Senator: Governor lobbied on lease bill benefiting donors to her campaign
Gov. Susana Martinez personally lobbied the Senate’s top Democrat to support a controversial bill that would have created an exception in government rules and allowed state agencies to extend their leases at a building owned by donors to her campaign.
Senate Majority Leader Peter Wirth, D-Santa Fe, said Monday that Martinez asked him to support the measure after he had voted against it in a committee hearing.
“I was concerned about having a state law that overrides an agency’s rule,” Wirth said.
But during a later conversation, Martinez asked him to reconsider, Wirth said. As majority leader, Wirth held off bringing the measure to a vote by the full Senate, and he asked another senator to vet its legality.
Read more: http://www.santafenewmexican.com/news/legislature/senator-gov-lobbied-on-lease-bill/article_18a9dbba-c54f-5d8c-9be5-c8c8c5647c70.html