the martinez administration blames former governor bill richardson appointees, who are now collecting unemployment checks. gadi schwartz is live from santa fe with that story.. all new at six. we haven't heard of massive layoffs in state government. but the amount of money new mexico is paying out to unemployed state workers has minute thumbnail 06:06 pm skyrocketed... we were there in december as the department of workforce solutions under the richardson administration showed a auditorium full of appointees how to file for unemployment. back then this is what martinez had to say... "i don't agree that exempt employees political appointments - should ever file for unemployment.. particularly when another administration takes office." since then we have tried asking workforce solutions how many former appointees are now collecting unemployment- and how much that is costing the state. but officials say they won't release that information.
