Ethics complaint against campaign manager dismissed as tensions in local race rise

The city Board of Ethics dismissed a complaint Wednesday against Scott Forrester for alleged bribery of a City Council candidate.

The complaint, filed by District 1 candidate Stephanie Telles, was dismissed by a vote of 6-1 with board members saying the allegation fell outside of their jurisdiction.

“The facts proved these allegations had no merit,” Forrester said in a statement Wednesday. “I’m relieved my name has been cleared, my family is ready to move forward.”

The City Charter doesn’t grant the board power to take action against people working with a candidate, said board member Kristina Caffrey. Instead, she said, the board’s jurisdiction is limited to candidates themselves.

“It isn’t a comment by the board on the factual allegations, I just don’t think we really get there because of it not really being a fit for our authority,” said board member Sean Cunniff during the Wednesday meeting.

The Board of Ethics is one of three entities reviewing the complaint alleging that Forrester attempted to pay Telles to drop out of the race. Telles also submitted her complaint to the Secretary of State’s Office and the New Mexico Department of Justice.

Four candidates are sparring against each other in the District 1 race, while the sitting councilor, Louie Sanchez, runs for mayor.

Ahren Griego is one of those candidates and Telles alleges in her complaint that as his campaign manager, Forrester offered to “retire” her campaign debt if she withdrew an appeal for a recount of her signatures submitted to qualify for the ballot.

The official city count found that Telles was seven signatures short of qualifying for the ballot. Last week, the Bernalillo County clerk qualified her candidacy.

Telles also alleges that Forrester threatened to file a lawsuit against her if she did not drop out of the race.

Last week, former state Sen. Jacob Candelaria and state Sen. Antonio “Moe” Maestas, attorneys with Candelaria Law LLC, filed a suit in 2nd Judicial District Court to remove Telles from the ballot. Maestas is Forrester’s attorney and represented him during the ethics meeting Wednesday.

The suit alleges that a contractor for Candelaria Law uncovered 42 additional invalid signatures belonging to people outside of District 1 or who are not eligible to vote in Albuquerque. They contend Telles did not properly qualify and should be taken off the ballot.

“This is the first time in 24 years District 1 doesn’t have an incumbent in the race,” Maestas said. “It’s a shame that what should be a great community conversation is surrounded by Telles’ self-made drama.”

Despite the dismissal and the upcoming legal fight, Telles is moving forward with her campaign, she said in a statement Wednesday.

“Today, while we won on principle, the system failed because of legal loopholes and jurisdiction,” Telles said. “I will continue to pursue my complaints because the people of the West Side deserve a tireless advocate for government transparency.”