Responsible Leadership New Mexico is a New Mexico-based environmental-focused political action committee. Former New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg, the Atlantic Advocacy Fund-associated Civic Participation Action Fund, and the reportedly George Soros– and Tom Steyer-financed State Victory Action group¹ are among the largest donors to the PAC.²

Mariel Nanasi, president and executive director of the environmentalist advocacy group New Energy Economy, founded the organization.

Background

The political action committee known as Responsible Leadership NM with the official name Responsible Leadership New Mexico, an Independent Expenditure PAC is a New Mexico-based environmental-focused political action committee established in 2018.

Mariel Nanasi, president and executive director of the environmentalist advocacy group New Energy Economy, founded the organization.³

2018 Elections

Responsible Leadership New Mexico spent primarily on races for the New Mexico Public Regulation Commission in 2018. The Public Regulation Commission is responsible for regulating telecommunications, motor carriers, and utilities, including natural gas pipelines.⁴

Responsible Leadership NM targeted the re-election campaigns of New Mexico Public Regulation Commission Members Sandy Jones (D) and Lynda Lovejoy (D) in a Democratic primary; both lost their seats.⁵

Funding

During the election cycle, Responsible Leadership NM collected donations mostly from outside of New Mexico. ⁶

Several major names and organizations are listed among the top 12 donors to the organization. Former New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg and State Victory Action were the earliest backers.⁷

Green Advocacy Project, a group led by Michael Kieschnick, the co-founder of left-wing telecommunications provider CREDO Mobile and former campaign manager for Tom Steyer’s NextGen Climate,⁸ was the largest donor, giving $206,000 to the PAC. Civic Participation Action Fund was the second largest donor, giving $125,000. Better Future for New Mexico gave $85,000. State Victory Action contributed $60,000. Former New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg gave the group $35,000.⁹

During the 2018 election cycle, Responsible Leadership NM spread its money in and outside of New Mexico. The largest expenditure — $157,451 — went to Grassroots Utah Strategies. The group also spent $92,262 with Don Mickey Designs; $75,917 with Strategies 360, Inc.; and $55,395 with Rocky Mountain Voter Outreach. ¹⁰

1. Shepherd, Todd. “Dark Money Group Teams With Progressive Fund Led by Steyer and Soros.” Washington Free Beacon, October 15, 2018. https://freebeacon.com/issues/dark-money-group-teams-progressive-fund-led-steyer-soros/.
2. “Responsible Leadership NM, an Independent Expenditure PAC.” The Openness Project, n.d. https://opennessproject.com/committees/responsible-leadership-nm-an-independent-expenditure-pac-612/.
3. Jones, Sandy. “Guest Column: Third Parties Spent Big in PRC Primary.” Albuquerque Journal. July 13, 2018. Accessed August 22, 2019. https://www.abqjournal.com/1195955/third-parties-spend-heavily-in-primary.html
4. “New Mexico Public Regulation Commission.” New Mexico Public Regulation Commission, n.d. http://www.nmprc.state.nm.us/.
5. Associated Press. “PRC Members Call on Director of Nonprofit to Resign.” Las Cruces Sun News. May 31, 2018. Accessed August 24, 2019. https://www.lcsun-news.com/story/news/local/2018/05/31/prc-members-call-director-nonprofit-resign/662109002/
6. Jones, Sandy. “Guest Column: Third Parties Spent Big in PRC Primary.” Albuquerque Journal. July 13, 2018. Accessed August 22, 2019. https://www.abqjournal.com/1195955/third-parties-spend-heavily-in-primary.html
7. Oxford, Andrew. “PNM Spends $44,000 in Race for Its Regulator.” Santa Fe New Mexican. June 1, 2018. https://www.santafenewmexican.com/news/local_news/pnm-spends-in-race-for-its-regulator/article_46351f0f-2f75-5c1e-8a82-73f333061ed6.html
8. “Leadership.” Green Advocacy Project, n.d. https://www.greenadvocacyproject.org/about-1.
9. Responsible Leadership NM. The Openness Project. Accessed August 23, 2019. https://opennessproject.com/committees/responsible-leadership-nm-an-independent-expenditure-pac-612/
10. Responsible Leadership NM. The Openness Project. Accessed August 23, 2019. https://opennessproject.com/committees/responsible-leadership-nm-an-independent-expenditure-pac-612/