House Dems: If Duran doesn’t resign, we’ll look to impeach

House Democratic leaders say that they want to look into starting the process of impeaching Secretary of State Dianna Duran, that is if she doesn’t resign first. The leaders made the announcement that they want a discussion of how and when to start such proceedings in a news release on Monday afternoon. On Friday, Attorney […]

House Dems: If Duran doesn’t resign, we’ll look to impeach

House Democratic leaders say that they want to look into starting the process of impeaching Secretary of State Dianna Duran, that is if she doesn’t resign first.

Secretary of State Dianna Duran
Secretary of State Dianna Duran

The leaders made the announcement that they want a discussion of how and when to start such proceedings in a news release on Monday afternoon.

On Friday, Attorney General Hector Balderas announced 64 charges against Duran for funneling campaign funds to her own personal accounts. In all, Duran debited more than $400,000 at casinos in 2013 and 2014 according to the charges.

“While we hope that Secretary Duran will choose to leave office, we in the House must be prepared to proceed in the event she does not,” House Minority Leader Brian Egolf said in a statement.

Duran is a Republican and Republicans currently have a majority of seats in the state House of Representatives.

Egolf called the charges “deeply disturbing and incredibly serious.”

“The House Democratic Caucus has initiated the process to begin possible consideration of articles of impeachment–which can only begin in the House of Representatives,” Egolf said. “Beginning today, we are reaching out to our Republican colleagues in the House to find a way forward that is strictly non-partisan, in keeping with the traditions of the House.”

New Mexico Political Report reached out to members of the House Republican leadership on the call to discuss impeachment. This post will be updated with any response from the majority party.

RoundhouseDemocratic Caucus Chair Patricia Roybal Caballero of Albuquerque said that Duran should not be in charge of the elections process because of the charges she faces.

The Secretary of State is ultimately the person in charge of elections in New Mexico and enforcing election laws.

“New Mexicans must have trust in the chief administrator of these laws,” Roybal Caballero said. “For the sake of transparency and accountability in government we call on Secretary of State Dianna Duran and Governor Martinez to immediately appoint a qualified official to oversee these functions. Our government must be transparent and must have the trust of the public. New Mexicans deserve to have complete faith in the person that is responsible for protecting voting rights and enforcing ethics.”

A Secretary of State giving up such responsibilities would be rare, if not unprecedented in New Mexico. It isn’t immediately clear if it is legally allowed.

Past impeachment efforts

In the past, the House has moved forward with possible impeachment of those who have not yet been convicted. Public Regulation Commissioner Jerome Block Jr. faced impeachment from the House in 2011 after being charged with fraudulent use of a state credit card and identity theft.

Block plead guilty to the charges and resigned, making the impeachment proceedings moot.

A subcommittee of the House Rules Committee even hired an attorney to aid in the process.

Impeachment is very rare. The closest to an impeachment in the recent past is with former State Treasurer Robert Vigil.

In 2005, Vigil resigned less than a month after the impeachment proceedings against him began. Vigil was eventually sentenced to 37 months of prison in 2007 for his attempted extortion.

Vigil and Block were both Democrats. Democrats were in control of a majority of seats in the House in both 2007 and 2011.

We're ad free

That means that we rely on support from readers like you. Help us keep reporting on the most important New Mexico Stories by donating today.

Related

Emily’s List endorses seven candidates for Legislature

Emily’s List endorses seven candidates for Legislature

Emily’s List, a nonprofit that supports women candidates and reproductive rights, endorsed seven incumbents facing general election opponents in New Mexico legislative elections. All…
Equality New Mexico endorses 15 legislative candidates

Equality New Mexico endorses 15 legislative candidates

A New Mexico-based LGBTQ rights organization endorsed 15 candidates for state House and Senate seats for the 2024 elections.  Marshall Martinez, executive director of…
Lujan Grisham pocket vetoes two bills

Lujan Grisham pocket vetoes two bills

Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham pocket vetoed two bills the legislature passed this legislative session: one changing the Cybersecurity Act and the other concerning law…
BLM announces final methane waste rule

BLM announces final methane waste rule

The federal Bureau of Land Management announced its final methane waste rule on Wednesday. These new regulations clamp down on the practice of venting…
What consumers, farmers should know about the flu impacting dairy cows

What consumers, farmers should know about the flu impacting dairy cows

Migrating birds appear to have caused a virus in dairy cattle that is causing reduced milk production. So far, the disease, which initially started…
Republicans seek to limit national monument designations

Republicans seek to limit national monument designations

Republican-backed legislation in the U.S. Congress would make it harder for the government to designate new national monuments. The proposed Congressional Oversight of the…
Amid new graduation requirements, what do high schoolers want to learn?

Amid new graduation requirements, what do high schoolers want to learn?

By Margaret O’Hara, The Santa Fe New Mexican The main things that bring Brayan Chavez to school every day: Seeing, talking to and engaging with…
Special ed teachers hope lawmakers OK pay raises, admin changes

Special ed teachers hope lawmakers OK pay raises, admin changes

By Margaret O’Hara, The Santa Fe New Mexican Brittany Behenna Griffith has a laundry list of adjectives to describe the ideal special education teacher:…
Lawmakers must find consensus on competing education spending plans

Lawmakers must find consensus on competing education spending plans

By Margaret O’Hara, The Santa Fe New Mexican A challenging task awaits New Mexico lawmakers in the next 30 days: Reconciling three very different…
Health workers fear it’s profits before protection as CDC revisits airborne transmission

Health workers fear it’s profits before protection as CDC revisits airborne transmission

Amy Maxmen, KFF Health News Four years after hospitals in New York City overflowed with covid-19 patients, emergency physician Sonya Stokes remains shaken by…
Lujan Grisham, Biden admin announce $10 million in federal funds for tribes, pueblos

Lujan Grisham, Biden admin announce $10 million in federal funds for tribes, pueblos

Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham announced Friday $10 million in funding from the federal American Rescue Plan Act was awarded to six tribal nations and…
Proposal to curb executive powers moves to House Judiciary

Proposal to curb executive powers moves to House Judiciary

The House Government, Elections and Indian Affairs Committee discussed a potential constitutional amendment that seeks to limit the governor’s executive powers. The committee approved…
U.S. Supreme Court hears case to restrict access to medication abortion

U.S. Supreme Court hears case to restrict access to medication abortion

The U.S. Supreme Court heard the case about the regulations around mifepristone, one of a two-step regime for abortion medication, on Tuesday. FDA v.…
At stake in mifepristone case: Abortion, FDA’s authority, and return to 1873 obscenity law

At stake in mifepristone case: Abortion, FDA’s authority, and return to 1873 obscenity law

Lawyers from the conservative Christian group that won the case to overturn Roe v. Wade are returning to the U.S. Supreme Court on Tuesday in pursuit…
Supreme Court to hear two abortion cases this spring

Supreme Court to hear two abortion cases this spring

Later this month, the U.S. Supreme Court will hear oral arguments on the case against the abortion medication mifepristone. It will hear a second…
New Mexico Medicaid to cover cost of over-the-counter oral contraception

New Mexico Medicaid to cover cost of over-the-counter oral contraception

New Mexico Medicaid announced on Wednesday that it will cover the cost of Opill, the first oral contraception approved for over-the-counter use. It is…
U.S. Supreme Court hears case to restrict access to medication abortion

U.S. Supreme Court hears case to restrict access to medication abortion

The U.S. Supreme Court heard the case about the regulations around mifepristone, one of a two-step regime for abortion medication, on Tuesday. FDA v.…
At stake in mifepristone case: Abortion, FDA’s authority, and return to 1873 obscenity law

At stake in mifepristone case: Abortion, FDA’s authority, and return to 1873 obscenity law

Lawyers from the conservative Christian group that won the case to overturn Roe v. Wade are returning to the U.S. Supreme Court on Tuesday in pursuit…
San Juan County, Navajo Nation settle redistricting case

San Juan County, Navajo Nation settle redistricting case

The Navajo Nation and San Juan County reached an agreement Monday about commission districts after the tribe alleged that its members were not adequately…
MIT ranks NM elections most well-run in the U.S.

MIT ranks NM elections most well-run in the U.S.

New Mexico’s 2022 election was ranked most well-run in the country by Massachusetts Institute of Technology’s Election Data and Science Lab’s Elections Performance Index.…
Emily’s List endorses seven candidates for Legislature

Emily’s List endorses seven candidates for Legislature

Emily’s List, a nonprofit that supports women candidates and reproductive rights, endorsed seven incumbents facing general election opponents in New Mexico legislative elections. All…
BLM announces final methane waste rule

BLM announces final methane waste rule

The federal Bureau of Land Management announced its final methane waste rule on Wednesday. These new regulations clamp down on the practice of venting…
U.S. Supreme Court hears case to restrict access to medication abortion

U.S. Supreme Court hears case to restrict access to medication abortion

The U.S. Supreme Court heard the case about the regulations around mifepristone, one of a two-step regime for abortion medication, on Tuesday. FDA v.…
What consumers, farmers should know about the flu impacting dairy cows

What consumers, farmers should know about the flu impacting dairy cows

Migrating birds appear to have caused a virus in dairy cattle that is causing reduced milk production. So far, the disease, which initially started…

GET INVOLVED

© 2023 New Mexico Political Report