Dianna Duran won two terms as secretary of state on the promise she would clean up the office after her predecessors were accused of wrongdoing.
Duran now faces a similar fate after she was accused of funneling campaign contributions to her personal bank accounts all while withdrawing hundreds of thousands of dollars at casinos around New Mexico.
Duran's attorney has vowed to fight the allegations in court, but the case has revived New Mexico's reputation as a place where elected officials and other authority figures are often swept up by claims of fraud and corruption.
The executive director of Common Cause New Mexico, a group that has been pushing for more transparency within the state's campaign finance reporting system, says the latest allegations will only lead to more frustration among voters.
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