One-time ally of Wilson [Republican NM Congresswoman] switches loyalty

[Tom Rinaldo]

Scripps Howard News Service
April 20, 2006

WASHINGTON - Mikey Weinstein, the Albuquerque businessman who fought evangelism at the Air Force Academy, is opposing his one-time ally, Rep. Heather Wilson, Albuquerque Republican.

Weinstein is hosting a $250-a-ticket fund-raiser at his home next Wednesday for Wilson's Democratic opponent, New Mexico Attorney General Patricia Madrid.

Retired Gen. Wesley Clark, a 2004 Democratic presidential contender, is scheduled to attend.

The invitation says in part, "I want to have the opportunity to tell you personally why my family and I are never again supporting Heather Wilson and why we are fully supporting Patricia Madrid. . . ."

The invitation represents the final break with Wilson by Weinstein, a registered Republican who worked three years as a White House lawyer under President Ronald Reagan...

... Weinstein said he was an early supporter of Wilson, a fellow graduate of the Air Force Academy, and held fund-raisers for her.

His son Casey was an intern for Wilson and she escorted Casey across the stage when he graduated from the Air Force Academy in 2004.

But Weinstein said Wilson never did enough to change the conditions for non-Christians at the Academy, which he describes in a federal court lawsuit against the Air Force as a pattern of senior officers and cadets trying to impose evangelical Christianity.

That included one chaplain who, at a Protestant worship service, encouraged cadets to tell those who did not attend the service that they would "burn in the fires of hell." Cadets were pressed to attend religious services, Weinstein says."
http://www.abqtrib.com/albq/nw_national_government/article/0,2564,ALBQ_19861_4636715,00.html

We need more principled defections from the Republican Party like this one, lot of them. But maybe it is starting to happen...

[electropop]

1. Score another convert to reality-based thinking.

[FrenchieCat]

2. That''s right! Put your money where your mouth is!

Weinstein is hosting a $250-a-ticket fund-raiser at his home next Wednesday for Wilson's Democratic opponent, New Mexico Attorney General Patricia Madrid.

Of course Wes Clark is in the mix.....helping the turn of the worm! :patriot:

[acmejack]

3. How is this race shaping up on the ground out there?

Heather was looking pretty vulnerable out there a while back. I really wouldn't miss her very much...

[FrenchieCat]

4. Tom, is this posted in the New Mexico Forum?

And yes.....what are Madrid's chances? Do we know?

[Tom Rinaldo]

5. I just cross posted this to the NM Forum

and I asked your question as a follow up post. I wasn't paying attention to this race before, but I sure am now.

[FrenchieCat]

6. Give a link....please!

[Tom Rinaldo]

7. OK, here's the link to the thread in the NM Forum

As of no locals have repied:
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=168x789