In early March 2008, a number of Albuquerque-based media outlets covered a story regarding Bernalillo County Metro Court Judge J. Wayne Griego. KRQE, KOBTV, KOAT, Eye on Albuquerque, Albuquerque Journal. The accounts stated that this judge was caught in twenty-four instances of fixing traffic tickets for his family and friends, even when the cases were to be heard by other Metro Court judges. At first he blamed his secretary, stating that she had used the courthouse computer system to change the status of the cases to "dismissed". Violations that were dismissed included driving while intoxicated (DWI) and bench warrants for arrest. Eventually, it became clear that Wayne Griego was personally involved in the scheme, and that he lied about his involvement when questioned about it. This was the second time that Judge Griego had been caught fixing cases. The Judicial Standards Commission recommended a mere 90-day suspension from the bench, followed by a return on the part of Judge Griego to the bench again. Such slaps on the wrist for serious crime are par for the course for this joke of an oversight commission. The public was outraged.

The Center for Family Justice announced on the Eye on Albuquerque that they would hold a rally in front of the Metro Courthouse on March 11-13 to collect signatures on a citizen's petition to have Judge Griego charged with crimes and stand before a grand jury for possible indictment. The petition is lawful under the New Mexico Constitution, Article II, Section 14. The text of the petition is included on every signature page. According to the constitional provision, two percent of Bernalillo County registered voters' signatures (approximately 7000) are required to convene a grand jury. The constitutional provision is a mechanism to allow citizens to trigger the grand jury process when one is not being convened by the usual process (the District Attorney charging a person with crimes).

CFJ showed up on the morning of March 11 and noticed the news trucks for KOBTV (Channel 4) and KRQE (Channel 13) at the intersection in front of the Metro Courthouse. On the first day of the rally, hundreds of signatures were collected and both stations provided news coverage of the event. By the morning of March 12, citizens were driving to the courthouse specifically to find us and sign the petition. That morning, personnel from the courthouse and the District Attorney's office informed us that the New Mexico Supreme Court had convened and determined that Judge Griego would be removed from the bench. Ample news coverage documented the hearing, including KOBTV, KRQE, and KOAT. However, no further action would be taken. It was clear that court personnel assumed we would go home and declare victory. But we were fully aware that without the petition, Griego Griego would retain his law license, leave the bench, and go right into a lucrative law practice as an ex-judge. We strongly believed that Griego should be held to the same standard as anyone else who commits crimes; we live in a country where our law is clear - government officials are not above the law. We demanded accountability, responsibility and integrity of the system, and specifically, of former Judge Griego.

The District Attorney, Kari Brandenberg, disagreed. She publicly stated that although Griego committed ethics violations, she did not think he had committed any crimes and doubted that she would prosecute. Once again, the public has been very strongly in our corner. To date, we have collected 1300 signatures (in two weeks) and commitments for about 400 more. Every day that number grows by 100-200 more signatures, even though the rally is over.

We have entered a new era in New Mexico - one in which judges, if not held accountable by government officials who are paid by our tax dollars to do so, will be held accountable through legal provisions available to citizens at large. The public is very happy to have something, finally, that they can do to make a difference. Time and time again, while signing the petition, New Mexicans made it very clear to us that Kari Brandenberg will not survive the next election. They are sick and tired of judicial corruption, sick and tired of the antics of Jim Noel's Mickey Mouse Judicial Standards Commission, and sick and tired of mamsy-pamsy politicians like Kari Brandenberg who refuse to do their jobs. We continue to make the petition available to the public at various times and locations, and will do our best to provide those locations here as we go. Please thank the businesses and community associations who work for a better New Mexico, support this cause, and demand accountability on the part of New Mexico officials including judges.

Next signing locations: TBD on 3/22/08 and will be posted here