SANTA FE, NM (By Sue Major Holmes, Associated Press) January 11, 2011 ― A coalition of New Mexico Hispanic groups demanded Thursday Gov. Bill Richardson not speak on behalf of the community, saying he failed to follow through on promises and was abusive toward Hispanics in his eight years in office.

 

The Hispano Round Table of New Mexico, representing more than 50 groups, unanimously passed a resolution saying the Democratic governor was "ruthless, dishonest, deceptive, dishonorable, contemptuous and abusive" toward their community, failed to create a promised state Department of Hispano Affairs, and misled prominent Hispanic groups with that promise.

 

A spokesman for the governor, Gilbert Gallegos, said Richardson "will not lower himself to respond to such a ridiculous assertion."

 

Richardson, the nation's only Hispanic governor, left office at midnight Friday. He was succeeded by the nation's first female Hispanic governor, Republican Susana Martinez.

 

The resolution said the Hispano Round Table was making "a national and international call to censure Richardson."

The resolution demanded he "immediately stop representing and speaking for or on behalf of the Hispano/Latino community in New Mexico, throughout the Southwest on national affairs or international affairs pertaining to any Hispano/Latino issue or subject today and in perpetuity."

 

Hispanics make up about 45 percent of New Mexico's population.

 

"He did not represent our views, our values or our voices, and now we don't want him to try to be the national representative for the Hispanic community," Round Table chairman Ralph Arellanes said in announcing the resolution, which gave Richardson a grade of F as governor.