Speaker should speak out against roadside redo

Ben LujA n has long been a statesman short on the braggadocio associated with most leaders of the New Mexico Legislature, and his gentlemanly traits have served him and his Northern New Mexico constituents well.

[Bull]

Lujan a "gentleman?" He's a thug, always has been and always will be. What is this paper trying to pull? Are they looking for favors from him....the owners have property out in nambe. Hmmmm. All I can say is this is one wimpy paper for not calling it like it is and to flower him with compliments (gentlemanly, serving his constituents well) is a testament to this paper's wimpiness. Even the Rio Grande Sun is investigating this and reporting with an even keel....not showering this goon with false praise. The only constituents that Lujan has served well, is him, his family and politicos. Enough of this corruption and this paper needs to shine a light on it or get out of the business (which I hear may be happening involuntarily).

[Leo Martinez]

Once again the New Mexican shows it's true colors, "a day late and a dollar short" as the saying goes - weeks after the Journal has reported to the public what is going on with our corrupt politicians in Northern New Mexico.

[Reality]

A gentleman???

He breaks the law publicly and profits by his illegal activities.

The illegal activity is a billboard -- in plain sight of everyone who drives by. This is the height of arrogance and corruption -- both personal and public.

One has to wonder how much illegal activity is not in plain sight.

The appropriate word is 'crook.'

[ted]

In NM, if your name is Lujan you will always be elected no matter who you run against.

[Pancho Vanilla]

Can't "Bull," "Leo" and "Reality" read?
In no way does the New Mexican flatter the speaker of the house. Bull, especially, misses the point entirely. The New Mexican clearly highlights Lujan's role in this fiasco, but because of the (perhaps ironic) "gentleman" reference, suddenly the editorial is a puff piece. I'm thankful this newspaper is staying on top of this obvious political movida. Too bad Bull and Leo slept through seventh grade, when the teachers went over matters like satire, allusion, irony, tone and mood.

[Reality]

Pancho Vanilla wrote:

Can't "Bull," "Leo" and "Reality" read?
In no way does the New Mexican flatter the speaker of the house. Bull, especially, misses the point entirely. The New Mexican clearly highlights Lujan's role in this fiasco, but because of the (perhaps ironic) "gentleman" reference, suddenly the editorial is a puff piece. I'm thankful this newspaper is staying on top of this obvious political movida. Too bad Bull and Leo slept through seventh grade, when the teachers went over matters like satire, allusion, irony, tone and mood.

You must have missed servility and sycophancy. The fact is that the New Mexican didn't ever cover the story in the news except as a condemnation dispute. It is hard to describe silence as satire.

[is it]

possible that we all call on Ben Jr. and complain about this issue and us, as his boss demand that an independant investigation be done? then when he doesn't do it we can ask that he be fired too. we can get rid of 2 scum with one stone. don't you think?

[Speaker]

would get some respect from me if he would show some intestinal fortitude and say, "I think the interchange going through Pojoaque Pueblo land is a bad decision, and I had no idea this was going to happen, it should be re-thought." Fat chance, he is saying to us, "I'm the House of Representative Speaker and if you don't like the interchange, you can kiss my a**." Well come next voting time for District 46 representative, he can kiss my a** you racist SOB (lol). You turned into a self serving pig.

[DOTer]

Don't be fooled into thinking that Ben Lujan didn't ask for this interchange. He can deny it all he wants, but the fact is that he met in late 2007 with the Secretary of the NMDOT at the time, Rhonda Faught and asked for it. Soon thereafter, the decision was made to move it. There have been other followup contacts with Gary Giron, Lawrence Barreras and Leroy Garcia. If anyone would dare to tell the truth, we would know that the Speaker wanted this interchange.

[Reality]

The editorial does not mention the illegal billboard issue. For a very good story in this see

http://content.usatoday.net/dist/custom/gci/I...

The billboard was never permitted in the name of Lujan and can never be legal because billboards are now outlawed in Santa Fe County. Still, according to the article, it has been up for fifteen years with the Lujans making thousands of dollars a year.

This open contempt for the public and its laws.

[Congratulations]

Ben, your corruption has even made the pages of USA Today. Wouldn't your mother and father be so proud to know that your name was in a national paper. Good job.