Is New Mexico the most corrupt state?

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By Jay Miller


Has anyone ever told you New Mexico is the most corrupt state in the nation? I’ve heard it for years, including from an FBI agent, who investigated our financial corruption mess. 

Since I was a kid, I remember hearing that some powerful New Mexican, maybe Dennis Chavez, as saying that if you want to get a degree in political corruption, go to Chicago. If you want to get a Master’s Degree, go to Louisiana. But if you want a doctorate, go to New Mexico. 

If you ask people from the East Coast, they’ll probably tell you that New York and New Jersey are the most corrupt states. It just depends on where you’re from. 

New Mexicans can point out that former Sen. Manny Aragon still is in federal prison in Colorado for getting kickbacks from the federal courthouse in Albuquerque and that several others pled to lesser offenses. 

They also can tell you the two state treasurers went to prison recently for pocketing money. And then there is the State Investment Council and its bad deals that greatly enriched a few and made the rest of us put off retirement a few more years. 


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256 DP Road, Los Alamos, NM 87544