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Friday, October 31, 2008

Candidate Sued Four Times

By Sean Olson
Journal Staff Writer
       State House District 21 candidate Howard DeLaCruz-Bancroft and his former company, NetCamino, were successfully sued four times between 2002 and 2005 to the tune of about $97,000, according to court records.
    Three lawsuits were for failure to pay other companies for services rendered — including a nearly $55,000 judgment to a computer equipment rental company for two years of rentals, about $21,000 for a lobbyist and just more than $1,300 for data services, court records show.
    The final lawsuit, filed by nonprofit Acción New Mexico, was for about $20,000 in loans that NetCamino defaulted on, court records state. Acción provides low interest loans for small businesses in New Mexico.
    NetCamino, a health care software company, went under in 2005, and New Mexico Public Regulation Commission records show the company's license was revoked.
    DeLaCruz-Bancroft said Thursday that NetCamino went under because another company, which has since left New Mexico, was "spreading lies" about NetCamino. Because of its tarnished reputation, DeLaCruz-Bancroft said, his company lost clients and money.
    He said he was still paying off the debts from the lawsuits every month.
    DeLaCruz-Bancroft is running against Mimi Stewart for the state House seat.
    Stewart has criticized DeLaCruz-Bancroft in attack ads for spending six months in jail in 1989 for failure to pay child support after he divorced his first wife.
    DeLaCruz-Bancroft has said the judge in the divorce case — whom DeLaCruz-Bancroft filed a lawsuit against, but later dropped — was biased and made unreasonable demands at a time when he had just filed for bankruptcy.
    DeLaCruz-Bancroft has also responded to Stewart's criticism by pointing out she is the only candidate in the race with a criminal record. Stewart was charged with a DWI nine years ago.