House Speaker Ben Lujan, hallowed be thy name....
According to a gift disclosure form filed by Premier Distributing Company (New Mexico's exclusive provider of Budweiser), Lujan accepted two tickets to the May 25th Iron Maiden show at the Journal Pavilion. The tickets were worth a total of $110.
We'd be surprised if the Speaker actually brought his daughter (or whoever) to the slaughter, but his office has yet to get back to us with an explanation. How much influence do two heavy metal arena band tickets earn a lobbyist? And who actually went in his place? Not Congressman Ben R. Lujan, the Speaker's son, according to the junior's spokesman Mark Nicastre.
Premier also unloaded a few cases of beer on two other legislators:
Rep. Andrew Barreras, D-Valencia, picked up six cases of beer (worth $102) for a fundraiser, then another eight cases (worth $132) for his post-election victory party.
Rep. Henry "Kiki" Saavedra, D-Bernalillo, received four cases of beer (worth $68) for his victory party too.
(the above image is not a true depiction of Speaker Lujan. His head, some other metal fan's body)