Source New Mexico: The blind spot in the state’s most expensive election so far this year

Source New Mexico: The blind spot in the state’s most expensive election so far this year

Dede Feldman, a former state lawmaker and spokesperson for Common Cause New Mexico, said voters deserve to know who signs candidates’ paychecks and where potential conflicts of interest lie. That’s also true for district attorney candidates, she said. “It's not a good look when candidates do not disclose their finances,” she said. Feldman said more candidates need to file disclosures, but that won’t go nearly far enough. They also need to take them more seriously. “The chief duty of elected officials is to act in the public interest, and not their private interests. But when no one knows what their private interests are, there's no way to really enforce conflict of interest,” she said.

Dede Feldman, a former state lawmaker and spokesperson for Common Cause New Mexico, said voters deserve to know who signs candidates’ paychecks and where potential conflicts of interest lie. That’s also true for district attorney candidates, she said.

“It’s not a good look when candidates do not disclose their finances,” she said.

Feldman said more candidates need to file disclosures, but that won’t go nearly far enough. They also need to take them more seriously.

“The chief duty of elected officials is to act in the public interest, and not their private interests. But when no one knows what their private interests are, there’s no way to really enforce conflict of interest,” she said.

 

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