>> FUNDING FOR NEW MEXICO IN FOCUS PROVIDED BY VIEWERS LIKE YOU.

>> Gene: THIS WEEK ON NEW MEXICO IN FOCUS FALLING AT THE FINISH LINE, GOVERNOR MICHELLE LUJAN GRISHAM SIGNED MORE THAN 200 BILLS AS THE CLOCK RAN OUT ON THIS YEAR'S SESSION BUT HER 30 PLUS VETOES STEAL THE SPOTLIGHT.

PLUS, >> Bregman: I KNOW HOW WE NEED TO COLLABORATE TOGETHER AS A COMMUNITY TO CHANGE THE CRIME SITUATION IN ALBUQUERQUE.

SO, I AM ALL IN.

>> Gene: NEW YEAR, NEW  DISTRICT ATTORNEY.

BERNALILLO COUNTY'S SAM BREGMAN TELLS US HOW HE PLANS TO ADDRESS CRIME HERE IN ALBUQUERQUE.

NEW MEXICO IN FOCUS STARTS NOW.

THANKS FOR JOINING US THIS WEEK.

I AM YOUR HOST, GENE GRANT.

A NEW FEDERAL REPORT SHOWS  INDIGENOUS MOTHERS AND INFANTS ARE DYING AT A MUCH HIGHER  RATE THAN NON-HISPANIC WHITE WOMEN.

IN LESS THAN 15 MINUTES NEW MEXICO IN FOCUS CORRESPONDENT ANTONIO GONZALES SITS DOWN WITH TWO PEOPLE WHO DUG INTO  THAT DISPARITY AND ASKS WHAT COULD TURN IT AROUND.

THE NEW MEXICO CHILDREN YOUTH AND FAMILIES DEPARTMENT IS OVERWHELMED WITH TROUBLED TEENS AND IN JUST OVER 25  MINUTES OUR LINE OPINION PANELISTS DISCUSS WHY POLICE  OFFICERS ARE STARTING TO SPEAK UP ABOUT CYFD AND THE BROKEN  FOSTER CARE SYSTEM THAT HAS THEM RESPONDING TO MENTAL  HEALTH CALLS TIME AND TIME AGAIN.

BUT FIRST, WE HEAD ONE LAST TIME THIS LEGISLATIVE YEAR TO  SANTA FE AS WE PARSE THROUGH THE BILLS THE GOVERNOR SIGNED  AND THE ONES SHE VETOED.

LET'S GET TO THE LINE.

WELCOME TO OUR LINE OPINION PANELISTS FOR THE WEEK.

WE ARE HAPPY TO BE JOINED IN PERSON IN OUR ALBUQUERQUE  STUDIOS BY TOM GARRITY, FOUNDER AND PRESIDENT OF THE  GARRITY GROUP PUBLIC RELATIONS.

GIOVANNA ROSSI IS HERE, PRESIDENT OF COLLECTIVE ACTION  STRATEGIES AND OUR FRIEND MICHAEL BIRD, A LONG TIME  PUBLIC HEALTH CONSULTANT IS WITH US AS WELL.

WE START THIS WEEK AT THE GOVERNOR'S DESK WHERE 245  BILLS FINISHED THEIR 60-DAY TRIP THROUGH THE ROUNDHOUSE.

GOVERNOR MICHELLE LUJAN GRISHAM SIGNED MORE THAN 200  BILLS BY THE APRIL 7 DEADLINE.

AND SHE TOOK THE VETO PEN TO  35 AND STUCK ANOTHER 21 IN A DRAWER WITH HER POCKET VETO  POWER.

SHE DID SIGN THAT MASSIVE TAX  PASSAGE THAT INCLUDED 500-DOLLAR REBATES, A CHILD  TAX CREDIT EXPANSION AND REDUCTION IN GROSS RECEIPTS  FOR HEALTHCARE PROVIDERS, BUT THE GOVERNOR SCALPELED OUT GRT  CUTS FOR OTHER BUSINESSES.

THAT IS A BIG ONE RIGHT THERE.

SHE AXED THE FIRST ALCOHOL TAX INCREASE IN 30 YEARS, ANOTHER  BIGGIE, AND DENIED CHANGES TO THE STATE'S PERSONAL INCOME  TAX SYSTEM THAT WOULD HAVE HELPED LOW INCOME NEW MEXICANS.

NOW THE GOVERNOR HAS RECEIVED PLENTY OF CRITICISM OVER THOSE LINE ITEM VETOES.

GIOVANNA, STARTING HERE, INCLUDING FELLOW DEMOCRAT AND  U.S.

SENATOR MARTIN HEINRICH WHOSE THREE TWEETS WERE HIGHLY  CRITICAL.

I AM CURIOUS WERE THOSE  CRITICISMS WARRANTED?

THESE ARE REFLECTING OTHER,  NOT JUST HIM, WITH THESE CRITICISMS.

BUT A U.S.

SENATOR, THAT IS VERY INTERESTING TO ME.

WAS THAT WARRANTED IN YOUR VIEW?

>> Giovanna: I THINK THERE HAVE BEEN A LOT OF CRITICISMS  AND SENATOR HEINRICH IS ONE OF THEM APPARENTLY NOW.

I THINK IT IS OKAY TO VOICE HIS OPINION.

YOU KNOW.

EVERYBODY HAS AN OPINION,  LIKE, WHY NOT SHARE IT.

>> Gene: IS THERE A LANE TO  THESE THINGS, YOU STAY IN YOUR SENATE LANE?

YOU STAY IN YOUR GUBERNATORIAL LANE?

YOU KNOW WHAT I MEAN, YOU DON'T CROSS -- YOU KNOW WHAT I  MEAN, ESPECIALLY SOMEBODY FROM THE SAME PARTY.

YOU DON'T CRITICIZE SOMEBODY FROM THE SAME PARTY?

THAT IS A TOUGH ONE.

>> Giovanna: WELL, THERE MIGHT  BE SOME OTHER INFORMATION THERE ABOUT WHY.

HE MIGHT BE TALKING TO AN ENVIRONMENTAL GROUP.

THEY MIGHT BE ENCOURAGING HIM.

I MEAN, WHO KNOWS, LOTS OF  THINGS GO ON THAT WE DON'T KNOW ABOUT.

BUT, YOU KNOW, I THINK, LIKE, TO LOOK AT IT IN PERSPECTIVE,  THERE WERE A LOT OF BILLS THAT SHE DID SIGN AND SO WE ARE  VERY FOCUSED ON LIKE ALL THESE VETOES AND EVERYTHING THAT SHE  DIDN'T SIGN BUT I THINK LOOKING AT IT AS A WHOLE IS  ALSO HELPFUL.

>> Gene: TOM, JUST TO FINISH  THE HEINRICH BIT, HE -- ONE OF HIS THREE TWEETS, QUOTE, I AM  DISAPPOINTED TO SEE MANY OF THOSE EFFORTS NOW VETOED.

SPEAKING ABOUT BOLD ACTIONS TO DELIVER FOR OUR STATE.

TOUGH STUFF THERE.

THE PROPOSED ALCOHOL TAX  INCREASE I MENTIONED IN THE SETUP RANG THROUGHOUT THE  SESSION STARTED AT, I DON'T KNOW, 25 CENTS A DRINK BEFORE  GETTING DOWN TO A TAX BILL JUST A COUPLE OF PENNIES.

THE GOVERNOR CHOPPED THAT TINY BUMP OUT OF THE TAX PACKAGE.

HOW DID YOU TAKE THAT?

>> Tom: I TOOK THAT AS THE  POWER OF LOBBYISTS.

LOBBYISTS AREN'T, IT IS NOT A  BAD WORD OR ANYTHING LIKE THAT, BUT LOBBYISTS HAVE  INFLUENCE AND PERHAPS THAT IS WHAT CAME INTO PLAY ON THAT PARTICULAR ISSUE.

IF I COULD BRIEFLY GO BACK TO  SENATOR HEINRICH.

HE IS NOT THE FIRST SITTING  SENATOR WHO HAS TIPPED THE SCALES OR HAS PUT HIS FINGERS  ON THE SCALES WITH REGARDS TO DIFFERENT ISSUES.

SENATOR DOMENICI WAS ALSO VERY WELL KNOWN BUT IT IS VERY  UNCOMMON BECAUSE YOU HAVE OTHERS WHO HAVE BEEN IN THAT  PARTICULAR SEAT WHO HAVE DONE ALL THEIR STUFF BEHIND THE  SCENES.

IT DOESN'T MEAN -- IT IS A BIG  TENT IS WHAT THEY SAY.

SO, SENATOR HEINRICH IS  DEFINITELY HIS OWN PERSON.

I THINK HE HAS PRETTY MUCH  TRUE TO HIS BRAND AS FAR AS SAYING HE IS INDEPENDENT, YOU  WANT TO KNOW WHERE HE STANDS, JUST ASK HIM.

IF YOU DON'T, THEN HE'LL TELL YOU.

WHICH I THINK IS REALLY GOOD.

>> Giovanna: HE HAS AN  INTEREST CLEARLY IN STATING HIS POSITION AND THAT IS WHAT  HE IS DOING.

>> Tom: IT IS ALWAYS IN A GOOD AND RESPECTFUL WAY, WHICH I APPRECIATE.

>> Gene: MICHAEL BIRD, ANOTHER  ISSUE THAT MET THE SLASH WAS THE TAX FOR ELECTRIC VEHICLES.

VERY INTERESTING THING THERE.

WE ARE TALKING ABOUT AN  ELECTRIC VEHICLE TAX CREDIT, I SHOULD SAY.

YOU KNOW.

SHE WAS MORE CONCERNED WITH  CONTINUING OIL AND GAS PROFITS HERE.

SOME PEOPLE ARE ACCUSING HER OF, THAN SHE IS IN MEETING HER  OWN CLIMATE CHANGE GOALS.

THAT IS A TOUGH WAY TO LOOK AT  WHERE THE GOVERNOR HAS BEEN OVER THE LAST FIVE YEARS.

SUDDENLY HERE WE ARE WITH THIS KIND OF A THING.

>> Michael: WE ALSO HAVE HAD ONE OF THE WORST FIRES THAT IS  RELATED TO CLIMATE THAT TOOK PLACE IN NORTHERN NEW MEXICO.

AND THAT WOULD SEEM TO ME TO BE A MESSAGE TO NOT JUST THE  GOVERNOR BUT TO EVERYONE HERE IN NEW MEXICO AS TO THE IMPACT OF CLIMATE CHANGE ON NEW MEXICO, PLUS YOU'RE OWN PBS STATION HAS BEEN CHRONICLING THE ISSUE OF DROUGHT AND  ONGOING CONDITION FOR YEARS NOW.

SO, IT ESCAPES ME TO SEE THAT, IN FACT, THE GOVERNOR DID NOT  TAKE SOME ACTION ON THESE ENVIRONMENTAL PROPOSALS AND  WAS NOT SUPPORTIVE OF THEM.

>> Gene: I DON'T KNOW IF THIS  MAKES A DIFFERENCE, BUT NEW MEXICO HAS MORE THAN DOUBLED OIL PRODUCTION IN LESS THAN FIVE YEARS.

I GO BACK TO WHAT I AM READING A LOT ONLINE THAT FOLKS ARE  VERY FRUSTRATED WITH THIS GOVERNOR WHO ARE IN THE  ENVIRONMENT BUSINESS FEELING LIKE SHE IS, YOU KNOW,  KOWTOWING TO THE OIL AND GAS INDUSTRY.

IS THAT A FAIR ACCUSATION AT THIS POINT GIVEN WHAT WE HAVE  SEEN HERE FROM THESE VETOES?

>> Giovanna: YOU KNOW, TOM,  MENTIONED THAT LOBBYISTS HAVE A LOT OF POWER IN SANTA FE.

I WILL SAY THAT IT IS CURIOUS.

AND SHE JUST WENT LAST FALL TO THE EGYPT CLIMATE CONFERENCE.

SHE DID SOME EXECUTIVE ORDERS OF HER OWN NAMING TWO CABINET  SECRETARIES TO CHAIR A TASKFORCE ON ENVIRONMENT.

THERE IS NO QUESTION HOW SHE FEELS ABOUT CLIMATE CHANGE.

IT IS NOT LIKE SHE DOESN'T BELIEVE IN IT OR SOMETHING  LIKE SOME PEOPLE, A VOCAL MINORITY OF POPULATION.

BUT, IT IS CURIOUS.

IT ALMOST FEELS LIKE WHAT WAS  PASSED WAS NOT WHAT SHE WANTED BUT SHE HAS MADE EFFORTS TO  PUT THIS TASKFORCE TOGETHER, TO PUT HER TWO SECRETARIES OF  ENERGY AND MINERALS AND ENVIRONMENT DEPARTMENT  TOGETHER TO DO THIS TASK FORCE.

I DON'T KNOW WHAT THE OUTCOME OF THE TASKFORCE HAS BEEN  BUT -- >> Gene: I'LL REMIND EVERYBODY  THE STATES CLEAN FUTURE ACT OF 2022 SET A GOAL FOR THE STATE  TO REACH 50% EMISSIONS REDUCTIONS BY 2030 AND NET  ZERO GREENHOUSE GAS EMISSIONS BY 2050, TOM.

I ASK AGAIN IS THIS FURTHERING TO THIS GOAL?

SOMETHING SEEMS TO BE A BIT OF A MEANDER THAN A STRAIGHT LINE  TOWARDS THAT.

>> Tom: YEAH.

YOU KNOW, THE QUESTION YOU POSE IS FUN TO CONTEMPLATE  BECAUSE IT WOULD APPEAR THAT DEMOCRATS ARE ALL AGAINST, YOU  KNOW, THAT THERE HAS BEEN MORE DONE FOR THE ENVIRONMENT.

IN ACTUALITY THERE ALREADY HAS BEEN A LOT DONE ALREADY.

ENERGY TRANSITION ACT IS THAT FOUNDATIONAL PIECE.

BUT, YOU KNOW, SOMETIMES BEING A BIG TENT, AS WE WERE TALKING  ABOUT EARLIER, THE PROGRESSIVES ARE PROBABLY  UPSET THEY DIDN'T GET EVERYTHING THEY WANTED.

THEY HAVE DEMOCRATS CONTROLLING THE HOUSE, SENATE  AND FOURTH FLOOR.

WHY SHOULDN'T THEY GET  EVERYTHING THEY WANT?

I THINK WHEN WE SAW WHAT WAS  TRANSPIRING IN THE DISCUSSION ON HOUSE BILL 547, WHICH IS  THE TAX PACKAGE, YOU KNOW, THAT WE SAW A LOT OF DEMOCRATS  WHO WERE SAYING, YOU KNOW WHAT, THIS PACKAGE IS JUST TOO BIG.

NOT THE LEAST OF WHICH IS JOHN BINGAMAN AND FORMER SENATOR JOHN ARTHUR SMITH.

YOU KNOW, BOTH DEMOCRATS, BOTH HAVE SERVED THE GOVERNMENT IN  DIFFERENT WAYS.

AND THEY BROUGHT UP GREAT  POINTS IN ADVANCE OF THE GOVERNOR'S VETO.

SO, I THINK THAT WHAT WE ARE SEEING AS FAR AS THE OUTLET,  THE PEOPLE POUNDING THEIR FISTS, THEY JUST WANTED EVERYTHING.

THAT IS WHY WE HAVE A VETO PEN.

THERE WAS A LOT OF STUFF IN THAT TAX PACKAGE I WOULD HAVE LIKE TO HAVE SEEN AS WELL.

I WOULD LIKE TO HAVE SEEN MORE REORGANIZATION OF THE TAX  STRUCTURE.

THAT WAS THROWN OUT.

I WOULD LIKE TO HAVE SEEN MORE SUPPORT FOR SMALL BUSINESSES.

THAT REALLY WASN'T INCLUDED EITHER.

SO THERE IS JUST A LOT OF STUFF BUT YOU GOT TO GIVE AND  TAKE AND THAT IS WHY WE ALL HAVE THE SAYING, IT IS A  GOVERNMENTAL PROCESS.

>> Michael: GETTING BACK TO  THE ALCOHOL TAX, NEW MEXICO HAS AN ALCOHOL PROBLEM AND HAS HISTORICALLY.

AND AS SOMEONE WHO COMES FROM  A FAMILY THAT WAS IMPACTED BY ALCOHOL ABUSE, I AM WELL AWARE  OF THE FACT THAT THE POPULATIONS AND COMMUNITIES  THAT IT IMPACTS ARE AMERICAN INDIAN, HISPANIC POPULATION  AND THE POOR, AND IT RIPPLES ACROSS THE SYSTEM.

IT IS RESPONSIBLE FOR ALCOHOL ABUSE.

THERE ARE ALL KINDS OF HEALTH ISSUES.

IT IS RESPONSIBLE FOR DRUNKEN DRIVING.

IT IS RESPONSIBLE FOR THE FAMILIES BREAKING UP.

IT IS RESPONSIBLE FOR MANY CHILDREN WHO HAVE TO GO INTO  THE SYSTEM, CHILDREN, YOUTH AND FAMILIES SYSTEMS, AND  FOSTER CARE.

AND THE IMPACT THAT ALCOHOL  HAS ON NEW MEXICO AND NEW MEXICO CITIZENS IS REALLY, I THINK, CRIMINAL IF WE DO NOT RESPOND TO IT IN AN  APPROPRIATE WAY.

AND BY NOT PUTTING SOME  RESOURCES INTO IT, NOT INVESTING MORE IN PREVENTION  PROGRAMS, ALL OF THESE THINGS RIPPLE ACROSS OUR SYSTEMS.

AND TO NOT ADDRESS THIS ENSURES THE FACT THAT THIS  ISSUE WILL CONTINUE TO CAUSE PROBLEMS FOR EVERYONE.

>> Gene: DO YOU HAVE A POINT ON THAT?

PLEASE.

>> Giovanna: I JUST WANT TO  FOLLOW-UP BECAUSE YOU HAVE A PUBLIC BACKGROUND.

ALCOHOL ABUSE IS A PUBLIC HEALTH PROBLEM AND I THINK  THAT THAT IS CLEAR, YOU KNOW, AND THEN IT IS SORT OF LIKE  OKAY, WHAT IS THE SOLUTION?

MAYBE THE GOVERNOR, YOU KNOW,  IT WASN'T ENOUGH.

MAYBE IT WAS TOO MUCH, IT  WASN'T CLEAR -- >> Gene: I WISH SHE HAD SAID  SOMETHING THAT WOULD PUT SOME CLARITY ON THAT.

>> Giovanna: THE ONLY THING WE HEARD WAS THAT THE NUMBERS  WEREN'T QUITE RIGHT, AT LEAST THAT IS WHAT WAS QUOTED IN THE  PAPER.

>> Gene: I NEED TO MOVE ON  UNFORTUNATELY BUT IT ALSO TAKES 10 MILLION OFF THE TABLE  WITH THE COUPLE OF PENNIES ON EACH DRINK THAT WAS GOING TO  GO TOWARDS WHAT MICHAEL MENTIONED, HELP THE FAMILIES,  ABATEMENT ISSUES.

THAT IS NOT THERE NOW AND I AM NOT SURE WHERE THE GOVERNOR IS  COMING FROM, HOW YOU CAN MAKE THAT UP AS OPPOSED TO WHAT WAS  LAID IN FRONT OF YOU.

YOU DON'T WANT TO DO 25 CENTS  A DRINK, THAT IS FINE, BUT TWO CENTS?

I MEAN SOMETHING WEIRD THERE.

THANKS TO OUR LINE OPINION  PANEL ON THAT ONE.

WE'LL MEET BACK HERE AT THE  TABLE IN LESS THAN 15 TO TALK ABOUT AN INVESTIGATION FROM  SEARCHLIGHT NEW MEXICO AND PROPUBLICA THAT REVEALS THE STATE'S FAILURES IN CARING FOR FOSTER CHILDREN IN NEED OF  MENTAL HEALTHCARE IN OUR STATE.

A NEW REPORT SPOTLIGHTS SOME OF THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT  SHORTCOMINGS WHEN IT COMES TO INDIGENOUS HEALTHCARE,  SPECIFICALLY MOTHERS AND NEWBORNS.

A HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES ADVISORY COMMITTEE SPENT 24  MONTHS REVIEWING DATA AND LITERATURE AND HERE IS WHAT IT  FOUND.

MATERNAL MORTALITY AMONG  AMERICAN INDIAN AND ALASKA NATIVE POPULATIONS RANGES FROM  TWO TO FOUR-AND-A-HALF TIMES THE RATE FOR NON-HISPANIC  WHITE WOMEN AND IN SOME REGIONS, THE DISPARITY IS EVEN  MORE STRIKING.

INDIGENOUS MOTHERS MORTALITY  RATE IS SEVEN TIMES HIGHER AND THE DATA SHOWED AN ESTIMATED  93% OF THOSE DEATHS AMONG INDIGENOUS PEOPLE ARE  PREVENTABLE.

NOW WITH INDIGENOUS PEOPLE  MAKING UP MORE THAN 10% OF NEW MEXICO'S POPULATION, THOSE STATS HIT OUR STATE HARDER THAN MOST.

TO UNDERSTAND WHAT IS REQUIRED TO TURN THOSE NUMBERS AROUND  NEW MEXICO IN FOCUS CORRESPONDENT ANTONIO GONZALES SPOKE WITH THE CHAIR OF THAT ADVISORY COMMITTEE AND AN  INDIGENOUS NURSE MIDWIFE WHO HELPED PUT THAT REPORT TOGETHER.

>> Antonia: WELCOME DR. EDWARD EHLINGER, CHAIR OF THE ADVISORY COMMITTEE ON INFANT AND MATERNAL MORTALITY AND CO-AUTHOR OF THE REPORT.

WE ARE ALSO JOINED BY DR. JANELLE PALACIOS, A NURSE  AND MIDWIFE, CHAIR OF THE ADVISORY COMMITTEE'S EQUITY  GROUP AND SHE IS SALISH AND KOOTENAI.

THANK YOU BOTH FOR JOINING ME.

THIS REPORT IS EXTENSIVE.

ONE THING THAT STANDS OUT IS THE AMOUNT OF HISTORICAL  CONTEXT USED TO FRAME THE FINDING.

DR. EHLINGER, WHY IS IT IMPORTANT TO HAVE A FIRM  UNDERSTANDING OF THE CENTURIES OF HARDSHIPS FACING INDIGENOUS  PEOPLE BEFORE CONSIDERING THIS SPECIFIC PROBLEM?

>> Ehlinger: WE KNOW THAT BELONGING IS AN IMPORTANT  INDICATOR OF HEALTH, BEING PART OF A COMMUNITY, BEING  WELCOMED IN A COMMUNITY, BEING APPRECIATED IN THE COMMUNITY.

AND WE KNOW THAT FOR SO LONG AMERICAN INDIANS AND ALASKA  NATIVES AND INDIGENOUS FOLKS IN THIS COUNTRY HAVE NOT FELT  INCLUDED.

IN FACT, THEY FELT EXCLUDED  AND THAT HAS IMPACTED THE POLICIES THAT WE HAVE CREATED  IN OUR SOCIETY AND THEIR SENSE OF WHETHER THEY EVEN BELONG IN  THIS COUNTRY, EVEN THOUGH THIS WAS THEIR COUNTRY TO START WITH.

AND IT HAS A HUGE IMPACT ON THEIR HEALTH SO IT DETERMINES ALL THE FEDERAL POLICIES,  LOCAL POLICIES AND IMPACTS HEALTH DIRECTLY.

THAT IS WHY WE FOCUSED ON THAT CONTEXT BECAUSE THAT IS  PROBABLY THE MOST IMPORTANT THING THAT HAS AFFECTED  AMERICAN INDIAN ALASKA NATIVE HEALTH OVER THE LAST TWO OR  300 YEARS IN THIS COUNTRY.

>> Antonia: DR.PALACIOS,  ANYTHING TO ADD TO THAT ABOUT WHY IT IS SO IMPORTANT TO TALK  ABOUT THE HISTORICAL CONTEXT BEFORE ADDRESSING CERTAIN  HEALTH ISSUES ESPECIALLY WHEN IT COMES TO THIS ONE?

>> Palacios: OF COURSE.

WE ARE A COUNTRY THAT HAS A  LOT OF STEREOTYPES AND SO FOR THE LONGEST TIME, SOMEONE'S  PERSONAL OUTCOMES OR HEALTH OUTCOMES, FOR EXAMPLE, SOMEONE  WHO WENT INTO PRETERM LABOR OR SOMEONE WHO MAY HAVE HAD EXTRA  BLEEDING AFTER DELIVERY OR SOMEONE'S USE OF SUBSTANCES OR  MENTAL HEALTH ISSUES WERE ALL PUT ON THEIR OWN SHOULDERS.

IT WAS THEIR OWN BURDEN.

IT WAS THEIR OWN FAULT.

AND IF WE DON'T HAVE THE HISTORICAL PIECE TO THAT  CONTEXT TO HELP US UNDERSTAND THAT SYSTEMATIC POLICIES  ACTUALLY TARGETED INDIGENOUS PEOPLES OF THIS NATION TO  DISENFRANCHISE THEM FROM THEIR FAMILIES, TO BREAK DOWN THE  STRONG CULTURAL PRACTICES AND BELIEFS, TO REPLACE THEM WITH  OTHER ONES THAT MADE THEM FEEL LESS THAN, THEN WE HAVE A  DIFFICULT TIME UNDERSTANDING WHY THERE ARE SUCH ISSUES LIKE  MENTAL HEALTH OR SELF MEDICATION THROUGH SUBSTANCES  OR WHY PEOPLE EXPERIENCE HIGHER RATES OF SYSTEMIC  RACISM IN THE FORM OF HIGHER RATES OF INCARCERATION OR  IMPRISONMENT.

SO IT IS REALLY IMPORTANT FOR  EVERYONE IN OUR NATION TO REALLY UNDERSTAND OUR NATION'S  HISTORY.

I KNOW WHEN I WENT TO SCHOOL I  DID NOT KNOW VERY MUCH ABOUT THE AMERICAN HISTORY JUST A  FEW PAGES IN THE BOOK AND WE LEARNED ABOUT SACAJAWEA AND  POCAHONTAS AND OUR HISTORY IS SO MUCH MORE THAN THOSE TWO  FIGURES.

>> Antonia: MUCH OF THE REPORT  IS FRAMED AROUND EQUITY AND THAT INCLUDES DATA COLLECTION  AND WE KNOW NOT JUST THIS ISSUE BUT MANY ISSUES ACROSS  INDIAN COUNTRY AND ALASKA NATIVES, THERE IS NOT A LOT OF  DATA.

SO, DR. PALACIOS, HOW DID  BLIND SPOTS IN THE DATA IMPACT YOUR ABILITY TO PROPERLY LOOK  AT AND ANALYZE THIS ISSUE?

>> Palacios: YEAH.

GREAT QUESTION.

I LOVE THIS QUESTION BECAUSE  WE TYPICALLY ARE AN ASTERISK NATION.

IF YOU LOOK AT STATE REPORTS OR NATIONAL DATA, THE AMERICAN  INDIAN ALASKA NATIVE IS USUALLY AN ASTERISK.

THERE IS NOT SUFFICIENT NUMBERS.

WE AREN'T COUNTED, WE DON'T MATTER.

THERE IS A WHOLE ISSUE ABOUT HOW TO COUNT US, WHICH IS A  WHOLE OTHER CONVERSATION.

BECAUSE WE ARE TALKING ABOUT  DO WE COUNT THOSE THAT ARE ENROLLED ONLY?

DO WE COUNT THOSE THAT ARE JUST RECEIVING INDIAN HEALTH  SERVICES?

DO WE COUNT THOSE THAT SELF  IDENTIFY?

AND TO THAT POINT WE HAVE TO  UNDERSTAND PART OF OUR NATION'S HISTORY AND POLICY  WAS SYSTEMATICALLY TO TERMINATE NATIVE PEOPLE AS A  PEOPLE, SO THAT THEY WOULD NO LONGER HAVE CLAIMS TO THIS  LAND AND RESOURCES.

THIS WAS POINTED OUT IN CHIEF  JOHN MARSHALL OF THE SUPREME COURT WHERE HE TALKED ABOUT  THAT THE FUTURE THAT HE SAW WAS THAT WE WOULD BE ONE GROUP  OF PEOPLE.

THERE WOULD NO LONGER BE  NATIVE TRIBES THAT WE ALL BE -- THERE WOULD BE NO NEED  TO SETTLE DISPUTES AMONG NATIVE RESERVATIONS OR NATIVE PEOPLE.

AND AMERICAN INDIAN ALASKA NATIVE PEOPLE TEND TO BE A POPULATION THAT HAS INTER  MARRIED AND MIXED WITH A LOT OF OTHERS.

SO THE FIRST STEP IS TRYING TO IDENTIFY BEST IDEAS OF HOW TO  COUNT NATIVE PEOPLE SO THAT WE CAN GET TO THAT INFORMATION.

>> Antonia: DR. PALACIOS, THERE IS A LOT OF MISTRUST  STILL IN TRIBAL COMMUNITIES ACROSS THE COUNTRY.

SO HOW IMPORTANT IS IT TO HAVE THESE MEETINGS AND HEAR FROM  DIFFERENT INDIGENOUS COMMUNITIES TO START BUILDING  THAT TRUST?

>> Palacios: RIGHT, SO THE  FACT THAT THE COMMITTEE ACTUALLY HAD AN IN-PERSON  MEETING ON TRIBAL LANDS WAS JUST DEMONSTRATING THAT YOUR  COMMUNITY MATTERS, RIGHT, THAT WE ARE HERE.

AND THE HEALTH BUREAU, THEY MOVE MOUNTAINS IN ORDER TO  MAKE THIS HAPPEN.

THE FIRST TIME IN 30 PLUS  YEARS THAT A MEETING WAS OUTSIDE OF ROCKVILLE, MARYLAND.

SO THEY REALLY WORKED FOR A GOOD AMOUNT OF TIME, I THINK, CLOSE TO A YEAR TO MAKE THIS  HAPPEN.

AND WHEN WE WERE IN THE  COMMITTEE AND WE HAD PEOPLE TESTIFYING AND GIVE  TESTIMONIAL OF LIKE THEIR EXPERIENCES, IN ADDITION TO  THE DATA THEY WERE PRESENTING, WE HEARD THAT THEY RECOGNIZE  THE IMPORTANCE OF HAVING SPACE TO SHARE THEIR STORIES.

SO WE HAVE COMMUNITIES THAT ARE USED TO, ACCUSTOMED TO,  UNFORTUNATELY, A STYLE OF PRESENCE THAT IS JUST VERY  SHORT TERM A SHORT SPAN OF TIME.

AND IT TAKES THAT CONTINUED ENGAGEMENT, THAT CONTINUED  PRESENCE AND PARTICIPATION IN THE COMMUNITY FOR COMMUNITIES  TO FEEL SAFE THAT THEY CAN TRUST YOU.

SO, THIS IS A FIRST STEP.

IT IS A GREAT FIRST STEP BUT  THEN ACTION NEEDS TO FOLLOW THIS, YOU KNOW, NOT JUST  LISTENING TO VOICES, BUT ACTION, BECAUSE OUR  COMMUNITIES KNOW WHAT IS NEEDED.

>> Ehlinger: LET ME ADD TO THAT.

THE FACT THAT JANELLE WAS ON THE COMMITTEE AS AN INDIGENOUS  PERSON, THAT ALLOWED PEOPLE TO FEEL A LITTLE SAFER, AND ALSO  BY THE FACT THAT DEB HAALAND IS A FEDERAL APPOINTEE FROM  THE AMERICAN INDIAN ALASKA NATIVE COMMUNITY AT THE  FEDERAL LEVEL.

THEY ARE STARTING TO SAY,  MAYBE WE ARE BEING HEARD, MAYBE WE CAN PUT A TOE IN THE  WATER AND BE A LITTLE BIT MORE TRUSTING, ALWAYS CAUTIOUS, BUT  IT IS A GRADUAL PROCESS.

IT IS NOT GOING TO CHANGE OVER  NIGHT BUT JUST HAVING REPRESENTATION, THAT IS WHY  ONE OF THE THINGS THE WHOLE AREA OF THE RECOMMENDATIONS  ARE, WE NEED MORE INDIGENOUS PEOPLE ON COMMITTEES, IN  TASKFORCES, ON WORKFORCES, IN THE WORKFORCE IN GENERAL.

SO THAT THEY FEEL INCLUDED, THEY GET A SENSE OF BELONGING  AND FEEL PART OF THE COMMUNITY AND THAT HELPS BUILD THAT  TRUST WE ARE LOOKING FOR.

>> Antonia: DR. PALACIOS, YOU  ALSO HAD A PERSONAL SIDE TO THIS REPORT.

YOU TALKED ABOUT YOUR OWN CHILDHOOD EXPERIENCES AND  PATTERNS.

HOW DOES THAT CYCLE OF ABUSE  AND TRAUMA IMPACT HEALTH OUTCOMES FOR INDIGENOUS  MOTHERS AND INFANTS?

>> Palacios: SURE.

AT A YOUNG AGE, I EXPERIENCED GROWING UP AS THE FIRST BORN  OF A TEEN MOTHER AND SHE HERSELF, MY MOTHER, WAS A  CHILD OF A TEEN MOTHER.

SO WE HAVE GENERATIONS OF LIKE  TEEN PARENTS IN OUR FAMILY.

WE ALSO LIVED ON A  RESERVATION.

WE LIVED ON THE FLATHEAD  INDIAN RESERVATION.

WE LIVED IN HUD HOUSING.

WE ATE COMMODITY FOOD.

I REMEMBER GOING ONCE A MONTH  TO GET COMMODITY FOOD.

SO I REMEMBER POVERTY.

I ALSO REMEMBER RACISM.

BECAUSE MY RESERVATION HAS A  HEAVILY NONNATIVE PEOPLE POPULATION THAT OWN LAND AND  MOST OF THE TOWNS AND WE AGRICULTURAL SPACES.

SO, GROWING UP AT THE INTERSECTION OF POVERTY, OF  RACISM, OF BEING NATIVE AMERICAN AND A WOMAN, AND  HAVING THIS HISTORICAL PIECE OF GENERATIONS OF TEEN  MOTHERS, AND EXPERIENCING FIRSTHAND VIOLENCE, ABUSE,  JUST DIFFERENT THINGS THAT COME WITH THIS HISTORICAL  TRAUMA, AS A TEENAGER I SAW MY FRIENDS ALSO EXPERIENCING  THESE SIMILAR EFFECTS OF HISTORICAL TRAUMA.

AND AT A VERY YOUNG AGE, I REALIZED THAT I WANTED TO DO  SOMETHING DIFFERENT AND I WANTED TO BECOME A MIDWIFE AND  HELP PEOPLE AND HELP FAMILIES.

SO,   AS I WAS TALKING EARLIER THAT THE WAY THAT MANY PEOPLE  IN OUR NATION HISTORICALLY HAVE LOOKED AT, LET'S SAY,  TEEN MOTHERS IN GENERAL, THAT IT IS THEIR OWN FAULT FOR  BECOMING PREGNANT AND HAVING A CHILD, AS IF THEY WERE  PURSUING THAT, IT REALLY TAKES OUT THAT CONSIDERATION AND  UNDERSTANDING OF THERE ARE LIMITED OPPORTUNITIES  SOMETIMES FOR PEOPLE, THAT NOT EVERYONE HAS THE SAME  OPPORTUNITY BECAUSE OF THEIR LAUNCH IN LIFE.

THEN YOU'LL HAVE A BETTER UNDERSTANDING OF THEIR HEALTH  OUTCOMES AND THEIR BEHAVIORS AND PRACTICES.

AND I WAS ABLE TO BRING THIS ON TO A NATIONAL LEVEL WHICH I  AM VERY HONORED TO HAVE BEEN ABLE TO DO THAT.

SO, IF WE ARE ABLE TO UNDERSTAND AS A NATION AND  LOOK AT OUR OWN HISTORY, OUR NATION'S HISTORY, WE ARE ABLE  TO BETTER HELP ALL FAMILIES IN OUR NATION TO BE MORE OF A  COMMUNITY.

>> Antonia: SO, HOW DO WE TALK  ABOUT THESE THINGS WITHOUT PROMOTING STEREOTYPES OR  EXPRESSING STEREOTYPES?

>> Palacios: SOMETHING THAT  DR. EHLINGER AND DR. PECK HAVE REALLY TRIED TO WORK OUT IS  CHANGING THE NARRATIVE.

SO YOU HAVE TO UNDERSTAND THAT  HISTORICAL PIECE AND YOU HAVE TO LET PEOPLE SHARE THEIR  EXPERIENCES AND THEN WITH AWARENESS OF PEOPLES  EXPERIENCES, THAT WE CAN REINTRODUCE NEW STORIES SO  THAT WE CAN COMBAT THOSE STEREOTYPES.

THAT IS ONE WAY WE ARE TRYING TO REALLY BATTLE AGAINST THESE  STEREOTYPES.

ANOTHER ONE IS THAT HARD DATA  THAT A LOT OF SCIENTISTS AND POLICIES ARE MADE FROM.

SO WE HAVE NUMBERS BUT WE ALSO HAVE THE STORIES BEHIND THAT  AND THE TWO COMBINED COULD BE VERY POWERFUL.

>> Antonia: AND DR. EHLINGER, ANYTHING TO ADD IN AND ALSO  JUST NEXT STEPS NOW AFTER THE REPORT.

WHAT IS THE ACTION GOING TO LOOK LIKE?

>> Ehlinger: IN TERMS OF NEXT STEPS, I DON'T WANT TO LEAVE  THIS CONVERSATION WITHOUT BRINGING UP THE WHOLE  INADEQUACIES OF THE INDIAN HEALTH SERVICE THAT WE HEARD  OVER AND OVER AGAIN.

YES, MEDICAL CARE IS NOT THE  ONLY THING THAT IS REALLY IMPORTANT.

IT IS THE COMMUNITY AND LIVING CONDITIONS BUT WE CAN'T FORGET  ABOUT THE CLINICAL CARE.

AND WE HEARD OVER AND OVER  AGAIN IN THE STORIES WE HEARD THAT THE INDIAN HEALTH  SERVICE, FOR A WHOLE MULTITUDE OF REASONS, IS NOT MEETING THE  NEEDS OF THE AMERICAN INDIAN AND ALASKA NATIVE COMMUNITY.

SO WE REALLY NEED TO DIVE IN AND DOUBLE DOWN ON WHY IS THAT  HAPPENING AND WHAT CAN CHANGE TO MAKE THE INDIAN HEALTH  SERVICE OR SOME OTHER SYSTEM MEET THE CLINICAL NEEDS, THE  MEDICAL CARE NEEDS OF THE AMERICAN INDIAN ALASKA NATIVE  COMMUNITY.

THAT IS REALLY WHERE A LOT OF  OUR STEPS NEED TO GO.

CHANGE THE NARRATIVE, COLLECT  OUR -- CHANGE OUR DATA COLLECTION AND IMPROVE THE  INDIAN HEALTH SERVICE, THAT WOULD REALLY BE THE TRIFECTA  FOR ME.

>> Gene: WELCOME BACK TO OUR  LINE OPINION PANEL.

STAFFERS AT SHELTERS CALLED  911 MORE THAN 1100 TIMES FOR HELP WITH RUNAWAYS AND  CHILDREN SUFFERING FROM MENTAL HEALTH CRISES DURING A RECENT  THREE-AND-A-HALF YEAR PERIOD.

MANY OF THEM WERE FOSTER KIDS.

WE LEARNED THOSE NUMBERS LAST WEEK IN A STORY FROM ED WILLIAMS PUBLISHED BY SEARCHLIGHT NEW MEXICO AND PROPUBLICA.

NOW THE STATE HAS PROMISED REPEATEDLY THAT THE CHILDREN YOUTH AND FAMILIES DEPARTMENT  WOULD STOP HOUSING TROUBLED KIDS IN PLACES THAT CAN'T HELP  THEM.

WE HAVE COVERED THAT HERE AT  THE TABLE MANY TIMES.

EXCEPT IN EXTRAORDINARY  CIRCUMSTANCES ACCORDING TO THEM.

BUT IT STILL IS HAPPENING ANYWAY.

MR. WILLIAMS REVEALS THAT POLICE ARE OFTEN LEFT TO PICK  UP THE PIECES.

THE QUOTES HE GATHERED FROM  OFFICERS ARE STRIKING.

MANY OF THEM KNOW THEY AREN'T  EQUIPPED TO HELP THESE KIDS EITHER AND, TOM, DO YOU FIND  IT ASTOUNDING TO HEAR POLICE CRITICIZING AND QUESTIONING  THE SYSTEM THAT CONTINUALLY BRINGS KIDS BACK TO THE  SHELTERS.

WHEN YOU HEAR GROUND ZERO  REPORTS FROM POLICE OFFICERS, THAT HAS GOT TO WAKE FOLKS UP,  IT WOULD SEEM TO ME.

HOW DID YOU TAKE WHAT YOU SAW?

>> Tom: THERE ARE A LOT OF ITEMS IN THE SEARCHLIGHT STORY  THAT DEFINITELY CAUGHT MY ATTENTION.

BY MEANS OF DISCLOSURE, I HAVE DONE WORK WITH CYFD ON TOPICS  RELATED TO THIS, BUT MY THOUGHTS ARE ALL MY OWN.

SO, YOU KNOW, I THINK WHAT MR. WILLIAMS DID WAS HE  BROUGHT TO LIGHT ITEMS THAT NEED TO -- KIND OF LIKE A  SHAKE ME TO WAKE ME KIND OF THING.

THAT IS DEFINITELY THE NEGATIVE SIDE.

IT IS NOT A HIGHLIGHT NOT IN THE LEAST, BUT SOMETHING THAT  IS ONE ASPECT THAT NEEDS TO BE ADDRESSED.

ONE OF THE UNDERLYING ISSUES IS REALLY THE NEED FOR FOSTER  PARENTS, RESOURCE PARENTS AND REALLY FOR NEW MEXICO TO GET INVOLVED.

BUT, WHEN YOU LOOK AT THAT,  YEAH, IT IS VERY DIFFICULT AND FOR THE NORMAL NEW MEXICAN, I  THINK WE LOOK AT THAT AND WE ARE JUST SHOCKED.

HOW CAN WE TREAT OTHERS LIKE THIS, BUT, YOU KNOW WHAT, IT  IS NOT AN EASY FIX.

CYFD IS NOT DEPARTMENT OF  TOURISM.

IT IS NOT THE ECONOMIC  DEVELOPMENT DEPARTMENT.

WE HAVE TO HAVE DIFFERENT  EXPECTATIONS OF WHAT SUCCESS LOOKS LIKE.

>> Gene: THAT IS A VERY GOOD POINT, THAT LAST POINT THERE.

BERNALILLO COUNTY SHERIFF'S OFFICE, LIEUTENANT AMY DUDEWICZ, WHO YOU NEVER READ QUOTED, IN AN INTERVIEW, QUOTE, IT IS A FRUSTRATION AND IT IS A HUGE CONCERN FOR THOSE  OF US THAT ARE ANSWERING THOSE CALLS, LIKE, IS THIS THE BEST  RESPONSE THAT WE HAVE TO OFFER.

MICHAEL, AGAIN, THE FRUSTRATION COMING OUT OF LAW  ENFORCEMENT PEOPLE SHOULD BE A SIGNAL TO POLICYMAKERS THAT WE  ARE NOT DOING ENOUGH HERE.

HOW ARE YOU HEARING WHAT THESE  LAW ENFORCEMENT FOLKS ARE SAYING?

>> Michael: WELL, IF LAW ENFORCEMENT NEEDS HELP, THEN  SOMETHING IS REALLY WRONG.

AND THEY ARE NOT THE MOST  APPROPRIATE TO BE ADDRESSING THIS ISSUE.

WHAT IT POINTS OUT TO ME IS A FAILURE OF A SYSTEM TO REALLY  ADDRESS THE ISSUES OF FOSTER CHILDREN AND, AGAIN, I AM  GOING TO CIRCLE BACK TO WHAT I SAID EARLIER IN OUR  CONVERSATION, WAS THAT I WOULD IMAGINE THAT MANY OF THESE  CHILDREN ARE COMING FROM FAMILIES THAT WE WOULD DEFINE  AS DYSFUNCTIONAL AND HAVING A HOST OF ISSUES.

SOME OF THOSE ISSUES I WOULD IMAGINE ARE PARENTS WHO ARE  NOT FUNCTIONING IN THEIR ROLES AS POSITIVE SUPPORT AND  PARENTING AND I WOULD IMAGINE MANY OF THEM HAVE BEEN  IMPACTED BY ALCOHOL AND SUBSTANCE ABUSE AS WELL AS  DRUGS.

AND UNTIL WE REALLY GO BACK TO  THE ORIGIN OF WHAT IS CAUSING THIS PROBLEM THAT RIPPLES  ACROSS OUR SYSTEM, UNTIL WE GO TO THE BASIS OF THAT AND  ADDRESS THAT ISSUE, WE ARE GOING TO CONTINUE TO HAVE THIS  FALLOUT.

NOTHING IS GOING TO CHANGE.

>> Gene: IT IS LIKE THE FIRE DEPARTMENT PUTTING OUT FIRES,  EXACTLY RIGHT.

TOM MENTIONED OTHER THINGS  THAT WERE IN THE ARTICLE INTERESTING AS WELL.

SOME OF THE POLICE OFFICERS, THEY HAVE TO STAY WITH KIDS  FOR HOURS UNABLE TO RESPOND TO OTHER CALLS.

YOU CAN'T BE HAVING THAT.

IS THIS A RESOURCE PROBLEM?

IS THAT WHAT IS GOING ON HERE?

>> Giovanna: I THINK THERE ARE  RESOURCE ISSUES FOR SURE BUT I THINK WHAT MICHAEL SAID IS  REALLY KEY IS THAT IT IS A SYSTEM PROBLEM.

JUST IN DISCLOSURE AS WELL, I HAVE WORKED WITH CYFD REGIONAL  MANAGERS IN A DIFFERENT PERSPECTIVE FROM MY WORK  SUPPORTING WOMEN AND PROFESSIONALS IN THE WORKPLACE  TO MANAGE THEIR STRESS IN THE WORKPLACE.

BUT ALL OF MY OPINIONS ARE MY OWN.

AND, SO, I HAVE SEEN IT FROM THAT PERSPECTIVE.

THERE IS NO QUESTION, I MEAN,  THE PEOPLE THAT WORK IN CYFD ARE CARING PEOPLE WHO A LOT OF  THEM HAVE SOCIAL WORK BACKGROUND.

I MEAN, YOU KNOW, I THINK THIS BLAMING THOSE CYFD PEOPLE IS  THE WRONG ANSWER.

IT REALLY IS A SYSTEMS ISSUE,  BECAUSE IF YOU HAVE YOUR LEADERSHIP, WHICH IS THE  GOVERNOR AND CYFD LEADERSHIP THAT SHE PUT IN PLACE, WHO  HAVE ALL THE RIGHT INTENTIONS AND THEY UNDERSTAND THE ROOT  CAUSES AND THE SOCIAL DETERMINATIVES OF HEALTH AND  ALL OF THE THINGS, AND THEN YOU STILL SEE THE POLICE  SITTING WITH THIS TEENAGER WHO IS BOUND BY THE FEET AND  HANDS, IT IS HORRIFYING, AND THE POLICE ARE SITTING THERE  FOR HOURS, CLEARLY THERE IS A DISCONNECT WITH THE SYSTEM.

SO, I WOULD LOOK THERE FOR SURE.

THAT IS NOT AN EASY FIX.

>> Gene: ANOTHER INTERESTING  POINT, GUYS, ATTORNEY GENERAL RAUL TORRES WANTED TO CREATE A  NEW CIVIL RIGHTS DIVISION TO SUE THE STATE ON BEHALF OF  CHILDREN HARMED BY GOVERNMENT NEGLECT AND INCOMPETENCE, BUT  THE GOVERNOR POCKET VETOED A BILL THAT WOULD HAVE MADE IT  HAPPEN.

WHY DO YOU THINK THE GOVERNOR  WAS SO BRISTLED AT THE IDEA OF ADDITIONAL OVERSIGHT AT CYFD  OR IS THE ISSUE, AS SHE HINTED, PERHAPS, IT WAS BETTER  PUT IN ANOTHER ALREADY EXISTING AGENCY THAT WOULD  MANAGE THE MONEY AND KIND OF GET TO SOMETHING BUT WE HAVE  NEITHER AT THIS POINT.

>> Tom: YOU HAVE SOME OTHER  TYPES OF PROGRESS.

WITH RESPECT TO THE ATTORNEY  GENERAL, HE WAS ABLE TO BRING TO LIGHT A CONVERSATION THAT  THERE IS A NEED FOR A CIVIL RIGHTS DIVISION WITHIN HIS  OFFICE.

SO, THAT I THINK WAS A GOOD  POSITIVE MOVE BECAUSE IT CREATED AWARENESS.

SECOND, IN THE MIDST OF THE LEGISLATIVE SESSION THE  GOVERNOR ANNOUNCED IN THE MIDST OF 30 DIFFERENT BILLS TO  RESHAPE CYFD IN SOME FORM OR FASHION, THAT CYFD IS GOING TO  GO UNDER HER OWN MICROSCOPE.

WHEN YOU LOOK AT THE ORIGINS  OF CYFD, YOU HAVE TO GO BACK TO 1991 AND ALICE KING AND  THERE WERE FIVE DIFFERENT DEPARTMENTS THAT ALL HAD  DIFFERENT PIECES OF THE CHILD WELFARE REFORM.

SO, THEY BROUGHT ALL OF THOSE TOGETHER AND EACH CABINET  SECRETARY HAS HELPED MOVE THE BALL JUST A LITTLE BIT FURTHER.

WE HAVE HEATHER WILSON WHO DID IT.

YOU ALSO HAVE MONIQUE JACOBSON AND NOW YOU HAVE JUDGE VIGIL.

EVERYBODY IS MOVING THAT BALL  FORWARD EVER SO SLIGHTLY AND AGAIN THESE ARE NOT -- YOU  CAN'T MAKE HUGE STEPS.

THESE ARE ALL LITTLE BABY  STEPS YOU HAVE TO MAKE.

>> Gene: MICHAEL, LET ME READ  YOU A QUOTE HERE.

A SPOKESPERSON FOR THE  GOVERNOR ON THE RAUL TORRES IDEA SAID THE BILL WOULD,  QUOTE, ADD BARRIERS FOR CHILD VICTIMS TO ACCESS RESOURCES  AND CREATE CONFUSION AMONG ENTITIES ALREADY DOING THIS  WORK, END QUOTE.

DO YOU BUY THAT?

MR. TORRES IS TRYING TO FUNNEL THIS ALL INTO ONE PLACE.

WHY WOULD THE ISSUE BE DISPERSED?

IT IS INTERESTING.

>> Michael: UNLESS THERE IS  SOMETHING THAT IS NOT STATED.

IT WOULD SEEM TO ME THAT  ANYTHING YOU WOULD DO TO CENTRALIZE SOME SORT OF  CONTROL OR ACTIVITY WOULD BE A STEP IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION.

I THINK THAT, YOU KNOW, THIS MAY BE SOMETHING THAT IS TOO  CLOSE TO THE GOVERNOR ON SOME LEVEL AND SO THAT MIGHT BE,  YOU KNOW, HAVE SOMETHING TO DO WITH WHY SHE IS, YOU KNOW,  LOOKING ASKANCE AT IT MAYBE.

>> Giovanna: I WOULD SAY THAT  SHE PROBABLY WANTS THE OPPORTUNITY TO ADDRESS IT  WITHIN HER REFORMS AND THINGS THAT SHE ANNOUNCED AT CYFD  RATHER THAN GIVING IT OVER TO THE ATTORNEY GENERAL'S OFFICE  CIVIL RIGHTS DIVISION IDEA.

THAT IS A GOOD IDEA AND WORKS  IN OTHER STATES BUT HER PRIMARY GOAL IS TO LOOK AT  WHAT THE GOVERNMENT IS DOING WRONG AND I WOULD THINK THAT  THE GOVERNOR IS PROBABLY THINKING, WELL, LET ME TRY TO  DO IT FIRST BASED ON WHAT I HAVE SAID I WANT TO DO.

AND ALSO -- >> Gene: THE GOVERNOR ALSO  SAID THE AG ALREADY IS EMPOWERED TO TAKE ON THESE  KIND OF CASES IF HE WANTS TO.

THAT IS AN IMPORTANT POINT THERE.

>> Giovanna: THAT IS A GOOD POINT, TOO, GENE, AND I WOULD SAY THAT WAS ONE OF HER MAIN  POINTS WAS THAT, LOOK, YOU DON'T NEED LEGISLATION TO DO THIS WORK.

YOU CAN GO AHEAD AND DO IT  ANYWAY.

IT IS ALSO INTERESTING  APPARENTLY THERE WAS NO FUNDING IN THE BILL ANYWAY.

IT IS NOT LIKE HE IS GOING TO BE LACKING THE FUNDS THAT HE  WOULD HAVE HAD TO DO IT.

>> Gene: THAT IS A GOOD POINT.

JUST UNDER A MINUTE HERE.

YOU MENTIONED, INTERESTING  SECRETARY VIGIL TOOK OVER IN 2022, AFTER BRIAN BLAYLOCK  RESIGNED, FOLLOWING THAT TRANSPARENCY SCANDAL WHERE HE  ASKED ALL THE CYFD EMPLOYEES TO COMMUNICATE VIA AN  ENCRYPTED MESSAGING APP, BUT ED WILLIAMS STORY IS JUST THE  LATEST IN THE EXPOSED FAILURES AT CYFD.

LOTS OF THEM IN THE FOSTER SYSTEM.

WHAT STOPS THIS AT THE END OF THE DAY?

>> Tom: DEFINE "THIS" BECAUSE I HEARD TWO OR THREE DIFFERENT  THINGS.

>> Gene: THE OVERALL CYFD.

IS IT MORE LEADERSHIP, MORE OVERSIGHT, A TOTAL OVERHAUL?

WHAT SHOULD WE BE ADVOCATING FOR HERE?

>> Tom: I THINK THE DEPARTMENT IS SET UP TO ADVOCATE FOR KIDS  AND AS ED WILLIAMS' ITEMS, HIS STORY POINTED OUT, THERE ARE A  VARIETY OF DIFFERENT ISSUES THAT NEED TO BE ADDRESSED IN  THAT PROCESS.

THE COOPERATION AND  INTEGRATION WITH LAW ENFORCEMENT IS JUST ONE ASPECT  OF THOSE.

>> Gene: THANKS AGAIN TO THE  LINE PANELISTS AS ALWAYS THIS WEEK.

GREAT STUFF.

BE SURE TO LET US KNOW WHAT  YOU THINK ABOUT ANY TOPICS THE LINE COVERED ON OUR FACEBOOK,  TWITTER OR INSTAGRAM PAGES AND CATCH EPISODES YOU MAY HAVE  MISSED ON THE PBS APP, OR YOUR ROKU OR SMART TV.

BUT FIRST DISTRICT ATTORNEY SAM BREGMAN, WHO MOST OF US  KNOW AS A CRIMINAL DEFENSE AND CIVIL RIGHTS LAWYER AND A DAD  OF A CERTAIN BALL PLAYER, AND A DEMOCRATIC PARTY LEADER, OF  COURSE.

THE GOVERNOR APPOINTED HIM TO  THE NEW POSITION IN JANUARY.

NEW MEXICO IN FOCUS CORRESPONDENT RUSSELL CONTRERAS CAUGHT UP WITH MR.  BREGMAN TO ASK WHY HE DECIDED TO SWITCH SIDES IN THE COURT  ROOM?

I WANT TO HEAR THAT.

AND HOW HE PLANS TO ADDRESS PERSISTENT HIGH CRIME HERE IN  ALBUQUERQUE.

>> Russell: SAM BREGMAN, THANK YOU FOR JOINING ME.

WE APPRECIATE IT.

>> Bregman: IT IS A PLEASURE.

THANK YOU.

>> Russell: YOU HAVE HAD A  SUCCESSFUL CAREER HERE AS A PROSECUTOR AND AS AN ATTORNEY.

WHAT IN THE WORLD WOULD DRIVE YOU TO TAKE THIS DEPARTMENT,  TAKE THIS POSITION IN THE PROSECUTOR'S OFFICE IN THE  BIGGEST CITY IN ONE OF THE POOREST STATES IN THE COUNTRY?

THE DEPARTMENT HAS HAD A LOT OF TROUBLES THROUGH THE YEARS  TO SAY, I WANT TO TAKE THIS.

WHAT IS GOING THROUGH YOUR MIND?

>> Bregman: WELL, GIVEN THIS OPPORTUNITY BY THE GOVERNOR  WAS A GREAT HONOR AND I HAVE GOT TO TELL YOU, THE REASON I  DECIDED TO DO THIS WAS, NO.

1, I LOVE THIS COMMUNITY.

I HAVE RAISED MY FAMILY IN ALBUQUERQUE.

I HAVE BEEN IN THE CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYSTEM FOR 30 YEARS AS  A LAWYER.

AND THIS CITY HAS A CRIME  PROBLEM.

THERE IS NO DOUBT ABOUT THAT.

THAT IS PLAIN AND SIMPLE AND THE IDEA THAT I COULD SOMEHOW  MAKE A DIFFERENCE AND GIVE BACK TO MY COMMUNITY FOR THE  WONDERFUL OPPORTUNITY I HAVE HAD TO RAISE MY FAMILY HERE  AND THE FACT I LOVE ALBUQUERQUE AND I WANT TO HELP.

THAT IS REALLY WHY I AM DOING IT.

>> Russell: DID YOU HAVE ANY RESERVATIONS?

BECAUSE YOU WERE A SUCCESSFUL DEFENSE ATTORNEY, YOU HAVE GONE AGAINST MANY PROSECUTORS,  I HAVE SEEN IT IN ACTION, THAT YOU ARE ACTUALLY GOING TO STEP  OVER TO THE OTHER SIDE AND START GOING AFTER CRIMINALS,  WAS THERE ANYTHING IN YOUR MIND SAYING, WAIT A MINUTE, I  HAVE TO CHANGE MY MINDSET?

CAN I DO THIS?

>> Bregman: I HAVE TO TELL YOU, MY FIRST REAL JOB AS A  LAWYER WAS BEING ASSISTANT DISTRICT ATTORNEY IN THIS VERY  OFFICE MANY, MANY YEARS AGO.

AND I LOOK BACK THROUGHOUT MY  ENTIRE CAREER AND THAT WAS PROBABLY THE FAVORITE JOB I  EVER HAD BECAUSE I FELT LIKE I COULD MAKE A DIFFERENCE EVERYDAY.

AND SO I WENT OFF INTO PRIVATE PRACTICE.

I HAVE HAD A SUCCESSFUL CAREER  THERE BUT THIS WAS AN OPPORTUNITY THAT I AM LIKE,  YOU KNOW WHAT, I KNOW THIS CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYSTEM, I  KNOW HOW WE NEED TO COLLABORATE TOGETHER AS A  COMMUNITY TO CHANGE THE CRIME SITUATION IN ALBUQUERQUE, SO I  AM ALL IN.

>> Russell: A FEW YEARS AGO WE  WERE AT A 30 YEAR LOW FOR CRIME.

LIKE EVERYONE ELSE WE STARTED UP TICKING ON PROPERTY CRIME  AND VIOLENT CRIME.

FROM YOUR PERSPECTIVE BEFORE  YOU GOT IN HERE, WHAT DO YOU THINK WAS DRIVING THE CRIME IN  THIS CITY?

>> Bregman: WELL, THE LAST FEW  YEARS IS FENTANYL.

IT IS THE DRUG.

AND IT IS UNFORTUNATE.

WE HAVE ALSO A HUGE GUN  VIOLENCE PROBLEM.

GUNS ARE VERY ACCESSIBLE ALL  OVER THE COUNTRY AND I AM A SUPPORTER OF THE SECOND  AMENDMENT BUT AT THE SAME TIME WHEN WE HAVE PEOPLE THAT HAVE  NO BUSINESS HAVING GUNS, WE HAVE TEENS, WE HAVE JUVENILES,  DRIVING AROUND WITH GUNS, WITH THESE EXTENDED MAGAZINES WITH  50 ROUND BARRELS OR DRUM CLIPS, IT IS JUST TERRIBLE,  I BELIEVE.

BUT I THINK IN LARGE PART IT  IS FENTANYL AND IT IS DRUGS AND WE HAVE GOT TO GET A  HANDLE ON THAT.

THAT IS THE UNDERLYING REASON,  I BELIEVE.

>> Russell: THERE HAVE BEEN A  LOT OF CRITICS THAT SAY OUR BAIL SYSTEM IS ALSO SOMETHING  THAT NEEDS TO BE REFORMED.

YEARS AGO WE WERE THE OTHER  WAY WHERE IT WAS HARD TO GET BAIL.

YOU COULD GO INTO JAIL FOR A SMALL CRIME AND NOT HAVE THE  MONEY TO GET BAILED OUT.

NOW WE HAVE GONE THE OTHER WAY  WHERE SOME CRITICS SAY WE ARE RELEASING PEOPLE TOO EARLY.

FROM YOUR PERSPECTIVE, WHAT IS THE PROBLEM NOW?

>> Bregman: WELL, LET ME JUST BACK UP FOR A SECOND.

I AGREE WITH WHAT YOU EXPLAINED IS THE ISSUE BEFORE  AND THAT IS PEOPLE WERE NOT GETTING OUT JUST BECAUSE THEY  DIDN'T HAVE THE MONEY FOR BOND.

AND THAT IS WHY I SUPPORTED BAIL REFORM AT THE TIME.

BUT COMMON SENSE, COMMON SENSE TELLS US THAT IF SOMEONE, FOR  EXAMPLE, AND THIS IS A RECENT CASE, IF SOMEONE HAS BEEN  CONVICTED OF KILLING ANOTHER HUMAN BEING AND THEY HAVE DONE  THEIR TIME AND ARE NOW CHARGED AGAIN WITH HOMICIDE, THERE IS  NO WAY THAT PERSON SHOULD BE LET OUT PRETRIAL.

THEY SHOULD BE DETAINED UNTIL TRIAL TAKES PLACE.

I HAVE GOT TO TELL YOU SOMETHING.

I WAS VERY MUCH OF AN ADVOCATE FOR REBUTTABLE PRESUMPTION,  WHAT THEY CALL REBUTTABLE PRESUMPTION, THAT SAYS,  BASICALLY, THAT INDIVIDUAL THAT I JUST DESCRIBED, THERE  SHOULD BE REBUTTABLE PRESUMPTION THAT IT IS NOT  SAFE FOR THE COMMUNITY TO LET HIM OUT WHILE PENDING TRIAL.

SO, WE ARE WORKING TOGETHER, WE'LL CONTINUE TO WORK  TOGETHER, WE WEREN'T SUCCESSFUL AT THE LEGISLATURE  ON REBUTTABLE PRESUMPTION, AND THAT IS OKAY, I AM NOT SOMEONE  THAT IS GOING TO COMPLAIN ABOUT THE WAY THINGS GO.

I WANT TO LOOK FORWARD.

WE ARE WORKING WITH THE  JUDICIARY, ALL THE STAKEHOLDERS IN THE JUDICIAL  SYSTEM, TO MAKE SURE THIS COMMUNITY IS SAFE.

THAT IS THE NO.

1 PRIORITY, THAT IS PEOPLE ARE NOT ONLY  SAFE BUT THEY HAVE THE PERCEPTION THEY ARE SAFE,  BECAUSE BOTH THOSE THINGS ARE VERY IMPORTANT TO HAVE A  LIVABLE COMMUNITY.

>> Russell: SOME CRITICS WILL  SAY THAT PROPOSAL THAT WAS BEFORE THE LEGISLATURE THERE  WAS SOME CONSTITUTIONALITY PROBLEMS WITH THAT.

DO YOU AGREE WITH THAT?

>> Bregman: NO, I DON'T, BUT  IT IS OKAY.

WE HAVE A LOT OF LAWYERS OUT  THERE THAT HAVE DIFFERENCES OF OPINION.

THAT IS WHY WE HAVE CASES THE WAY WE DO AND THAT IS WHY  THOSE KINDS OF ISSUES GO TO THE SUPREME COURT.

I WOULD LIKE TO HAVE SEEN THAT CASE BE PRESENTED TO OUR STATE  SUPREME COURT TO SEE.

LISTEN, ALL I AM ASKING FOR IS  TO DO THE SAME THING THAT THE FEDERAL SYSTEM DOES.

THE FEDERAL SYSTEM HAS BASICALLY A REBUTTABLE  PRESUMPTION, AND, LET'S BE CLEAR, IN NO WAY AM I  ADVOCATING CHANGING THE PRESUMPTION OF INNOCENCE ALL  THE WAY THROUGH A CASE.

HOWEVER, THERE IS A TIME WHEN  YOU CAN LOOK AT SOMEONE'S RECORD AND YOU CAN SEE THEIR  CONDUCT AND THEY NEWLY CHARGED CONDUCT AND REALIZE THERE IS  NO REASONABLE CONDITION WE CAN LET THAT PERSON OUT WHERE THE  COMMUNITY CAN BE SAFE.

>> Russell: YOU'RE IN A UNIQUE  POSITION.

YOU HAVE BOTH DEFENDED  OFFICERS AND YOU BOTH DEFENDED CLIENTS WHO WERE VICTIMS OF  CIVIL RIGHTS VIOLATION BY SOME OFFICERS.

YOU'RE GOING IN AT A UNIQUE POSITION AND NOW THAT YOU ARE  A DA AND YOU'RE LOOKING AT THE TOTALITY OF OVERALL POLICING,  IS THERE STILL REFORMS THAT THE POLICE DEPARTMENT NEEDS IN  ORDER TO BE SAFE FIGHTING CRIME, BUT ALSO HONORING CIVIL  RIGHTS AND REALLY MONITORING SUCCESSFUL BEHAVIOR.

>> Bregman: YOU KNOW EVERYBODY'S CIVIL RIGHTS  SHOULD BE A PARAMOUNT CONCERN FOR EVERYBODY.

WHEN I SAY THAT IT IS VERY BROAD BUT CIVIL RIGHTS ARE  SOMETHING THAT I REALLY HOLD DEAR TO MY HEART.

I HAVE REPRESENTED PEOPLE WHO HAVE HAD THEIR CIVIL RIGHTS  VIOLATED BUT I'LL ALSO SAY SOMETHING RIGHT NOW ABOUT LAW  ENFORCEMENT.

THERE IS NOT A TOUGHER JOB IN  THIS COUNTRY THAN BEING A COP.

IT IS SO HARD BECAUSE WHAT  THEY HAVE TO DEAL WITH ON THE STREET AND THEN THEY ARE  SECOND GUESSED AFTERWARD.

THEY ARE SECOND GUESSED IN A  CRIMINAL CASE, OR WHATEVER, FORCE THEY THOUGHT WAS NEEDED  TO BE USED AT THE TIME.

SO, MY HAT IS OFF TO EVERY LAW  ENFORCEMENT OFFICER OUT THERE.

99.99% OF THEM DO AN AMAZING  JOB WITH HOW TOUGH THAT JOB IS.

AT THE SAME TIME WE HAVE HAD DOJ IN HERE OVER THE LAST FEW  YEARS AND I THINK THE POLICE DEPARTMENT HAS TAKEN A LOT OF  STEPS FOR THE BETTER BUT AT THE SAME TIME IT IS NOT  SOMETHING THAT I AM OVERLY CONCERNED WITH AS FAR AS A  POLICE DEPARTMENT IN A WHOLE.

WE WILL ALWAYS HAVE, IN  WHATEVER INDUSTRY WE ARE IN OR WHATEVER OCCUPATION WE ARE IN,  WE WILL HAVE SOME BAD APPLES HERE AND THERE, BUT OVERALL  OUR POLICE, EVERYDAY WE SHOULD BE THANKING THEM FOR WHAT THEY  DO IN THIS COMMUNITY.

>> Russell: YOU DON'T BELIEVE  IT IS A STRUCTURAL PROBLEM, YOU BELIEVE IT IS --  >> Bregman: I DON'T BELIEVE THERE IS A STRUCTURAL PROBLEM  RIGHT NOW, NO.

I THINK WE ALWAYS NEED TO BE  CONCERNED.

WE GIVE SOMEONE A BADGE AND A  GUN AND WITH THAT COMES HUGE RESPONSIBILITIES.

BUT I BELIEVE FOR THE VAST MAJORITY OF ALL POLICE  OFFICERS, THEY CARE ABOUT THIS COMMUNITY, THEY WANT TO  PROTECT THIS COMMUNITY AND THEY ARE DOING ONE HELL OF A  HARD JOB EVERY SINGLE DAY.

>> Russell: WHY DID YOU ONLY  WANT TO DO THIS FOR TWO YEARS?

I KNOW YOU DIDN'T WANT TO  THINK ABOUT THE POLITICS OF RUNNING FOR REELECTION, BUT  FOR YOU TO IMPLEMENT SOME OF THE THINGS YOU WANT, IT IS  GOING TO SOMEONE WHO FOLLOWS AFTER YOU TO HAVE THAT SAME --  TO BUY IN.

WHY WOULD YOU AND WANT TO DO  THIS TWO YEARS?

>> Bregman: WELL, LISTEN, I  WANT TO FOCUS ON DOING THE JOB.

I THINK THE BEST THING I CAN DO IS GET UP EVERY MORNING AS  I AM, ENERGIZED BECAUSE I LOVE THIS JOB.

GETTING UP, WORKING WITH PROSECUTORS, WORKING WITH ALL  LAW ENFORCEMENT IN A COLLABORATIVE WAY, GETTING THE  DA'S OFFICE WORKING TOGETHER WITH APD, WITH THE SHERIFF'S  DEPARTMENT, WITH STATE POLICE WITH ALL FEDERAL LAW  ENFORCEMENT OFFICIALS AND WITH THE U.S. ATTORNEY'S OFFICE,  FOR EXAMPLE, WORKING TOGETHER TO GRIND IT OUT AND SOLVE THIS  CRIME PROBLEM.

I AM NOT FOCUSED ON POLITICS  IN THE FUTURE.

I AM FOCUSED ON DOING THIS JOB  RIGHT NOW THE ABSOLUTE BEST I CAN AND I AM TRYING TO MOVE  THE NEEDLE.

WHEN I SAY MOVE THE NEEDLE,  YOU'RE NOT GOING TO STOP CRIME TOMORROW BUT WHAT WE CAN DO IS  PUT PROCESSES IN PLACE AND IN THIS OFFICE AND THROUGHOUT THE  LAW ENFORCEMENT COMMUNITY IN ALBUQUERQUE TO REALLY TRY TO  GET A HANDLE ON THE GUN VIOLENCE, TO GET A HANDLE ON  THE FENTANYL CRISIS AND TO MAKE SURE WE DON'T HAVE KIDS  IN SCHOOLS WITH GUNS.

THOSE KIND OF ISSUES, I REALLY  ENJOY WORKING ON.

>> Russell: EVERYBODY IS GOING  TO HAVE A REPORT CARD AFTER YOUR TWO YEARS ABOUT HOW SAM  BREGMAN DID.

BUT HOW ARE YOU GOING TO JUDGE  YOURSELF AFTER THOSE TWO YEARS?

>> Bregman: THE JOB OF A PROSECUTOR IS TO DO JUSTICE.

AND IT IS NOT TO GET SO MANY CONVICTIONS, IT IS NOT TO  HANDLE SO MANY CASES.

IT IS TO DO JUSTICE ON EVERY  SINGLE CASE AND I BELIEVE MY OPPORTUNITY TO TEACH YOUNG  PROSECUTORS AS WELL AS OTHER PROSECUTORS IN THAT OFFICE  WHAT JUSTICE MEANS, I WILL JUDGE MY SUCCESS BY HOW WELL  OUR PROSECUTORS ARE DOING, NOT IN CONVICTIONS, BUT PRESENTING  A GOOD CASE TO A JURY AND LETTING THEM DECIDE.

I WILL JUDGE -- OF COURSE, IT WOULD BE GREAT IF WE SAW SOME  CRIME NUMBERS GO DOWN.

I ANTICIPATE WE WILL.

I ANTICIPATE THAT WE ARE MAKING A DIFFERENCE.

WE ARE GOING TO GO AFTER THESE DRUG TRAFFICKERS.

WE ARE GOING TO BE RELENTLESS IN OUR PURSUIT OF GUN VIOLENCE  AND MAKING SURE PEOPLE ARE HELD ACCOUNTABLE.

AND AT THE END OF THE DAY, I WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT THE  COMMUNITY RECOGNIZES THAT WE ARE GOING TO BE INSISTENT THAT  PEOPLE RESPECT THE RULE OF LAW.

YOU DON'T LIKE THE LAW, YOU CAN GO UP TO THE LEGISLATURE  AND CHANGE IT, BUT WHATEVER THE RULE OF LAW IS, WE ARE  GOING TO MAKE SURE WE HOLD PEOPLE ACCOUNTABLE FOR THE  RULE OF LAW.

>> Russell: YOU HAVE BEEN A  PROSECUTOR.

YOU HAVE BEEN A CITY COUNCILOR.

WHAT WOULD IT TAKE FOR YOU, AFTER THESE TWO YEARS ARE UP, TO CONSIDER RUNNING FOR AN  OFFICE LIKE MAYOR?

>> Bregman: YOU KNOW WHAT, WE  ARE GOING TO KIND OF DODGE ALL THE POLITICAL QUESTIONS AND I  APPRECIATE THE QUESTION BUT WHAT I WANT TO FOCUS ON IS  TELLING YOU I THINK THE BEST THING I CAN DO IS JUST WORK MY  TAIL OF EVERYDAY ON BEING A REALLY GOOD DA.

>> Russell: BUT I USED TO CALL YOU TWICE ON TWO CASES.

YOUR MIND CAN HANDLE THINGS.

>> Bregman: I THINK I COULD  HANDLE IT MENTALLY.

BUT IT IS NOT WHAT I WANT TO DO.

I WANT TO FOCUS RIGHT NOW ON PROSECUTING.

>> Russell: SO YOU ARE NOT THINKING ABOUT HIGHER OFFICE, MAYOR AND ALL?

>> Bregman: I AM NOT THINKING ABOUT THAT STUFF RIGHT NOW.

I AM THINKING MY WIFE WOULD PROBABLY KILL ME IF I DID  START THINKING ABOUT IT.

>> Russell: IF YOU MADE AN  ANNOUNCEMENT.

>> Bregman: WHAT ANNOUNCEMENT?

WHAT ARE YOU TALKING ABOUT?

I AM FOCUSED ON FIGHTING CRIME.

I REALLY AM.

THAT IS WHAT I WANT TO DO.

>> Russell: SAM BREGMAN,  DISTRICT ATTORNEY HERE IN BERNALILLO COUNTY.

THANK YOU FOR JOINING US.

>> Bregman: THANK YOU.

>> Gene: THE MOUNTAIN WEST CONFERENCE ISN'T EXACTLY HOME  TO BASKETBALL POWER HOUSES.

JUST ONE SCHOOL HAS GOTTEN  PAST THE FIRST ROUND OF THE NCAA TOURNAMENT SINCE 2016 AND  NO MOUNTAIN WEST TEAM HAS COME CLOSE TO COLLEGE BASKETBALL'S  PROMISED LAND, BUT THAT CHANGED LAST MONTH WHEN SAN  DIEGO STATE UNIVERSITY PUNCHED ITS TICKET FOR THE FINAL FOUR  IN HOUSTON.

AZTECS MADE IT ALL THE WAY TO THE CHAMPIONSHIP GAME OF COURSE.

A SPOT OUR LOBOS WOULD DIE FOR.

DESPITE THE ENVY, THE UNM HOOPS PROGRAM DOES STAND A BETTER BENEFIT FROM THEIR CONFERENCE RIVAL'S SUCCESS.

THIS WEEK PRODUCER LOU DIVISIO  SAT DOWN WITH ALBUQUERQUE JOURNAL SPORTS WRITER JEFF  GRAMMER TO TALK THROUGH THE DETAILS AND ABOUT HIS TRIP TO  COVER THE BIG DANCE.

>> Lou: JEFF GRAMMER, THANKS  FOR COMING IN.

GREAT TO SEE YOU.

SPORTS WRITER ALBUQUERQUE JOURNAL, SPECIFICALLY UNM  BASKETBALL FOR MORE THAN 10 YEARS NOW.

YOU WERE JUST NAMED 2023 JIM O'CONNELL AWARD WINNER,  CONGRATULATIONS ON THAT BY THE BASKETBALL WRITERS ASSOCIATION.

>> Grammer: THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

>> Lou: YOU GOT TO COVER THE FINAL FOUR THIS YEAR.

THAT IS WHERE YOU RECEIVED THE AWARD.

HAD YOU BEEN IN THE BUILDING FOR A FINAL FOUR OR A  TOURNAMENT GAME BEFORE?

>> Grammer: YEAH, THIS WAS THE  SECOND FINAL FOUR I HAVE BEEN IN.

I HAVE BEEN IN NCAA TOURNAMENTS, COVERED UNM LOBOS  AND NEW MEXICO STATE AGGIES, BUT ALSO FIRST WEEKEND STUFF, WHICH IS THE MOST EXCITING WEEKEND, IF YOU ASK ME, BUT IT  IS NOT THE SAME BEAST AS MAYBE EVEN A SWEET 16 ROUND WHICH IS  THE SECOND WEEK OF THE TOURNAMENT AND NOTHING  COMPARED TO THE FINAL FOUR.

>> Lou: OBVIOUSLY SAN DIEGO  STATE WAS THE STAR OF THE TOURNAMENT THIS PAST YEAR FOR  THE MOUNTAIN WEST ALSO.

HOW DOES THAT IMPACT THE  LEGITIMACY OF THE CONFERENCE AND UNM BY EXTENSION?

>> Grammer: BIG TIME.

THE MOUNTAIN WEST FIRST  OVERALL HAD A REALLY GOOD SOLID REGULAR SEASON THIS YEAR.

UNM WAS A BIG PART OF THAT.

THEY WERE THE LAST TEAM UNDEFEATED IN COLLEGE  BASKETBALL.

THERE IS 363 DIVISION ONE TEAMS.

THE LAST TEAM IN THE COUNTRY WITHOUT A LOSS WAS UNM LOBOS.

STUFF LIKE THAT SORT OF ADDS  TO PERCEPTION AND I GETS SOME ATTENTION.

UNM ADDED TO THE MOUNTAIN WEST KIND OF BUILDING LEGITIMACY IN  THE REGULAR SEASON THIS YEAR.

THEY DIDN'T FINISH AS WELL AS  THEY WOULD LIKE.

THEY DID GET INVITED TO THE  NIT, FIRST.

FIRST POST SEASON APPEARANCE  FOR THE LOBOS OF ANY KIND SINCE 2014 SO THEY HELPED OUT,  BUT IF THE MOUNTAIN WEST GOT INTO THE NCAA TOURNAMENT, THEY  GOT FOUR TEAMS IN THIS YEAR.

SAN DIEGO STATE OBVIOUSLY MADE  THE RUN TO THE NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP GAME, BUT THEY  GOT FOUR TEAMS IN LAST YEAR AND ALL FOUR TEAMS LOST.

IN FACT, GOING INTO THIS YEAR'S TOURNAMENT, THE  MOUNTAIN WEST HAD AN 11 GAME LOSING STREAK IN THE NCAA  TOURNAMENT.

THEY WERE STARTING TO BUILD A PERCEPTION OF THEY MAY BE GOOD  IN THE REGULAR SEASON BUT ONCE THEY GET INTO THE NCAA  TOURNAMENT THEY ARE NOT THAT GOOD AND IT WAS STARTING TO  REALLY RESONATE WITH NATIONAL MEDIA, FANS AROUND THE COUNTRY  AND THAT IS WHY I THINK SAN DIEGO STATE DOING WHAT THEY  DID THIS YEAR IN THE NCAA TOURNAMENT, NOT JUST GETTING  THERE BUT ACTUALLY WINNING AND GETTING TO THE SWEET 16 ROUND  WAS A BIG ACCOMPLISHMENT FOR THIS LEAGUE.

THEY WERE THE FIRST MOUNTAIN WEST TEAM TO EVER GET TO THE  ELITE EIGHT.

THEN THEY WERE THE FIRST  MOUNTAIN WEST TEAM TO EVER GET TO THE FINAL FOUR, HIT A  BUZZER BEATER.

LAMONT BUTLER HIT THAT BUZZER  BEATER IN THE FINAL FOUR, ACTUALLY THE SAME GUY THAT HIT  A BUZZER BEATER HERE IN THE PIT EARLIER THIS YEAR.

THEN THEY GET TO THE NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP GAME.

THAT RUN FOR SAN DIEGO STATE HELPED LEGITIMIZE, KIND OF  MAKE WHAT THE MOUNTAIN WEST HAD BEEN DOING FOR ABOUT FIVE  OR SIX YEARS, REALLY, WHERE THEY WERE GETTING MULTIPLE  TEAMS TO THE TOURNAMENT, BUT NOT WINNING, IT KIND OF ERASED  SOME OF THE DATA OUT WITH ALL THAT.

I TALKED TO A LOT OF NATIONAL WRITERS IN HOUSTON ABOUT THAT  AND ONE OF THEM, ONE OF THEM, JEFF GOODMAN SAID THEY  DESPERATELY NEEDED THIS.

I KNOW, PAT FROM SPORTS  ILLUSTRATED SAID, YEAH, THEY NEEDED TO LEGITIMIZE WHAT THEY  HAD BEEN DOING FOR SO MANY YEARS AND SAN DIEGO STATE DID  THAT THIS YEAR.

HOW THAT HELPS UNM, MAYBE IT  HELPS A LITTLE BIT IN THE RECRUITING.

MAYBE IT HELPS WITH THE TV CONTRACT FOR THE WHOLE LEAGUE  DOWN THE ROAD.

BUT ULTIMATELY I THINK IT  HELPS WITH FUTURE NCAA TOURNAMENTS AND MAYBE A TEAM  THAT IS RIGHT ON THE CUSP, DO WE LET THEM IN THE TOURNAMENT  OR NOT, MAYBE IT MAKES IT EASIER FOR THOSE TEAMS TO GET IN.

>> Lou: IN AN ARTICLE YOU WROTE RECENTLY ABOUT HOW THIS ALL SHAKES OUT IN THE MOUNTAIN  WEST, YOU MENTIONED MONEY.

OBVIOUSLY A BIG FACTOR IN  ANYTHING BUT SPECIFICALLY IN THIS, WHEN A TEAM GOES THAT FAR.

WHERE DOES THAT MONEY GO THAT SAN DIEGO STATE IS BRINGING INTO THE CONFERENCE?

>> Grammer: THERE IS THE FINANCIAL COMPONENT TO THIS.

THERE IS A COUPLE ANGLES TO WHAT THE FINANCIAL COMPONENT IS.

FOR SAN DIEGO STATE SPECIFICALLY WE PROBABLY HEARD STORIES THROUGH THE YEARS WHEN A TEAM WINS A NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP IN FOOTBALL AND  MAKES A DEEP RUN IN THE TOURNAMENT, YOU KNOW, THEIR  ATTENDANCE GOES UP, NOT ATTENDANCE, THEIR ENROLLMENT  AT THE SCHOOL AND BRAND EXPOSURE FOR THE UNIVERSITY  ITSELF, ALL THAT HELPS FINANCES.

BUT REAL SPECIFICALLY, THE NCAA TOURNAMENT, THE MEDIA  RIGHTS TO THAT WAS PURCHASED BY TURNER CBS SPORTS YEARS AGO  AND I THINK THE CURRENT DEAL RIGHT NOW IS LIKE, I WANT TO  SAY, 10 BILLION.

REGARDLESS.

IT IS MULTI BILLIONS OF DOLLARS WHICH LEADS TO, OKAY,  NCAA HAS ALL THIS MONEY FOR THE NCAA TOURNAMENT, HOW DO WE  DISBURSE THAT MONEY TO OUR MEMBERS, TO OUR LEAGUE MEMBERS.

LIKE I SAID, THERE IS 363 DIVISION ONE TEAMS THAT THE NCAA HAS TO FIGURE OUT HOW TO  DISBURSE THIS MONEY.

YOU CUT THAT UP 11 WAYS, THERE  IS 11 FULL-TIME MEMBERS IN THE MOUNTAIN WEST.

THAT IS GOOD MONEY FOR A SCHOOL LIKE NEW MEXICO THAT NOW GETS TO COUNT ON ITS BUDGET WHICH IS ABOUT A  30 MILLION DOLLAR ATHLETICS DEPARTMENT BUDGET, THEY GET TO  COUNT NOW FOR SIX MORE YEARS ON SEVERAL HUNDRED THOUSAND  DOLLARS EXTRA EACH YEAR.

THERE ARE SCHOOLS THAT HAVE A  MUCH LOWER ATHLETIC BUDGET THAN UNM DOES IN THE MOUNTAIN  WEST.

SO THIS IS REAL MONEY.

THAT REALLY HELPS A SCHOOL IN A LEAGUE LIKE THE MOUNTAIN WEST.

NOW YOU LOOK AT A PAC 12, AN SEC OR ACC CONFERENCE FOR THE BIG 10, THEY ARE GETTING 18,  19, 20, SOMETIMES 30 UNITS PER YEAR, THEY ARE IN A DIFFERENT  STRATOSPHERE IN TERMS OF THE ECONOMICS.

WHEN YOU TALK ABOUT HOW NEEDED THIS RUN WAS FOR SAN DIEGO  STATE TO GET TO THE FINAL FOUR, IT WASN'T JUST ABOUT  PERCEPTION.

IT WASN'T JUST ABOUT THE  NATIONAL PERCEPTION THAT THE COULDN'T WIN IN THE TOURNAMENT.

IT WAS ABOUT DOLLARS AND CENTS.

THEY GOT A WHOLE LOT OF MONEY BECAUSE OF IT.

>> Lou: THAT MONEY THAT COMES TO UNM, HOW IS THAT USED?

WILL WE SEE AN IMPACT ON THE  COURT ITSELF IN RECRUITING OR SOMEWHERE ELSE?

>> Grammer: A LOT OF THE BASKETBALL MONEY GOES INTO A  POT FOR THE WHOLE ATHLETICS DEPARTMENT.

I KNOW THE BASKETBALL COACHES AND BASKETBALL FANS WOULD  CERTAINLY LIKE TO SEE, IF IT IS BASKETBALL MONEY, GO RIGHT  BACK INTO BASKETBALL AND INVEST IN MORE RECRUITING, PAY  COACHES AND ASSISTANTS MORE, WHATEVER YOU CAN DO TO  REINVEST IN BASKETBALL.

IT DOESN'T NECESSARILY HAPPEN  THAT WAY ALL THE TIME, THOUGH.

>> Lou: IN TERMS OF EXPOSURE,  SAN DIEGO STATE GOING ON SO FAR, WILL THAT AFFECT HOW THE  NCAA TOURNAMENT SELECTION COMMITTEE CONSIDERS MOUNTAIN  WEST TEAMS MOVING FORWARD?

>> Grammer: I THINK SO.

I THINK THE ANSWER IS YES.

TECHNICALLY, THEY GO YEAR BY  YEAR.

THEY JUST LOOK AT THE NUMBERS.

THEY HAVE A MODEL OF MANY DIFFERENT COMPUTER SYSTEMS  THAT RANK TEAMS.

THEY HAVE THE HUMAN ELEMENT,  EYE TEST, WHAT A TEAM LOOKS LIKE AND HOW THEY ARE  PERFORMING, ALL THESE COMPUTER MODELS THAT ARE SUPPOSED TO  TAKE ALL THAT OUT OF THE EQUATION.

BUT THE REALITY IS, AT THE END OF THE DAY, THERE IS A  COMMITTEE OF THE CONFERENCE COMMISSIONERS, SOME ATHLETIC  DIRECTORS THAT SIT IN A ROOM EVERY YEAR AND DECIDE, YOU  KNOW, 68 TEAM TOURNAMENT NOW, AND THERE IS 32 CONFERENCES.

ALL 32 CONFERENCES GET ONE AUTOMATIC BERTH INTO THE NCAA  TOURNAMENT.

ALL THE OTHER ONES ARE  SELECTED BY THE SELECTION COMMITTEE.

SO WHEN THEY SELECT WHICH TEAMS GET THE AT LARGE BERTH  INTO THE NCAA TOURNAMENT, THERE IS A HUMAN ELEMENT.

I DON'T THINK YOU CAN TELL ME AFTER, AGAIN, WHAT WAS GOING  INTO THIS YEAR'S NCAA TOURNAMENT WAS AN 11 GAME  MOUNTAIN WEST LOSING STREAK -- THEY HADN'T WON A GAME SINCE  2018 IN THE TOURNAMENT -- I DON'T THINK THAT HUMAN ELEMENT  IN THAT SELECTION COMMITTEE COULD IGNORE THE FACT THAT  THERE STARTED TO BE THIS BUILDING PERCEPTION, THE  MOUNTAIN WEST, YOU PUT THEM IN THE TOURNAMENT, BUT ARE THEY  REALLY SUCCEEDING, DOING WELL, NOT REALLY.

I THINK IT WAS REALLY IMPORTANT THAT SAN DIEGO STATE  DID WHAT THEY DID THIS YEAR, BECAUSE I THINK IN THE FUTURE  THAT HUMAN ELEMENT IS PROBABLY -- WHEN THEY ARE  DECIDING THE CLOSE TEAMS, IF THERE IS A TEAM IN THE BIG TEN  AND A TEAM IN THE MOUNTAIN WEST THAT THEY ARE DECIDING  BETWEEN, RIGHT NOW I WOULD HAVE TOLD YOU BEFORE THIS  YEAR, THAT MOUNTAIN WEST TEAM, SOMEWHERE IN THE BACK OF THEIR  MIND, THEY MIGHT SAY, THEY NEVER WIN IN THE TOURNAMENT,  LET'S GO WITH THIS OTHER TEAM.

SO NOW I THINK THAT GETS  ELIMINATED A LITTLE BIT.

SO, YEAH, IT HELPS.

>> Lou: THE LOBOS ALMOST MADE  IT FARTHER THAN THEY DID, THAT BUZZER BEATING WIN FOR SAN  DIEGO STATE.

>> Grammer: THEY WERE ACTUALLY  PRETTY CLOSE TO BEING A NCAA TOURNAMENT TEAM THEMSELVES.

>> Lou: DO YOU THINK IF THEY WOULD HAVE PULLED THROUGH ON  THAT SAN DIEGO STATE GAME, THEY COULD HAVE MADE THE  TOURNAMENT?

>> Grammer: YEAH, PROBABLY, I DO.

HAD THEY MET SAN DIEGO STATE IN THE PIT, AGAIN, AND THEY WERE UP, THE BALL IS IN THE  AIR WITH TIME EXPIRING, HAD THEY BEAT SAN DIEGO STATE,  AGAIN -- THEY ARE THE ONLY TEAM TO SWEEP SAN DIEGO STATE  IN THE CONFERENCE THIS YEAR -- YEAH, I THINK THAT MIGHT HAVE  BEEN ENOUGH TO PUT THEM CERTAINLY ON THE BUBBLE, ON  THE CUSP OF GETTING IN THE TOURNAMENT, BUT THE LOBOS  CERTAINLY COLLAPSED IF YOU JUST LOOK AT WINS AND LOSSES  DOWN THE STRETCH, MAKING NO EXCUSES FOR THEM, THEY HAD TOO  MANY LOSSES DOWN THE STRETCH, BUT THEY ALSO HAD A BUZZER  BEATER LOSS TO NEVADA.

HAD THEY WON THAT GAME, WHO  GOT IN THE NCAA TOURNAMENT, HAD THEY WON THAT GAME, MAYBE  WE ARE HAVING A DIFFERENT CONVERSATION ABOUT THEIR POST  SEASON.

HAD THEY WON A BUZZER BEATER  LOSS TO SAN DIEGO STATE, MIGHT BE A DIFFERENT CONVERSATION.

THEY ALSO HAD ONE AT NEVADA, DOUBLE OVERTIME LOSS WITH THE  CONTROVERSIAL CALL.

THEY HAD THREE LOSSES DOWN THE  STRETCH OF THE SEASON.

HAD THEY JUST GOT, ONE,  PROBABLY TWO OF THEM, THEY ARE IN THE NCAA TOURNAMENT THEMSELVES.

>> Lou: REALLY CLOSE THIS YEAR.

WHAT DO YOU THINK ABOUT THE NEXT COUPLE OF YEARS?

IS THERE A CHANCE?

>> Grammer: YEAH, THERE IS.

IN FACT.

I THINK THIS WEEK AS WE RECORD THIS, I THINK THIS WEEK, LOBO  FANS ARE STARTING TO HEAR SOME NAMES COMMITTING TO UNM IN THE  TRANSFER MARKET AND LOBOS ARE HITTING THAT TRANSFER MARKET  REALLY HARD TO GET SOMEBODY WHO HAS ALREADY PLAYED AT THE  COLLEGE LEVEL AND ALSO DONE TWO REALLY GOOD YEARS OF  GETTING INCOMING FRESHMAN SO MAYBE THEY CAN BUILD TWO OR  THREE YEARS DOWN THE ROAD.

WHAT THEY GOT LAST YEAR WAS  DONOVAN DENT, A FRESHMAN POINT GUARD, WHO PLAYED THIS PAST  YEAR THAT IS GOING TO BE GOOD DOWN THE STRETCH IF THEY CAN  KEEP HIM, IF SOME BIGGER SCHOOLS DON'T COME LURE HIM  OUT WITH MONEY.

THEY HAVE TWO GUYS COMING IN  NEXT YEAR.

ONE ENDED UP BEING ONE OF THE  BEST PLAYERS IN THE STATE OF NEXT, JADYN TOPPIN, A 6-9  POWER FORWARD.

THEN THEY HAVE A FOUR STAR  GUARD COMING FROM ARIZONA.

HIS NAME IS TRU WASHINGTON.

THEY GOT SOME GOOD FRESHMEN COMING IN AND THEY ARE GOING  TO ADD SOME INSTANT STARTERS IN THE TRANSFER MARKET THAT  STARTED AT SOME OTHER SCHOOLS  ACROSS THE COUNTRY AND I THINK, YEAH, LOBOS NEXT YEAR  WILL BE A TOP THREE PRESEASON TEAM IN THE MOUNTAIN WEST.

FUNDING FOR NEW MEXICO IN FOCUS PROVIDED BY VIEWERS LIKE YOU.