State Ethics Commission News:

ALBUQUERQUE — The State Ethics Commission today announced it has entered into a pre-litigation settlement with the New Mexico Values PAC.

The Commission alleges that, in the run up to the June 7, 2022 Primary Election, New Mexico Values PAC made independent expenditures opposing the election of Representative Susan Herrera but failed to timely disclose information about those expenditures and the sources of the contributions used to fund those expenditures.

New Mexico Values PAC’s failure to make timely and complete disclosures violated New Mexico’s Campaign Reporting Act and deprived the electorate of lawfully required information regarding who sought to influence their votes. Accordingly, June 2, 2023, the State Ethics Commission authorized a civil action to remedy violations of the Campaign Reporting Act.

To settle this matter, New Mexico Values PAC has agreed to register with the Office of the Secretary of State as an independent expenditure filer, to disclose all expenditures that New Mexico Values PAC made and contributions it received during the 2022 election cycle, and to pay a civil penalty of $1,000.

Read the Commission’s letter before action here and its settlement agreement here.

Further, the Commission is also pleased to announce that two Commissioners have been recently appointed to four-year terms. First, Speaker of the House Javier Martínez reappointed Commissioner Stuart M. Bluestone to a second and final four-year term. (State Ethics Commissioners may serve, at maximum, two four-year terms.) Second, following the departure of the Honorable Garrey Carruthers from the Commission, Senate Minority Leader Gregory Baca appointed Dr. Terry McMillan for a four-year term.

For more information about the State Ethics Commission, visit www.sec.nm.gov.