Muñoz wanted UNM Pres fired in exchange for confirmation vote

According to KOB-TV, a state Senator texted a University of New Mexico Board of Regents appointee that he would vote for his confirmation if the appointee pledged to fire the university’s president and Vice President of Finance. KOB-TV obtained the text messages and spoke to the appointee, Rob Doughty, and the senator, George Muñoz, D-Gallup. […]

According to KOB-TV, a state Senator texted a University of New Mexico Board of Regents appointee that he would vote for his confirmation if the appointee pledged to fire the university’s president and Vice President of Finance.

Screenshot of Sen. George Muñoz, D-Gallup, from a KOB-TV video.
Screenshot of Sen. George Muñoz, D-Gallup, from a KOB-TV video.
KOB-TV obtained the text messages and spoke to the appointee, Rob Doughty, and the senator, George Muñoz, D-Gallup. The full video report is available at the bottom of the post.

Doughty told KOB he thought to himself that he was “being bullied by a particular Senator.”

Muñoz, according to KOB, initially denied that he sent the text messages until he was shown them.

“No,” Munoz replied. “I think number one, we need to do what’s best for the university. Right? What’s best for those students at that university, and that’s the regents’ choice. Not mine.”

Munoz told KOB it was Doughty who first had the idea when the two attended a Lobo men’s basketball game together. Doughty denies having that conversation. Doughty told KOB he has no future plans to fire either Frank or Harris.

Doughty, a Republican lawyer, was confirmed to the UNM Board of Regents by the state Senate on the same day that the Senate denied the confirmation of Matt Chandler.

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