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Thursday, September 25, 2008

State GOP Head Says He Can Oust Chair

By Jeff Jones
Journal Politics Writer
          A high-profile political standoff between the New Mexico Republican Party and embattled Bernalillo County party chair Fernando C de Baca continued Wednesday while questions simmered over whether state party head Allen Weh has the authority to yank him from office — and whether Weh would attempt it.
        "I am now advised I have the authority to remove a chairman under special circumstances," Weh said during a news conference Tuesday, though he stopped short of saying he was planning to do so.
        "There's no provision for that whatsoever in the state rules," C de Baca, under heavy fire to step down over his recent racially charged comments concerning Hispanics and blacks, shot back later Tuesday.
        C de Baca and Weh do agree on one thing: that the county party's central committee clearly has the power to remove the county chair. But C de Baca said he was not aware of such a move to oust him.
        Meanwhile, the controversy over C de Baca's racial comments doesn't appear to be fading:
        The Albuquerque branch of the NAACP, which already has said C de Baca should step aside, is slated to join several other black organizations during a news conference this morning to discuss the issue.
        And Republican Reps. Heather Wilson and Steve Pearce both told the Journal on Wednesday they believe C de Baca should go — echoing earlier comments from Weh and Sen. Pete Domenici, R-N.M.
        "He's a good friend. He's done good things for the party," Pearce said of C de Baca, who could not be reached for comment Wednesday. But "the comments were very unfortunate. They're affecting a lot of people."
        The inside-the-party flap began late last week, when comments from C de Baca on a BBC reporter's blog posting began making the rounds. The British media giant quoted C de Baca as saying, "Hispanics consider themselves above blacks. They won't vote for a black president," though C de Baca maintains his comments were taken out of context.
        The BBC has said it stands by its reporting and has since released audiotape of a separate interview in which C de Baca made other racial comments.
        Weh mentioned during his Tuesday news conference what he said was his power to remove a county chairman.
        "I know I've got a tool to use if it's necessary, and I'll leave it at that at the moment," Weh said. "We prefer that the Republicans of Bernalillo County get this resolved."
        Weh also said he had asked a group of prominent Republicans to meet with C de Baca. But Doug Antoon, C de Baca's attorney, said Wednesday he was not aware of any scheduled meeting between C de Baca and that group.
        During a cursory review of the state Republican Party rules, the Journal did not find mention of a state chairman's ability to sack a county chairman.
        When asked for specifics, state party spokeswoman Shira Rawlinson said Wednesday that Weh has been advised by legal counsel that he has that ability.
        "In terms of what's involved, when we have something to report, we will report it ... ," Rawlinson added. "The chairman has not made any decision on this matter."