR LEGISLATURE? >> NO.
FRANKLY THAT DOES NOT HAVE A POSSIBILITY BUT YOU CAN SEE
WHY LOBBYIST MIGHT LIKE THE IDEA OF A BAN ON LOBBYIST
CONTRIBUTIONS. THEY MIGHT ALSO NOT BE IN
FAVOR OF PAYING THE LEGISLATORS A SALARY
BECAUSE THAT IS WHERE THAT 660,000 IN EXPENSES GOES TO,
TO GIFTS AND WINING AND DINING LEGISLATORS WHO ARE HARD
PRESSED TO COME UP WITH THEIR LIVING EXPENSES DURING THE
SESSION. >> DOES THIS ALL ADD TO NO
CHANGE? >> I THINK SO, BUT THE NATURAL
REACTION SHOULD BE WE SHOULD START PAYING LEGISLATORS, BUT
THERE ARE LEGISLATORS WHO ARE PAID IN PLACES LIKE OHIO, NEW
YORK STATE AND YOU STILL HAVE LOBBYING SCANDALS.
>> YOUR THOUGHT. >> THE AMOUNT THAT JD GAVE OUT
IS CONSIDERABLY MORE THAN MY SALARY, SO YOU CAN IMAGINE HOW
MUCH THAT -- >> DAN, WHEN I MENTIONED THAT,
YOU WERE LAUGHING. >> SLIM TO NONE.
SLIM IS ON THE TRAIN HEADING TO LAMY RIGHT NOW.
SO, NO, IT IS NOT GOING TO CHANGE.
I MEAN, BUT, I MEAN, I THINK -- I CAN TELL YOU RIGHT
NOW, WHAT WOULD BE INTERESTING FOR ALL THESE ORGANIZATIONS
THAT ARE ALWAYS -- MEDIA IS QUICK TO REPORT, OH, THEY
SPENT THIS AMOUNT OF MONEY. I CAN TELL YOU RIGHT NOW WHEN
I WAS IN THE LEGISLATURE, WE WENT TO A LOT OF DINNERS FOR A
LOT OF PEOPLE WHO WE VOTED AGAINST THEIR BILLS THE VERY
NEXT DAY. SO IT WOULD BE INTERESTING TO
SEE WHAT THE CORRELATION IS BETWEEN MONEY SPENT AND BILLS
PASSED. I THINK YOU WOULD BE SURPRISED
IT IS NOT WHAT PEOPLE THINK. THIS IS A WAY CITIZEN
LEGISLATURE, PEOPLE ARE NOT PAID, PEOPLE GET A PER DIEM,
EXPENSES TO STAY IN A HOTEL ARE HIGH.
IT IS AN OPPORTUNITY TO TAKE OUT AN ENTIRE COMMITTEE,
ENTIRE HOUSE, WHATEVER IT IS, SPEND AN HOUR OR TWO WITH THEM
TALKING TO THEM, LET THEM LEARN WHAT YOU'RE DOING.
>> TOUGH WEEK THIS WEEK. THANK YOU ALL FOR BEING HERE.
MORE ON THE WEB, BY THE WAY, DON'T MOVE.
>> AS ALWAYS, ALL OF US HERE AT "NEW MEXICO INFOCUS"
APPRECIATE YOUR TIME AND EFFORT TO STAY INFORMED AND
ENGAGED. WE LOVE HEARING FROM YOU AND
SOCIAL MEDIA IS THE BEST WAY TO DO THAT.
FIND US ON FACEBOOK AND TWITTER BY SEARCHING NEW
MEXICO IN FOCUS AND YOU CAN FIND ARCHIVED INTERVIEWS AND
BONUS MATERIAL ON OUR YOUTUBE CHANNEL AND WEBSITE.
THAT IS NEWMEXICOINFOCUS.ORG. I AM GENE GRANT.
WE'LL SEE YOU NEXT WEEK, IN FOCUS.