Dueling Press Releases from DPNM and GOPNM

Last week the state Democratic Party took a shot at Governor Susana Martinez in a press release called, "The Two Faces of Susana Martinez." In the release, the New Mexico Democratic Party's Executive Director Scott Forrester claimed Governor Martinez's administration is steering state business to Darren White of Albuquerque through a contract to do security at Expo-NM (State Fair). Recently, Darren White was at the center of a controversy before being cleared of any wrong doing by Albuquerque police in an inquiry related to a traffic accident involving his wife.

The state Republican Party responded to the Democrat’s press release by saying the claims made were “completely and utterly false.” According to the GOP response, “Darren White does not have a contract with Expo NM, nor does he have any contracts with the state of New Mexico.”

Susana Martinez

Since the release and the response we have not seen any subsequent press releases from the office of NM Democratic Party Chairman Javier Gonzales or Scott Forrester that reaffirms their claims that White has contracts with the state. And we had seen no retractions of the press release either. Yesterday when we contacted Forrester he responded with this statement. "Susana's political operative Jay McKleskey solidified a contract with a current Expo NM lease-holder to his buddy and Susana's crony Darren White. The whole thing stinks of cronyism."

It would seem that the wording of this statement from Forrester actually does correct the press release on White without saying so. The DPNM is now tying Darren White to a current Expo NM leaseholder (not ExpoNM or the state) through a “solidified” contract by Jay McCleskey. It would seem with this statement that White might be a subcontractor to a contractor who holds a lease with the state fair.

Dueling Press Releases from DPNM and GOPNM