Thread: Richarson refuses to release names of Illegals holding D.L

Source: Albuquerque Journal Wednesday September 20, 2006

GOP Says Gov. Won't Give Up Migrant Names

By Tim Korte

The state Republican Party claimed Tuesday that Gov. Bill Richardson's administration blocked GOP efforts to determine the names of illegal immigrants who have obtained New Mexico driver's licenses.

Republicans expressed concern that illegal immigrants could use the New Merxico licenses to register to vote.

GOP officials said they had hoped to check names against voter registration rolls as a safeguard against potential voter fraud.

"Now we cannot do that," said Lyn Ott, a Republican Party election monitor. " Without a complete list, the integrity of the election process in New Mexico is seriously compromised."

A spokesman for the state Taxation and Revenue Department, David Harwell, denied there was any effort to make it harder for the Republicans to get the information they wanted.

" We complied in every way to the full letter of the law with the requests they made," he said.

The Republicans estimated the number of illegal immigrants holding licenses at 30,000.

They submitted requests through the state's Inspecion of Public Records Act, but said the Richardson administration cited executive privilege and attorney-client privilege in limiting the information that was released.

Ott submitted the GOP's initial requests July 25 to the Taxation and Revenue Department, which oversees the Motor Vehicle Division.

In response, state officials on Aug. 29 released 150 pages of e-mails and other documents - nearly all containing redacted information.

" What does the governor's administration have to hide?" asked Marta Kramer, executive director of the New Mexico Republican Party.

Harwell said a federal law that protects drivers' privacy rights prevented the department from disclosing the names sought by the Republicans.

" We are prohibibited from revealing certain information. We can't do it. That's why we provided them with redacted information," he said.

" This administration and our department has absolutely nothing to hide," he added.

This doesn't sound legal. They should be able to challenge this in court.