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February 14, 2008
The 2008 Legislature has come to a close. Having listened to you on a range of issues,
I want to take this opportunity to report to you on a few public policy issues, among other matters.
Domestic Violence In November the governor asked me to carry a bill that would
make a third domestic violence conviction a felony. Currently all convictions are misdemeanors.
(This bill failed to get out of committee the previous four years.) I am pleased to report this
year's bill passed the Senate 32-5 and the House 40-1, and will be signed into law.
This bill is consistent with my efforts to secure funding for domestic violence shelters
in Lincoln and Chaves Counties and my bill in 2007 that enabled magistrate judges to impose
52 weeks of mandatory intervention for offenders. Working with my colleagues on both sides
of the aisle, and with the governor, I have been able to secure nearly $1,500,000 in funding
for the domestic violence shelters and programs in Chaves and Lincoln Counties.
The ACLU has opposed my efforts in this area.
Domestic Partners I continue to oppose so-called domestic partnership bills.
I believe changing the concept of marriage and the family would be detrimental public
policy for many reasons. There are legal means of managing estates without attempting
fundamentally to alter the existing organization of society. Your calls and e-mails
have been overwhelmingly opposed to this bill-at last count some 575 out of 600 have
urged me to vote NO. The ACLU supports the bill.
Sex Offenders Last February I was successful, through media interviews
on Albuquerque TV and through the introduction of a bill, in getting the Department
of Pubic Safety to restore names of child sex offenders on its website-something it
ad suddenly taken down. I have continued my twelve-year effort to fight for laws
that protect children from child molesters-another issue that has repeatedly invoked
the angry opposition of the ACLU.
Open Government Last year my bill requiring Senate votes to be posted
on-line immediately, passed unanimously. I have continued my 12-year effort to try
to open conference committees. I also support fellow senators' efforts to broadcast
the proceedings of the Senate. We believe there will be far more serious discussion
of issues if the proceedings are recorded. We also believe the public should be able
to see directly the extent to which individual legislators make sense, or not, and
are effective in what they do.
Ending Frivolous Lawsuits This is one of the issues I have fought for
which incurred the wrath of the ACLU/Roswell Daily Record combo. (See below.)
Nonetheless, I will continue my efforts to curb abuses of the courts. There
is always a great backlog of legitimate cases-wherein people have actually suffered
harm or injustice. That is what the courts are for, not for the recreation of those
who simply want to harass their fellow citizens or win unmerited "awards." I will
continue to stand against abusers of the courts
On other issues, public policy questions or bills, my positions are that I:
SUPPORT efforts to repeal drivers' licenses for illegals in New Mexico.
I strongly opposed this measure when it passed and continue to work for its repeal.
The ACLU opposes me on this.
SUPPORT efforts to make Voter Identification a reality in New Mexico.
The ACLU opposes me. Before I close, I must discuss another important matter with you.
Last year the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) decided to file a frivolous lawsuit
against me, boldly admitting their motivation was the "underlying issue of politics."
They lost their suit-along with an estimated $50,000 in costs and fees-and were forced
to sign a statement contradicting the charges they had leveled. I refused their
repeated requests to settle the case until they agreed to these conditions which
they regarded as humiliating to them.
What is more disturbing-and the reason I am discussing this issue with you-is
that records of the case showed the Roswell Daily Record to be openly collaborating
with the ACLU in this frivolous case, even offering its publisher to step forward to
testify on behalf of the ACLU. Meanwhile, they continued to write false stories
bout the case without disclosing their bias to their readership. To this day the
RDR continues to publish so-called letters to the editor which are also false and
malicious, and which are "signed" with names of people who do not exist, or appear
nowhere on any voter roll or phone listing. (While dozens of have told me their
supportive letters have gone unpublished.)
I have a duty to represent you to the best of my ability, and to try to
communicate with you as well and as accurately as I can. Yet I know that
whatever I do as your state senator will not be accurately reported in the
Roswell Daily Record, but in fact will be grossly distorted. And the paper
has warned me that I cannot survive without talking to them. My choice is
to either: 1) adhere to their warning and try to keep my name in the paper
for public relations purposes, or to 2) not talk to the RDR at all-which
they have warned will only make matters worse for me.
After much prayer and reflection, I have concluded it would in fact be a
disservice to you to continue to do interviews with a medium that admits it
will deliberately misrepresent the truth and provide distorted stories without
warning you of its bias. Accordingly, I have made the decision to refuse
interviews or take calls from the Roswell Daily Record. My conscience gives
me no choice. It is my prayer that you understand.
This is difficult for me because of my dedication over these past twelve
years to communicate with you, as often, as much and as well as I can. I will
continue to try to do as many radio interviews, on Roswell, Ruidoso and other
southeastern New Mexico stations, as often as I am afforded the opportunity.
I will of course respond to the Ruidoso News and the Lincoln County News and
all other newspapers and wire services in the state. I will continue to write,
e-mail and will try to maintain a web site as up to date as I can. Should
there be opportunities to appear on television concerning legislative or other
issues, I of course will take those opportunities as well.
Obviously, my door is always open for the Roswell Daily Record should it
decide to take a different approach and commit itself to journalistic integrity
and honesty. This is where I stand. I can do no other.
The best way for us to communicate is through e-mail.
Please e-mail me at radair@dfn.com. I hope to have an updated website soon
at www.rodadair.com. I want you to know that I welcome and actively seek your
input on public policy matters and appreciate hearing from you. Please don't
hesitate to stop me at the grocery store or the post office or anyplace else
and share your views with me. It is an honor to serve you.
Sincerely,
Rod Adair
State Senator
Chaves and Lincoln Counties
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Rod
Adair is the state senator for District 33 in the New Mexico State
Senate.
