State Public Regulation Commission Democratic Party candidate Jerome Block Jr. has had a tough week, first calling the State Police to report a burglary at his home, then having a complaint lodged against him with the Secretary of State’s office for questionable campaign spending.
According to a State Police report from Sept. 25, officer Rafael Gomez responded to a call at Block’s La Puebla home at 11 a.m. Block reportedly told Gomez an intruder entered his front door using a key hidden under the mat, and Gomez did not see any signs of forced entry.
Gomez reported he saw the words “spik liar” written in what appeared to be green crayon on a wall and saw papers scattered on Block’s computer desk. Gomez’s report states no “hate/bias motivation” was apparent.
Block told Gomez he was not sure if anything was stolen, and Gomez did not find any fingerprints after an examination of Block’s laptop, the report states. Gomez declared the case closed based on a lack of evidence, suspects or witnesses.
The next day, Sept. 26, the political advocacy group Common Cause New Mexico filed a complaint against Block, Secretary of State spokesman James Flores said. The group’s complaint references a state law that requires publicly financed political candidates to return any misused or unused funds to the state following the primary election. Flores said the focus was on a $2,500 expenditure Block reported making to a band from Las Vegas called Wyld Country. Flores said Block’s campaign returned the $2,500 to the state the same day the complaint was lodged.
Block had said Wylde Country played at a campaign event but later went back on that statement, and Flores said his office is investigating the expenditure. Block has been criticized because of the payment to Wylde Country and a June 9 payment of $300 to San Miguel County Clerk Paul Maez for “campaign coordination.” Maez is also a member of Wylde Country.
Flores would not comment on whether Block’s payment to Maez or other expenditures were being examined but called the investigation a high priority.
Earlier in the campaign, Block also failed to reveal all of his previous brushes with the law when answering a SUN questionairre. Block did not return calls seeking comment about the expenditures or police report.
Block and Green Party candidate Rick Lass will be facing off against each other for the Commission seat. Block won the six-way Democratic primary, while Lass jumped in on the Green Party ticket.
Both opted to take public financing, which amounts to more than $60,000 each. Lass has not yet submitted a report, as he did not participate in the primary. Block’s July 3 report shows he spent nearly $20,000 during the last primary reporting period, leaving his campaign with about $50 following the primary. Included in those last expenditures are things like food and gas, plus a $500 contribution to the County’s Democratic Party and a $600 reimbursement to his father Jerome Block Sr.
The bulk of that sum — more than $12,000 — went to advertising in newspapers.
Block Sr. is a former Commissioner.