http://www.citizensforethics.org/taxonomy/term/1561/0 en http://www.citizensforethics.org/node/38157 <p>New Mexico has been a busy place for federal prosecutors and investigators.  The governor&#39;s office is under investigation in a <a href="/node/36330">&quot;pay-to-play&quot;</a> scandal. The state&#39;s long-time U.S. Senator,<a href="/node/37122"> Pete Domenici,</a> in under investigation in the US Attorney firings scandal.  And, yesterday, former State Senator Manny Aragon was sent to prison for <a href="http://www.krqe.com/dpp/news/crime/crime_krqe_albuquerque_political_career_ends_in_tears_prison_200903172325">public corruption</a>: </p> <blockquote><p>Thirty years of political power ended with a whimper Tuesday when a federal judge sentenced former state Sen. Manny Aragón to prison for his role in the largest public corruption case in state history. </p> <p>His sentence: 5 1/2 years in prison as worked out in his plea agreement last fall plus nearly $2 million in fines and restitution. This after Aragón admitted his part in using padded contracts and bogus invoices to skim more than $4 million from construction of the Bernalillo County Metropolitan Courthouse.</p> <p>Seven other men including the court administrator, the project architect and a lobbyist-bagman once the mayor of Albuquerque also have pleaded guilty in the case. Most of the charges involved mail fraud and conspiracy.</p> </p></blockquote> <p>&nbsp;</p> http://www.citizensforethics.org/node/38157#comment Manny Aragon New Mexico State corruption Wed, 18 Mar 2009 14:40:21 -0400 crew 38157 at http://www.citizensforethics.org