Manny Aragon was one of New Mexico's most powerful law makers and power brokers. A former Senate president, Aragon was this week convicted and given a 67 month sentence for lining his pockets and that of his co-conspiritors with millions in fraudulently billed state contracting money.
While his "iconic" status is mentioned and his long standing position as a "Senate leader" is dutifully chronicled, his status as a Democrat doesn't seem to make the cut of a large portion of the stories on his sentencing.
The Associated Press misses the fact in two versions of the story (here and here), so does the New Mexico Independent. KRQE News 13 doesn't mention the party of Agagon or his co-conspiritor Raul Parra. The Albuquerque Journal also skips party mention in this story of reactions to the sentencing.
And, in an amusing side note, the supposedly non-partisan Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington (CREW) also do not mention Aragon's party affiliation. This, of course, is hardly surprising because the folks that run CREW are a little less "non-partisan" than they claim with board members and operations staff rich with Democrat Party activism, ACLU experience and one with a past job history with the left-wing group Media Matters -- a group funded in part by George Soros. One of its board members is well-known left-wing legal activist, law school dean and radio guest Erwin Chemerinsky. There isn't a single Republican oriented member of this "non-partisan" group to be found.
In any case, we have one of New Mexico's most powerful Democrat lawmakers headed for the hooskow, yet his party seems to go un-indicted by the Old Media. Imagine that?
(Photo credit: mgbralley-whatswrongwiththispicture.blogspot.com)
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Maybe it is assumed that because no party
Thu, 03/19/2009 - 08:43 ET by JTPwas mentioned that it must be a Dem.? I am starting to think that people may just start looking at it this way from now on. If no (R) is present then it has to be a democrat. I hope this starts to backfire on them.
"I need more cowbell!" SNL
Already has
Thu, 03/19/2009 - 09:17 ET by general companyI hope this starts to backfire on them.
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"Television is a freak show" Bernie Goldberg
We are the people are the people we have been waiting for ...
Thu, 03/19/2009 - 08:54 ET by legacyrepublicanAh, now I know what that means. You were counting the days until you get out of jail for your crimes.
WTH, Now you're on my home
Thu, 03/19/2009 - 11:45 ET by Chris NormanWTH,
Now you're on my home turf. I would wager that, next to maybe Chicago, NYC, and Louisiana, New Mexico is probably the most corrupt area in the US. A dirty secret that everyone knows, it's the ultimate good ol' boy state with the old Spanish families controlling politics and political/business deals. People here with the family connections get off with nothing more than a slap on the wrist - if a case is ever developed against them. Even if the media tries to make a big deal out of the scandal du jour, the entrenched powers will protect their own. It really is breathtaking.
The "Mainstream" Media: By liberals. For liberals.
Why Not Have A Running Scoreboard?
Thu, 03/19/2009 - 15:28 ET by AvusAll of these Name That Party items are good and necessary but can be numbing after awhile. Why not have a scoreboard on your home page with a running tally of the number of Ds vs. Rs who are tainted by scandal? It would quickly become obvious to all but a far-lefty how lop-sided the ethics are between the two partys.
Fox News should be all over
Fri, 03/20/2009 - 01:06 ET by RR GOPFox News should be all over this.
One of the 34% who thinks George W. Bush was a great President. One of the 61% who wants to bring back the stock and pillory (yep...approval for Congress now at 39%...do you believe that!?).