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New Mexico House Majority Leader Sheryl Williams Stapleton resigned Friday as part of a criminal investigation into allegations of racketeering and money laundering.
The Democratic state legislator “unequivocally” denied the allegations, but wrote in a letter to the New Mexico Secretary of State that she believed her resignation was in the best interests of the state, according to the Santa Fe New Mexican.
“It’s a decision that weighs heavily on me, and one that I made after huge consideration for the best interests of people,” she wrote. “In short, because I have to devote a lot of time and energy to fully defend myself against these allegations, I believe it is in the best interests of this State and of the House of Representatives that my position as a member of the House of Representatives and Majority Floor Leader be replaced by a representative capable of taking over fully and competently the tasks and functions necessary to continue to serve this great State. “
His decision was supported by Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham and the Democratic leaders of the Statehouse.
“These are incredibly serious and significant allegations,” Grisham, a Democrat, said on Friday. “I am planning a rigorous and thorough police investigation.”
Sheryl Williams Stapleton, House Majority Leader of New Mexico, speaks after the end of the state’s annual legislative session in Santa Fe, New Mexico, March 20, 2021 (Associated Press)
House Speaker Brian Egolf released a joint statement on Friday with House Majority Whip Doreen Gallegos and House Majority Caucus Chair D. Wonda Johnson: “Considering the weight of the allegations against Representative Stapleton and the ongoing investigation, his resignation from the House is appropriate and in the best interests of the legislature and state.
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Republican state leaders in the Senate called the evidence “overwhelming” in a statement Friday, according to the New Mexican.
“Corruption by public officials has long plagued our state and we must send a message that no one, regardless of title or status, is above the law,” the statement said.
“Corruption by public officials has long plagued our state and we must send the message that no one, regardless of title or status, is above the law.”
Authorities executed search warrants at the offices of Albuquerque public schools and at Stapleton’s home this week as part of the investigation, which also includes alleged illegal bribes and possible violations of a law governing the conduct of state legislators.
Stapleton oversees vocational technical education for public schools in Albuquerque, the state’s largest school district and Albuquerque’s largest employer. She is on administrative leave.
District Superintendent Scott Elder’s fraud allegations sparked an investigation into Stapleton’s conduct earlier this year, related to its dealings with Robotics Management Learning Systems LLC, a company that supplies computer software to the district.
“Our previous system did not establish adequate controls over this employee,” Elder wrote in an email to district employees earlier this week. “Internal processes have failed to stop this fraud. For that, I apologize to you and the public. Above all, I apologize to our students and their families. I am deeply sorry for the harm caused as a result of this. “
Stapleton told the district the company provided a unique interactive program called CyberQuest, giving it as justification for a sole-source contract, according to a search warrant affidavit released Wednesday. The district said the program appeared to be a standardized online quiz that was not used by many students.
Investigators and school district officials questioned the company’s existence because it had no physical presence and only an address in Washington, DC and a post office box in New Mexico.
Stapleton intervened when the company’s contract with the school district appeared threatened, providing documentation and acting as a go-between, according to a search warrant affidavit.
While it had a sole source contract for years, the company went through the formal tendering process in 2019. The district stayed with the company but for less than what it had paid them. previous years. Overall, the district paid the company more than $ 5.4 million from 2006 to May 2021.
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The search warrant affidavit showed Stapleton had access to the post office box where checks were sent to Robotics, and video surveillance showed that she was depositing school district checks for Robotics on multiple occasions.
Stapleton’s legislative actions and more than $ 950,000 in checks from the company to nonprofits, a restaurant and a bank account linked to it are also under investigation. From there, money went straight to Stapleton, investigators said.
Stapleton, a former teacher, began serving in the Legislative Assembly in 1995.
the Associated Press contributed to this report.
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