Posted at: 07/02/2009 6:19 PM
Updated at: 07/02/2009 6:51 PM
By: Jeff Maher, Eyewitness News 4; Charlie Pabst, KOB.com

Candidates cry foul over public safety campaign

Public safety flier or campaign material?

Two candidates for a seat on Albuquerque�s city council filed an ethics complaint Thursday against the incumbent, Michael Cadigan, saying a public safety campaign is actually a political ploy.

On Tuesday, Eyewitness News 4 interviewed District Five Councilor Michael Cadigan about an initiative that will send out post cards to constituents, reminding people on the west side to keep their garage doors shut because of an increase in burglaries.

Candidates Daniel Lewis and Jeremy Toulouse say the whole project is aimed not at keeping residents safe, but at getting Cadigan re-elected.

The two candidates filed an ethical complaint Thursday at the City Clerk�s office. Listed in the complaint is an E-mail from Cadigan�s assistant, a city employee, that was sent out to people living in District 5.

The E-mail informs people to close their garage doors, and includes a Web link to the story we did.

Lewis and Toulouse say the E-mail is proof a city employee was helping Cadigan campaign while on the clock.

They also say the 2,000 post cards that Cadigan is sending out were all printed using paper and postage paid for with tax dollars.

Lewis said Thursday, "What I want to know is who are these people? Who are these 2,000 people. Are they from a voter list?"

"The difference between speaking out and giving your opinion on what's important for constituents and their daily lives is different than using taxpayer money to send out a mailer that's notifying them of something that's very similar to their political platform," Toulouse said.

Councilor Cadigan gave Eyewitness News 4 this statement:

"I have not seen the complaint, but the allegations are utterly baseless and frivolous, and are just more negative personal attacks instead of talking about real issues. Each city councilor is appointed five-thousand dollars per year for constituent communication. We've been sending out mailings to constituents for eight years - it's part of my job as a city councilor."

Lewis and Toulouse are asking Cadigan to pay back any taxpayer money that was used for the safety campaign.

Cadigan says the post cards haven�t even been printed.

The complaint will now go before the city�s ethics board.