Former N.M. Senator will stand trial in corruption case

A New Mexico district court is ordering that former state Sen. Phil Griego stand trial in a public corruption case on charges including fraud, bribery and perjury.

Judge Brett Loveless found on Friday there was probable cause to pursue nine out of 10 charges filed by the state attorney general’s office against the former Democratic lawmaker who resigned in 2015 amid a Senate ethics probe.

Prosecutors say Griego used his position as a state senator to profit from the sale of a state-owned building in downtown Santa Fe, pushing the sale through the Legislature without disclosing his personal interest.

The decision to proceed to trial followed four days of testimony from high-ranking state government officials and lawmakers.