Residents of New Mexico may be none the wiser when it comes to information about independent political expenditures and everyday spending by lobbyists after key transparency measures were vetoed by Gov. Susana Martinez. At the same time, a long list of anti-transparency initiatives designed to restrict access to government information floundered during this year’s 60-day legislative session.
“Nothing passed that would undermine the public’s access to public records and public meetings,” said Peter St. Cyr, executive director of the New Mexico Foundation for Open Government and a former investigative reporter.
The defeat of a proposal to make more information available about so-called dark money political donations drew broad criticism, with backers including prominent Democrats and local and national policy groups expressing disappointment.