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Friday, July 04, 2008

Vigil Pitches in From Prison

FOR THE RECORD: This story incorrectly reported Friday that Rep. Richard Vigil, D-Ribera, does not have a Republican opponent in the November general election. Vigil will face Republican Mel Root, a retired school superintendent.

By Raam Wong
Journal Northern Bureau
       SANTA FE — Even locked up in a federal prison, Robert Vigil still has his hand in New Mexico politics.
    The former state treasurer’s campaign account contributed $6,000 on June 27 toward the re-election of his brother, state Rep. Richard Vigil, D-Ribera, according to campaign finance reports submitted Thursday by Rep. Vigil.
    The five-term representative’s campaign expenses for the November election will likely be minimal — he won a three-way primary June 3 and faces no Republican opponent.
    Vigil family attorney Sam Bregman called the donation a “completely legal and valid campaign contribution from one campaign to another. And Richard Vigil is an outstanding legislator.”
    Under state law, campaign contributions can be spent only for certain purposes, including campaign expenditures, retiring campaign debts, donations to tax-exempt charities and contributions to candidates or political parties.
    But while the Vigil contribution may have been legal, the head of a government watchdog group says the hefty size of the donation highlights the need for campaign finance reform. New Mexico is one of only five states that does not limit campaign contributions, according to Matt Brix of the Center for Civic Policy in Albuquerque.
    The former treasurer’s campaign account remained active even after he resigned in October 2005 and was later sentenced to three years in prison after being convicted in 2006 of one count of attempted extortion.
    Since leaving office, Robert Vigil has spent tens of thousands of dollars on car expenses and cell phone services, as well as charitable and political contributions. He also spent nearly $20,000 for a public opinion poll not long before his first public corruption trial in federal court.
    Before he resigned as treasurer, Robert Vigil had been raising money for a planned re-election bid. However, he did not file to run for the Democratic nomination for treasurer.
    Rep. Richard Vigil is married to Roberta Vigil, a former West Las Vegas Schools bilingual education director who is scheduled to go on trial this summer on charges involving public corruption. Among other things, Roberta Vigil is accused of paying for furniture, adults-only parties and other frills with taxpayer money, some of which her husband helped secure in the state Legislature.
    Richard Vigil did not return calls for comment Thursday.