Judge Linda Vanzi's Campaign Staff Pleased with State Supreme Court Ruling

Earlier this week the New Mexico State Supreme Court upheld the Secretary of State’s ruling that Lawyer Dennis Montoya who is running against Judge Linda Vanzi for the New Mexico Court of Appeals seat had broken the rules and could not receive public financing for his campaign.

Public financing is a good and honorable objective for any candidate when it comes to running for our judicial seats statewide but anyone wishing to obtain those funds should be held to a strict interpretation of the rules. I can think of no better option than that of Chief Justice Daniels when it comes to justice and the handing down of a fair and unbiased decision on this matter. (Good State Supreme Court, Good State Supreme Court :-)

It is a sad fact that this race has become such a public spectacle when one of our seats on an intermediate court is at question but what else would you expect from conservative media in this state when both candidates are democrats.

Clearly defined standards should be set on the quality of any candidate running for these seats in the future. I would hope that both candidates would resolve to hold themselves to a very high standard when commenting either publicly or privately on their opponent since neither is a republican and our party does not approve of mudsling of any kind.

This race should be about quality of judgment, skills and qualifications not about scandal and rumors.

The following is the complete text of a press release sends out by Judge Linda Vanzi’s Campaign:

Judge Linda Vanzi's Campaign Commends Secretary of State for Protecting Public Dollars

SANTA FE - Today, the Supreme Court upheld the Secretary of State's ruling to deny public financing to Mr. Dennis Montoya. Dennis Montoya is challenging Judge Linda Vanzi for her seat on the Court of Appeals in the Democratic Primary. The election is June 1st.

"Other candidates have successfully applied for public financing," said Sandra Wechsler, Vanzi Campaign Manager. "We believe that all candidates need to play by the same set of rules and Mr. Montoya broke those rules. The law is very clear about what you need to do to qualify for public financing."

For the public financing law to earn public support and have integrity, strict compliance with the rules is absolutely necessary. For this reason, the Vanzi campaign commends the Secretary of State for protecting taxpayer monies and denying rule-breakers from accessing public dollars.

Judge Linda Vanzi was selected by the Judicial Nominating Commission, and appointed to the New Mexico Court of Appeals by Governor Bill Richardson in 2008. By State law, Judges must stand for election in one partisan contest after appointment.

Judge Vanzi has been endorsed by the Albuquerque Journal, the Santa Fe New Mexican, the Rio Grande Sun, Council 18 of AFSCME, the Albuquerque Police Officers' Association (APOA), Iron Workers Local Union No. 495, Office & Professional Employees Intl Union, Local 25, International Brotherhood of Teamsters, Local 492, Communications Workers of America, Local 7076, New Mexico Professional Firefighters Association, United Food and Commercial Workers Union, Local 1564, the Victory Fund, International Union of Operating Engineers, Local 953, New Mexico Building and Construction Trades Council.