Log In


Reset Password
News Education Local News Nation & World New Mexico

New charge added to list against top N.M. official

ALBUQUERQUE – New Mexico Secretary of State Dianna Duran was charged Friday with identity theft as she faces dozens of other counts alleging campaign finance fraud.

The state attorney general’s office filed the new criminal complaint in state district court accusing Duran of listing a former state lawmaker as treasurer of her campaign without his knowledge.

The complaint details an interview that investigators had with Don Kidd about his name being used on several reports filed by Duran as part of her 2010 campaign.

Kidd, who previously served with Duran during her tenure in the state Senate and is now chief executive of Western Commerce Bank in southeastern New Mexico, told investigators he had nothing to do with the secretary of state campaign other than making a donation.

The complaint also stated that a review by investigators uncovered more than 100 transactions totaling more than $10,000 were found in bank statements but not listed as campaign expenditures.

The attorney general’s office declined to comment on the latest allegation. Spokesman James Hallinan said the office is focused on preparing for a preliminary hearing in the case.

Erlinda Johnson, Duran’s attorney, said she had yet to see the latest complaint and had no comment.

Johnson previously filed a motion seeking to have the attorney general’s office disqualified from the case. She argued that state Attorney General Hector Balderas had a conflict of interest because he and Duran have disagreed in the past.

Balderas’ office has denied that claim.

The secretary of state’s office is responsible for enforcing campaign finance reporting and elections laws.

Duran, a Republican, has pleaded not guilty to 64 counts of fraud, embezzlement, money laundering and other charges.

She is accused of funneling about $13,000 in campaign donations to personal bank accounts and withdrawing large sums of cash at casinos around the state.

She has resisted pressure from Democrats and Republicans to resign from her $85,000-a-year job.



Reader Comments