DOMENICI UPSET BY DENDAHL'S DRUG-LAW SUPPORT

State GOP Chairman John Dendahl overstepped his bounds by endorsing
liberalized drug laws advocated by Gov. Gary Johnson - a fellow Republican
- and "maybe he should stop being chairman," New Mexico's senior
Republican U.S. senator said Wednesday.

"I do not believe he has the luxury of endorsing the legalization of
marijuana as chairman of the Republican Party," Sen. Pete Domenici said.

"It does not matter to me that he is supporting Governor Johnson's
position. On the issue of decriminalization of marijuana use, I don't agree
with the governor, either."

Dendahl did not immediately return a phone message seeking comment Wednesday.

Domenici also called Wednesday for a "full disclosure to the New Mexico
people" of who is funding efforts to liberalize drug laws in the state.

"It is my understanding that the current effort is being financed, in
particular, by New York billionaire George Soros through his pro-drug
organization, the Lindesmith Center," Domenici said in a news release.

"This group has contracted high-paid political lobbyists and paid for a
barrage of pro-marijuana radio ads that have blanketed our state."

Dendahl, appearing at a Monday news conference with former Democratic Gov.
Toney Anaya, repeated his support for Johnson's drug bills. "This is not a
partisan issue," Dendahl said.

GOP lawmakers promptly criticized him, and Rep. Ron Godbey, R-Albuquerque,
said Dendahl should step down immediately.

Johnson's drug package, moving through the Legislature, includes
decriminalizing possession of small amounts of marijuana and reducing
penalties for possessing some other drugs.

Domenici said he's aware Dendahl has supported Johnson's drug stance in the
past, but said it's one thing to support it in theory and another to
support it "with a bill pending in the Legislature to decriminalize marijuana."

"I don't believe a Republican Party chairman has the luxury of wearing two
hats," he said. "I have told him, and he seems not to care."

Domenici said he told Dendahl he doesn't believe he should remain party
chairman.

"From my standpoint, I don't need John Dendahl running a Republican Party
in New Mexico," he said.

Domenici said he is not calling for Johnson's resignation as well because
the governor is an elected official.

"John Dendahl is selected by Republicans," he said. "It makes a big
difference."

As far back as 1999, Dendahl said he faced political retribution for
supporting Johnson's policies. He said GOP rules don't prohibit him from
disagreeing publicly with the party platform.

Johnson on Monday acknowledged Dendahl could be jeopardizing his position.

"In essence, he's putting his chairmanship of the Republican Party on the
line," said the governor, who has acknowledged being a recreational
marijuana user in college and occasionally using cocaine during that period.

Dendahl, party chairman for more than six years, said Monday he plans to
run for re-election when the GOP's state central committee -- about 400
people from around the state -- meets May 5 to choose a chairman. He said
he would not step down.

Godbey said he expects Dendahl to be challenged for the chairmanship
because his view does not reflect the rank-and-file and is at odds with the
party's national platform.

A poll last month showed 60 percent of Republicans, 66 percent of Democrats
and 75 percent of independents support the proposal to make possession of
less than an ounce of marijuana a civil infraction punishable by a fine.
Some 59 percent of Republicans, 63 percent of Democrats and 73 percent of
independents support Johnson's proposal for drug treatment, rather than
prison, for first- and second-time possession of heroin and cocaine.

The survey of 505 registered voters was conducted by Research & Polling, an
Albuquerque firm experienced in polling in New Mexico. The margin of error
was plus or minus 4.4 percentage points.

Domenici said the decriminalization effort is backed by a "well-heeled"
out-of-state group.

"They'd like to take a little state like ours and spend whatever they're
spending to get marijuana decriminalized; then they're gone, and we're
still living there," said Domenici, who predicts decriminalizing the drug
will increase its use.

Anaya was hired in January as a lobbyist by the Center for Policy Reform, a
nonprofit group affiliated with the Lindesmith Center-Drug Policy
Foundation, a drug-policy research institute with offices in New York, San
Francisco and Washington, D.C. It has been a key supporter of Johnson's
drug campaign.