Lobos defeat George Mason at Puerto Rico Tip-Off
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Annexation spikes service demands
Martinez’s Cabinet gets 4 new faces
The police chief seeks to add animal control officers to new parts of the community. PAGE B-7
New people named to posts at Engineer’s Office, Human Services, Homeland Security, Indian Affairs By Steve Terrell
Files show Britain spied on journalists
The New Mexican
In the latest shake-up of her Cabinet before her second term begins, Gov. Susana Martinez on Friday announced four appointments, including a new state engineer
Police collected data frequently on daily movements, and a lawsuit seeks answers. PAGE A-12
City hires finance director
to manage New Mexico’s water resources. That job will go to Tom Blaine, who has been director of the Environmental Health Division in the state Environment Department. He will replace Scott Verhines, who is stepping down as state engineer,
Martinez announced. Other new appointments include Brent Earnest as Human Services Department secretary to replace the outgoing Secretary Sidonie Squier; Jay Mitchell, who will replace Greg Myers as secretary of the Homeland Security and Emergency Management Department; and Kelly Zunie, who will replace Art Allison as secretary of the Department of Indian Affairs.
The New Mexican
After a months-long search, the city of Santa Fe announced Friday that it had hired a new finance director. Oscar Rodriguez, who has a bachelor’s degree from Harvard University and a master’s degree in city planning from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, starts his new job Wednesday. He will be paid $115,000 annually. Rodriguez, 56, replaces Marcos Tapia, who resigned in July after newly elected Mayor Oscar Javier Gonzales’ Rodriguez transition team replaces issued a scathing Marcos report about his Tapia, who abilities as finance resigned after director. The team’s the mayor’s finance subcomtransition mittee said the team issued department lacked a scathing oversight by an report. individual with expertise in finance, accounting and budgeting practices, as well as good leadership and communication skills. The No. 1 recommendation was for the new administration to “move to quickly hire or appoint qualified department officials into key management positions who are capable of immediately beginning the process of planning, organizing and directing the day-to-day operational activities of City government.” “In terms of weaknesses, your finance area, in my view, is an area of weakness,” former Santa Fe County manager Domingo Sanchez, who served on the Finance Committee, said during a public meeting in June. The newly hired finance direc-
By Phaedra Haywood The New Mexican
Please see GOP, Page A-4
Please see DEATH, Page A-4
GOP sues president on health law House claims president exceeded his authority By Alan Fram The Associated Press
WASHINGTON — House Republicans filed a federal lawsuit Friday accusing the Obama administration of exceeding its constitutional powers in carrying out President Barack Obama’s prized health care law, giving legal voice to conservatives who have long protested that he has abused his office’s authority. Democrats said Obama had acted legally and mocked the
INSIDE u GOP criticizes the president as he makes case in Nevada. PAGE A-5
By Julie Pace and Josh Lederman
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add that later. The official spoke on condition of anonymity to describe internal Republican deliberations. House Speaker John Boehner, R-Ohio, said Obama “has chosen to ignore the will of the American people” and cast the battle as one with important implications. “If this president can get away with making his own laws, future presidents will have the ability to as well,” said a Boehner written statement. “The House has an obligation to stand up for the Constitution.” In the past, Republicans have accused Obama of overreaching by
A judge on Friday sentenced a 23-year-old La Mesilla man to 35 years in prison for fatally shooting Marco Bequett, 20, of Alcalde over the theft of a video game console. Eric Rodriguez pleaded guilty to second-degree murder and kidnapping. He was sentenced to 15 years for the second-degree murder count and 18 years — with six suspended — on the kidnapping charge, as well as a sentence enhancement of two years. That time also was suspended. Because both crimes are serious violent offenses, he will have to serve at least 85 percent of the sentence. His attorney, Tom Clark, said Friday that Rodriguez probably will end up spending a little more than 21 years in prison. Maria Bequett, the mother of the shooting victim, said through a Spanish-speaking interpreter that no punishment would have been sufficient in her eyes because nothing could return her son to her. “This young man had no right to take the life of my son,” she said. “It was sacrilegious, what he did, to kidnap and torture him, to shoot him six times, is unforgivable. I’m not blaming him just for the death of my son, I’m blaming him for the death of my whole family. No Christmas, no New Year’s. My house is in mourning.” Reports at the time said Rodriguez
Vicente Gonzales, 6, left, watches his younger brother, Leo, 2, try to bowl for a turkey during the annual Turkey Bowling on Ice on Friday at the Genoveva Chavez Community Center Ice Arena. Their mother, Jamee Garcia, and Kjell Olson, 22, watch in anticipation. It was $3 per try, and all proceeds went to The Food Depot. The group said it is at a ‘critically low level’ and needs turkey donations to help provide Thanksgiving meals to families in need. JANE PHILLIPS/THE NEW MEXICAN
case as an unwinnable, politically motivated attack. Legal experts expressed doubts that the GOP would prevail or that the case could be concluded during Obama’s presidency. The suit echoed Republican complaints over Obama’s Thursday night announcement of executive actions preventing the deportation of 5 million people who immigrated to the U.S. illegally. GOP lawmakers said those unilateral steps were unconstitutional and have promised unspecified congressional action. Friday’s lawsuit did not address immigration, though a Republican official said party leaders might
Obama’s long road to immigration order
Index
pleaded guilty to second-degree murder and kidnapping in the death of Marco Bequett.
Victim killed over stolen video game console
Please see FINANCE, Page A-4
WASHINGTON — President Barack Obama’s carefully cultivated Hispanic coalition was starting to splinter. Immigration legislation was going nowhere. Deportations under Obama were nearing 2 million. And the president was resisting calls to use executive action. Then in early March, frustra-
Eric Rodriguez
Man gets 35 years in prison for death
By Daniel J. Chacón
the Associated Press
Please see CABINET, Page A-4
FOOD DEPOT FUNDRAISER BOWLING FOR TURKEY
Ex-Taos town manager taking over next week
‘Deporter in chief’ claim riled president to act
Martinez said the changes will take effect Dec. 1. All Cabinet-level appointments face confirmation in the state Senate. But that’s basically a formality, as shown by Martinez’s choice of secretary for the Public Education Department. The Senate for four years has failed to vote on Hanna Skandera’s appointment. Skandera
tion from usually reliable supporters seemed to reach a breaking point when a prominent immigration advocate derided Obama as “deporter in chief.” The White House scrambled. Obama summoned three Hispanic lawmakers to the Oval Office to say he was ordering Homeland Security Secretary Jeh Johnson to study how the administration could enforce immigration laws “more humanely.”
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That order set off nearly nine months of intense deliberations over the scope of Obama’s presidential powers and political wrangling between the White House and Democrats. Obama would ultimately postpone his actions until after the midterm elections, unveiling sweeping measures Thursday to spare nearly 5 million people in the U.S. illegally from deportation. This account of Obama’s deliberations is based on roughly two dozen interviews with lawmakers, admin-
Pasapick www.pasatiempomagazine.com
San Miguel Chapel Music Series VEM Quartet, graduate string quartet-in-residence at UCLA, violinist Stephanie Nagler and Santa Fe University of Art and Design Percussion Ensemble; music of Mendelssohn, Komitas, and Lou Harrison, 8 p.m., San Miguel Chapel, 401 Old Santa Fe Trail, $15; student discounts available.
Please see ORDER, Page A-5
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More Cosby shows canceled on tour More women accuse the comedian of sex harassment. PAGE A-12
Obituaries Marilyn J. Mason, 81, Santa Fe, Oct. 16 Ruby G. Vigil,
Nov. 19 Arthur F. Lucero, 78, Santa Fe, Nov. 19 PAGE A-10
Today Sunny to partly cloudy. High 53, low 27. PAGE A-12
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Two sections, 24 pages TV Book, 32 pages 165th year, No. 326 Publication No. 596-440