PRC commissioner responds strongly to ABQ pastor's comments
Posted at: 02/06/2012 8:06 AM | Updated at: 02/06/2012 2:22 PM
There is continuning fallout over an Albuquerque pastor's statement about a PRC commissioner.
On Sunday, gay rights activists rallied outside Legacy Church because of comments made by pastor Steve Smothermon about District 3 PRC commissioner Doug Howe.
Smotherman told the blog NMPolitics.net that he was disappointed when Gov. Susana Martinez appointed Howe, a gay man, to replace Jerome Block Jr. on the Public Regulation Commission.
In the blog piece, Smothermon was quoted as saying "These aren't the people we voted you to appoint."
Martinez's spokesperson told NMPolitics.net that Howe was the most qualified person for the job.
On Monday, Smotherman issued this statement in response to Sunday’s protest:
“As the Pastor of Legacy Church I am proud of our record of community involvement and as a church we believe deeply in our constitutional rights as Americans - including the freedom of speech and freedom of religion.”
“Neither the church nor I am ‘targeting’ anyone, but as a congregation, we do have a Biblical world view and do not apologize for our beliefs and our faith in God.”
Also Monday, PRC Commissioner Doug Howe issued an official statement on the controversy regarding his appointment by Gov. Martinez.
Here is his statement in full:
“The media has run a number of stories recently concerning statements made by Rev. Steve Smothermon about Gov. Susana Martinez’ appointment of me to the interim position of commissioner for the 3rd District of the Public Regulation Commission (PRC). I am issuing this statement today as my first and last comments on Mr. Smothermon’s statements and the controversy that has enveloped them.”
“Gov. Martinez has made it repeatedly clear that she chose the candidate for PRC on no other basis than ability to get the job done. I believe she correctly determined that given the condition that the PRC was in, it was important to fill the position as quickly as possible with a candidate who was highly qualified, experienced in regulation and could hit the ground running. I believe that the governor is to be commended for having put the interest of New Mexico ahead of political expediency.”
“It is unfortunate that a small minority is using the governor’s PRC appointment process to promote an agenda of intolerance and bigotry. But I have no control over the actions of others and I will not be distracted by them. Job #1 for me is to focus on the important and complex issues in front of the PRC and, in the remainder of the year that I will serve on the commission, to put all of my efforts into leaving it a better institution with a brighter future than past.”
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