Audit blasts PRC; state auditor calls for chairman to resign

From the Santa Fe New Mexican.com - State Auditor Hector Balderas on Thursday called for Public Regulation Commission Chairman Pat Lyons to step down for what Balderas said was an improper use of a state vehicle.Lyons' use of a Ford F-250 truck for approximately 65 days, potentially violating the rules of a federal program, resulted in more than $1,100 of questionable costs to the public, Balderas said. The call for Lyons' resignation Thursday coincided with the release of a special audit into the scandal-plagued Public Regulation Commission that found sloppy recordkeeping at the agency. Separate from the audit, Balderas also announced Thursday that he had forwarded to the proper authorities several emails from or to PRC employees containing possible communications about the purchase of illegal drugs.Balderas, a Democrat, and Lyons, a Republican, have sparred publicly about this audit in the past. Lyons said he questioned the ability of Balderas' office to conduct the audit, which led to seeking an independent firm conducting the audit. Balderas said Lyons was obstructing the audit initially. Read more

Audit blasts PRC; state auditor calls for chairman to resign