Dianna Duran

Impeachment panel postponed after Duran’s resignation

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Following the resignation of Dianna Duran the House Special Investigatory Committee looking into her impeachment will not meet on Tuesday as regularly scheduled. The panel was investigating whether or not the House should look into impeachment of Duran for the multiple charges she faced. Duran pleaded guilty to six charges, including two felonies, on Friday. Hours earlier, Duran resigned from office. Speaker of the House Don Tripp, R-Socorro, also issued a statement where he addressed the need for the panel—or lack thereof now that Duran is no longer in office.

Dianna Duran

House panel names attorney for impeachment investigation

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The House panel tasked with looking into possible impeachment of Secretary of State Dianna Duran has already hired special counsel to aid in the investigation. Just a day after the first meeting of the House Special Investigatory Committee, co-chairs Zach Cook, R-Ruidoso, and Gail Chasey, D-Albuquerque, announced they retained former federal prosecutor Robert Gorence as special counsel. “We’re confident Mr. Gorence will do an outstanding job of assisting the committee in this important task,” the two co-chairs said in a joint statement on Tuesday afternoon. “His experience, professionalism and diligence will be invaluable.” Legislators are looking into allegations that Duran moved campaign funds to personal accounts, as part of thousands of dollars spent at local casinos.

Secretary of State Dianna Duran
Dianna Duran

Sec of State answered ethics complaint with accusation of intimidation

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© New Mexico Political Report, 2015. Contact editor@nmpoliticalreport.com for info on republishing. Secretary of State Dianna Duran has had plenty of eyes on her in the past month after being charged by the state Attorney General’s office for illegally using campaign funds for personal use. But Duran’s very job includes fielding ethics complaints against public officials and candidates, and she’s seen her share of them in her nearly five years in office. So, how does a public official struggling with her own ethics issues handle others?

impeachment

Special panel kicks off possible impeachment

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If the first meeting of a Special Investigatory Committee looking into impeaching Secretary of State Dianna Duran was any indication, the journey between now and possible impeachment will be long and grueling. Lawmakers approved granting committee co-chairs state Reps. Zach Cook, R-Ruidoso, and Gail Chasey, D-Albuquerque, authority to hire legal counsel. Cook said the committee will likely hire an attorney within the next week. The lawyer will be tasked with guiding the committee through the investigation of Duran’s alleged wrongdoing.

Dianna Duran

What to expect from Dianna Duran impeachment panel

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The special committee tasked with looking into a possible impeachment of Secretary of State Dianna Duran will meet for the first time next week. Whether anything substantial will happen at this meeting is a good question—one we are still trying to find an answer to. State Reps. Zach Cook, R-Ruidoso, and Gail Chasey, D-Albuquerque are the co-chairs of the bipartisan special investigatory committee. Neither returned our calls and emails left for them Thursday afternoon and Friday morning.

Dianna Duran
Secretary of State Dianna Duran

Duran shows up to work

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It’s been a strange few weeks when it’s news that the Secretary of State was working in the office. Multiple media outlets reported the embattled Secretary of State Dianna Duran was in the office this week—and last—in preparation for the 2016 elections. Duran has been largely out of the public eye and out of the office since she was charged with 64 counts related to allegedly funneling campaign funds to personal accounts. The Attorney general outlined how Duran spent thousands of dollars, including the alleged converted campaign money, at casinos in the state. It had many asking where Duran was holed up.

impeachment

Impeachment committee to meet before end of month

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The special committee that will look into possible impeachment of Secretary of State Dianna Duran will meet on September 28, according to a press release from the two co-chairs of the committee. The House Special Investigatory Committee will meet at 9:30 a.m. at the State Capitol for the first time. The committee is made up of equal numbers of Democrats and Republicans. According to the release from Reps. Zach Cook, R-Ruidoso, and Gail Chasey, D-Albuquerque, the committee will discuss hiring legal counsel, the rules of procedure for the investigation, a hearing schedule and other matters.

Dianna Duran

Lawmakers OK funding for Duran impeachment panel

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Shortly following Secretary of State Dianna Duran’s first court appearance Tuesday morning, state lawmakers approved a House subcommittee to consider impeaching her. Lawmakers in the interim Legislative Council, which is made up of members of both the House and Senate, approved $250,000 in funding to pay for the impeachment special committee. The funding will likely go towards the hire of outside counsel. State House of Representatives Speaker Don Tripp, R-Socorro, appointed a panel of bipartisan lawmakers to investigate whether Duran should be impeached last week. He told committee members that he anticipated the panel would want money to spend on lawyers.

Secretary of State Dianna Duran
Dianna Duran

SOS pleads not guilty to fraud, money laundering

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Secretary of State Dianna Duran pleaded not guilty on Tuesday to 64 counts related to using campaign finance money for her personal use, including fraud and money laundering charges. Duran appeared in person in district court in Santa Fe. She was released on her own recognizance. The courtroom was mostly empty, with a crowd of about 15 people, mostly media, watching from monitors in the hallway. Related: House approves funds for special committee to look into impeachment of Duran.

Dianna Duran

Speaker names panel to examine impeachment of Duran

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The leader of the House of Representatives named ten members to a panel that will look into the possible impeachment of Secretary of State Dianna Duran. Speaker of the House Don Tripp, R-Socorro, named five Democrats and five Republicans to the panel tasked with examining evidence against Duran and examine possible impeachment. Duran is facing possible impeachment, which in turn could lead to removal from office, for allegations that she moved campaign funds into personal accounts. The 64 charges from Attorney General Hector Balderas were filed in late August. The ten names on the committee are:

Sarah Maestas Barnes, R-Albuquerque
Gail Chasey, D-Albuquerque
Zach Cook, R-Ruidoso
Jim Dines, R-Albuquerque
Kelly Fajardo, R-Belen
Javier Martínez, D-Albuquerque
Bill Rehm, R-Albuquerque
Patricio Ruiloba, D-Albuquerque
Tomás Salazar, D-Las Vegas
Jeff Steinborn, D-Las Cruces

Chasey and Cook will be the co-chairs of the panel.