Email scandal rocks state GOP, leads to threats of lawsuit

SANTA FE — A dust-up over anonymous emails making allegations about several prominent New Mexico Republicans in the run-up to the election of a new party chairman has led to finger-pointing and a threatened lawsuit.

Carla Sonntag, president and founder of the nonpartisan New Mexico Business Coalition, was singled out earlier this month by the state GOP as the source of the anonymous emails, which were sent to Republican Party activists, but has maintained that neither she nor any family members were behind them.

In an interview Thursday with Journal editors, she said she and her attorney have set today as the deadline for state Republican Party officials to retract their claim, apologize and provide her with research the party claimed it had done.

If they do not, she vowed to file a defamation lawsuit early next week.

“I am appalled and aggrieved that they would do this,” Sonntag said. “I don’t operate anonymously, and I don’t attack people.”

In response, an attorney for the state GOP said the party has been in touch with Sonntag’s lawyer and made attempts to reach an out-ofcourt agreement.

“A dispute did arise, and we’ve made an exhaustive effort to resolve it amicably,” John Anderson, the Republican Party attorney, said Thursday.

He said he could not comment on specifics of the matter due to the potential for litigation, including whether the state party stands by its claim that Sonntag or her family sent the anonymous emails.

The emails in question targeted several Republicans, including Republican National Committeeman Harvey Yates Jr. and Ryan Cangiolosi, who was elected on Dec. 11 as state party chairman.

In an email sent to Republican Party state Central Committee members before Cangiolosi’s election, state GOP officials described the emails as “slanderous attacks on the character and integrity of several individuals in the Republi-

can community.”

Sonntag, who frequently testifies on bills at the Roundhouse and whose group generally supports Republican-favored legislation, said Thursday that she has not been active in partylevel politics for several years.

She also said she has given the state Republican Party an extension from previously imposed deadlines, and has hired her own computer experts to investigate the matter.

But she said she still does not know who sent the anonymous emails.

“I, to this day, have not a clue who did it,” Sonntag said.

The New Mexico GOP has been beset by infighting in recent years, though Cangiolosi vowed after winning election to the party chairman post to try to heal the rifts. Republicans also suffered losses in last month’s general election, as Democrats reclaimed control of the state House and expanded their majority in the Senate.