It Ain’t Over Til the Fat Man Signs, Oops! The Fat Lady Sings

What’s Wrong With This Picture?

This is the end of the 60-day session of the 48th legislature for the State of New Mexico.

As the clock neared noon, both houses notified the Governor that they had completed their duties and were headed home.

There was a last minute effort to pass a campaign contribution limits bill. Lt. Gov. Diane Denish ruled that the Senate had passed a bill by a voice vote. There was a demand for a roll call and Sen. Joe Carraro, R-Sandoval, changed his vote at the last moment from being in favor to being against. The Lt. Gov’s. declaration that the measure had passed was overruled and the bill died 20-21.

Carraro, seen here on the left and Denish had clashed Friday when the Lt. Gov., acting as president of the Senate, called for the sergeant at arms to remove Carraro. This was done when Carraro called Sen. Michael Sanchez, D-Valencia, a liar for his characterization of one of Carraro’s comments.

So what’s wrong with this picture?

Not so, quick!

Within 20-minutes, Gov. Bill Richardson announced that he was calling a special session, to start Tuesday, because he will be out of state, politicking for his presidential run, Sunday and Monday.

So get the flags back out.

Richardson wants some issues that were left stalled in committees brought forward and debated.

The list includes road construction, more ethics reform, rights for non married heterosexual and same sex partners, according to fellow bloggers and newspaper reporters who covered the Richardson press conference.

These include:
Santa Fe New Mexican’s Steve Terrell http://blogs.freenewmexican.com/terrell/2007/03/17/how-can-we-miss-you-when-you-wont-go-away/,
Albuquerque Tribune’s Kate Nash http://blogs.scripps.com/albq/state/2007/03/three_hours_left.html,
Albuquerque Journal’s Trip Jennings and Jeff Jones http://www.abqjournal.com/xgr/547748xgr03-18-07.htm (subscription)
and Heath Haussamen http://haussamen.blogspot.com/.

Seen here from left to right are: Matt Grubs, Santa Fe Bureau Reporter for KOAT TV, Albuquerque Journal’s Trip Jennings and Jeff Jones, Santa Fe New Mexican’s Steve Terrell and Associated Press' Santa Fe Bureau Reporter Deborah Baker.

See you back in the press gallery Tuesday.