Dixon Award honors ‘people’s right to know’
Journal’s Mike Gallagher is one of six individual recipients
The New Mexico Foundation for Open Government is honoring one news organization and six New Mexicans — including longtime Albuquerque Journal investigative reporter Mike Gallagher and KRQE investigative reporter Larry Barker — with its William S. Dixon First Amendment Award.
The award recognizes the outstanding accomplishments of citizens and organizations in the state who “champion transparency and defend the people’s right to know the affairs of government.”
Both Barker and Gallagher are being honored with a lifetime achievement award for their use of the Inspection of Public Records Act, or IPRA, throughout their decades-long careers.
Other Dixon award recipients include state Sen. Daniel Ivey-Soto, Lea County Clerk Keith Manes, citizen journalist Nancy Henry, epidemiologist Tom Scharmen and The Jal Record, a small southeast New Mexico newspaper.
Gallagher lobbied lawmakers to pass IPRA when it was initially proposed, and since it has gone into effect he has used the law to scrutinize the actions of government officials. “That’s part of our watchdog role,” he said. He estimates that he and the Journal’s investigative reporting team have used IPRA for hundreds of stories. Among them:
■ A series examining inmate deaths at county jails in New Mexico.
■ Procurement irregularities in the widening of 118 miles of N.M. 44 from San Ysidro to the Four Corners area. The stories exposed a questionable warranty deal that cost taxpayers $62 million and the fact that the sole company to bid on the project proposed it in the first place.
■ Questionable bond sales at the state Treasurer’s Office that later led to indictments.
■ The Metro Courthouse scandal, which also culminated in indictments and prison time for several high-powered officials.
The State Investment Council scandal that led to an overhaul of the council’s makeup and increased legislative oversight.
KRQE’s Barker is receiving the award for his use of IPRA in “exposing government corruption and secrecy,” FOG announced.
“Open government isn’t just for a particular group or organization, open government is good government, visible and accountable to all of its constituents and responsive to their needs,” Kathi Bearden, Dixon Award chair, said in a news release. “Everyone of us has a stake in the staunch defense of free speech and open government. NMFOG is proud and privileged to honor these guardians of open government.” According to the news release:
Henry, a citizen journalist, is being recognized for years of “initiative, leadership and dedication to shining a spotlight” on the New Mexico Livestock Board.
Ivey-Soto is being honored for his work increasing transparency and enforcing accountability, including as a co-sponsor of multiple bills — some of which passed — geared toward transparency.
Manes is receiving the Dixon award for turning an office that “showed little or no interest” in making records public into a place where accessibility is one of the top priorities.
“The Lea County Clerk’s office has moved forward under limited funding to work on the public’s behalf to have access to public records,” the news release says.
Scharmen, a Department of Health epidemiologist, is being recognized for his contributions to open government as he continues to seek interagency transparency in New Mexico, especially concerning children’s issues.
One newspaper, The Jal Record, will be recognized for its work fighting the city of Jal after it refused to release records in what the attorney general called a “flagrant violation” of state sunshine laws, according to the news release.
The lawsuit ended with a settlement for over $400,000, and city officials admitted there was “no excuse for the City’s wholesale violation of IPRA.”
“It serves as a strong reminder to local governments they can be held accountable for violating the state’s Sunshine Laws — and that such action can have severe financial repercussions,” the news release says.
The awards will be presented during a luncheon Oct. 2 at the Marriott Hotel, Louisiana and Interstate 40, in Albuquerque. Tickets are available at www. nmfog.org for $60 and tables of 10 may be purchased for $600.