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Sunday, April 20, 2008

Son Cashes in on Dad's Connections

By Raam Wong
Journal Staff Writer
    Congressional hopeful Ben Ray Lujan shares more than just a name with his father, state House Speaker Ben Lujan. They also share many campaign contributors.
    More than two dozen lobbyists and other supporters who gave to the speaker's 2006 campaign and political fund have also given to his son, according to a Journal analysis of state and federal campaign finance reports.
    Most of those donors have also given to other prominent New Mexico Democrats. But the powerful speaker has clearly helped his son the candidate raise some dough.
    Several Roundhouse lobbyists were among those listed as hosts, along with Speaker Lujan, on an invitation for a fundraiser last month at a private home in Corrales.
    The campaign reported receiving $25,050 the day of the fundraiser, as well as $36,300 the day after.
    The speaker's fundraising sources highlight the institutional support the younger Lujan enjoys six weeks before the Democratic primary for the 3rd Congressional District seat being vacated by Democratic Rep. Tom Udall of Santa Fe.
    Ben Ray Lujan's Federal Election Commission report reads like a who's who of state Democrats, while state-registered lobbyists have pumped about $34,000 into his campaign coffers.
    Individuals linked to businesses and organizations that also lobby the state— such as University of New Mexico President David Schmidly— gave at least another $66,200.
    Campaign aides say the candidate does not accept money from companies regulated by the Public Regulation Commission, of which the younger Lujan is a member, or their lobbyists.
    But records show the campaign received $1,300 from Tom Horan, who represents Presbyterian Health Plan, and numerous other clients. Campaign spokesman Carlos Trujillo on Saturday said the money would be returned if that's the case.
    Other lobbyists representing groups with concerns before the PRC— such as the New Mexico Industrial Energy Consumers and renewable energy companies— also contributed.
    The campaign says it does not take money from federal lobbyists. But state lobbyists are different and appropriate because they don't lobby the U.S. Congress, Trujillo said.
    Trujillo dismissed the idea state lobbyists might try to curry favor with Speaker Lujan by giving to his son, saying both men are independent and ethical.
    The aide noted that most of the donors to the Lujans have also given to many other state Democrats and even some Republicans.
    "It's a small fundraising pool" in New Mexico, Trujillo said.
    Still, one company with a lot to gain at the Roundhouse— California-based developer SunCal— has given Ben Ray Lujan $13,800 in the form of two checks written by top executives. SunCal has lobbied the Legislature for state incentives for a 55,000-acre development on Albuquerque's West Side.
    Several lobbyists have given to father and son. They include Ricardo Barros, whose clients include Maloof Cos. and Tesuque Pueblo; Ed Mahr, representing Southwest Airlines and other clients; Peter Mallery of the New Mexico Trial Lawyers; and Robert Rivera and Joe Kupfer, whose clients include racing interests.
    Members of the prominent Maloof family, whose businesses range from a Las Vegas casino to a beer distributorship, gave at least $28,000.
    One government reform group said it was not surprising the younger Lujan was raising big bucks from lobbyists and other supporters of his father, considering the self-financed campaign being waged by opponent Don Wiviott.
    Lujan is "doing probably what he needs to do," said Steven Robert Allen of Common Cause New Mexico, which advocates for public financing of campaigns.
    Allen said Lujan is working within a broken campaign finance system in which certain contributions can lead to conflicts of interest or at least that impression.
    "People have to do what they have to do to get into office," Allen said, adding that Speaker Lujan is a strong supporter of public financing.
    Even with the help from New Mexico's political establishment, Lujan's total individual contributions reported through March— $382,240— are dwarfed by the $890,000 Wiviott had lent his own campaign.
    The Santa Fe developer has also raised $130,344 from individual contributors and vowed not to take money from lobbyists or political action committees.
    He also received money— totaling $5,250— from individuals associated with groups that employ lobbyists, including Thornburg Cos. and Santa Fe Community College employees.
    A third fundraising front-runner in the race, former state Indian Affairs Secretary Benny Shendo Jr., has collected a total of $113,626, much of it from New Mexico pueblos and American Indian officials.
    Farther behind in the fundraising race for the Democratic nomination are Santa Fe County Commissioner Harry Montoya, Santa Fe lawyer Jon Adams and Dixon lawyer Rudy Martin.
    Major Donors
    Maloof family members $28,000
    SunCal executives $13,800
    Albuquerque developer Paul Blanchard $6,000
    Hobbs businessman Johnny Cope $6,900
    Thornburg Cos. Chairman Garrett Thornburg $2,300
    Meet the Candidate
    3rd Congressional District candidate Ben Ray Lujan will hold a town hall meeting at 2 p.m. today at the Peñasco Community Center, State Road 75.