Youngblood joins rogue’s gallery of NM politicians

ANOTHER NEW MEXICO elected official has betrayed the public trust, joining a list of public officials caught (allegedly) breaking the law. State Rep. Monica Youngblood, who was a hardon-crime advocate for stricter DWI laws in an effort to put a stop to drunken driving in New Mexico, found herself arrested and charged with aggravated DWI at a sobriety checkpoint in Northeast Albuquerque (last) month.

Youngblood has taken a strong stand against releasing those who are arrested for aggravated DWI from jail without bond. She also promoted ride-sharing companies by welcoming Uber and Lyft to help stop drunken driving in 2016.

In recent years too many public officials have been (suspected), charged or convicted of even more serious crimes, such as bribery, embezzlement and tax fraud, including former state Sen. Phil Griego, former state Tax and Revenue Secretary Demesia Padilla, and former Secretary of State Dianna Duran.

In 2017 former state Sen. Griego was convicted of bribery, fraud and benefiting from a public contract. This year Griego, who faced up to 17 ½ years in prison, was sentenced to 18 months behind bars and a penalty of more than $47,000. Griego was also mandated five years of probation after he is out of jail to serve 1,000 hours of community service.

In 2016 State Tax and Revenue Secretary Demesia Padilla resigned after being investigated for embezzlement and tax evasion by the Attorney General’s Office according a search warrant affidavit from the AG’s Office. Padilla was handling the financial affairs of a trucking company in the Bernalillo area ... The AG office investigation kept a close eye on the payments made by Padilla and her husband during a 14-month period. Padilla was dismissed by the company after unauthorized transactions were noticed, according to the AG affidavit.

In (2015), former Secretary of State Dianna Duran (pleaded) guilty to embezzlement of $13,800 in campaign funds and for money laundering to pay gambling debts to casinos. Duran resigned her position as secretary and was ordered to pay back up to $14,000 and to do community service ...

It is unbelievable and disappointing when elected officials put themselves above the law. Public officials should be held to a higher standard and not betray the trust of the citizens. They are in the public eye, and people look up to them. When public officials break the law, they break the public trust and weaken our faith in public officials.

LUDELLA AWAD

Albuquerque