New Mexico high court avoids mayor campaign funding case

ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (AP) — The New Mexico Supreme Court won’t weigh in on the Albuquerque city clerk’s decision to deny Bernalillo County Sheriff Manuel Gonzales about $600,000 in public financing for his campaign for mayor. The Albuquerque Journal reports the state high court on Wednesday denied Gonzales’ request to order a state judge or City Clerk Ethan Watson to certify Gonzales for public campaign financing. Judge Bryan Biedscheid in Santa Fe last month ordered Watson to reconsider, saying Gonzales was denied due process before Watson decided July 9 that Gonzales violated financing qualification rules. Appeals, hearings and court filings led to the request last week for the Supreme Court to step in.