SANTA FE – Another audit turned in months after it was due reveals the state Department of Homeland Security and Emergency Management still has problems with finances and management—some of which date back years—but is showing some signs of improvement.

The 2016 audit was publicly released in late October when State Auditor Tim Keller sent a letter back to the department’s secretary, M. Jay Mitchell.

The independent audit reveals 14 significant problems, some of which were also found in previous years’ audits.

NM Political Report requested an interview with Mitchell or the department’s Chief Financial Officer, Sarah Peterson. The public information officer could not make...

SANTA FE – Legislative leadership in both chambers and of both parties announced a bipartisan group of legislators will address the state’s sexual harassment policy.

The sexual harassment policy was last revised in 2008, which was also the last time legislators underwent sexual harassment training.

The group of legislators will work with the Legislative Council Service as well as outside attorneys to review the existing policy and recommend an updated draft policy to the Legislative Council. The Legislative Council, which is made up of members of each chamber, will then vote on adoption of the new policy in January.

Leadership announced that the working group will look at...

WASHINGTON, D.C. –  Interior Secretary Ryan Zinke has brushed off criticism over his expensive use of private and military planes for travel, telling conservative supporters that the whole issue is just “a little B.S.”

But several watchdog agencies, congressional Democrats and legal experts believe it’s more than that. After only eight months in office, Zinke’s taxpayer-funded travel, meetings with political donors and other actions have led to several official probes. “We’ve been tracking Zinke and what he’s been doing at the Department of Interior,” says Daniel Stevens, executive director of the nonprofit, nonpartisan Campaign for Accountability. “It led us to...

Tim Keller will be Albuquerque’s next mayor.

Keller won the mayorship in a runoff election Nov. 14, easily defeating Albuquerque City Councilor Dan Lewis.

Also on Nov. 14, Cynthia Borrego won a seat on the city council, defeating Robert Aragon in a runoff election. With the Democrat winning, the party expanded its support on the council.

“Tonight our city has awakened and our city has spoken and we have truly come together,” the Democrat told a crowd of supporters.

Keller said the results showed the city “rejected negative campaigning.”

“And we rejected division,” he said. “We rejected fear. We rejected language that was designed to divide us. And we came together...