State legislator cited for sloppy campaign finance reports
Rep. Roybal Caballero must reimburse campaign $50, give details on expenses
State Rep. Patricia Roybal Caballero is in violation of state election law for filing sloppy campaign finance reports, the Secretary of State’s Office has determined.
But the Albuquerque Democrat was cleared of several allegations brought forth in a complaint by a private investigator, according to a letter from state Elections Director Kari Fresquez. These involved more than $3,000 worth of travel costs for legislative conferences, the 2016 Democratic National Convention and other expenses.
In New Mexico, lawmakers are allowed to use campaign funds for travel that is related to their positions.
In her letter this week to Roybal Caballero, Fresquez said the lawmaker will have to reimburse her campaign $50 and provide more details on some campaign expenses on reports dating to 2012.
The $50 is for a contribution Roybal Caballero’s campaign made to a political committee called Respect for Women, which opposed an unsuccessful 2013 ballot measure in Albuquerque that called for more restrictions on abortion.
Respect for Women is not a registered political committee, so the expense isn’t permitted, Fresquez said.
Fresquez said Roybal Caballero did not properly report nine campaign contributions totaling $1,204 between October 2015 and January 2016.
Those contributions were reported as being from “atpay. com.” She will have to provide the names, occupations and addresses of the individual contributors, Fresquez said.
Roybal Caballero couldn’t be reached for comment Friday. She has 10 days to revise her reports and pay the $50 or the matter will be referred to the state attorney general, Fresquez wrote.
Investigator Carlos McMahon of Albuquerque filed the complaint against Roybal Caballero. He represents the exwife of the legislator’s husband in a child-support dispute, The Associated Press reported.
There has been long-standing animosity between McMahon and Secretary of State Maggie Toulouse Oliver.
In 2014, when Toulouse Oliver was the Bernalillo County clerk, McMahon, then known as Carlos Villanueva, publicized the fact that he had obtained absentee ballots in the names of three dead people in an effort to show how voter fraud could be committed.
A grand jury indicted him last year on eight criminal counts including forgery, perjury and possessing unlawful absentee ballots.
The district attorney in Albuquerque this month dropped the charges.
Contact Steve Terrell at 505-986-3037 or sterrell@ sfnewmexican.com. Read his blog at www. santafenewmexican.com/roundhouse_roundup.