The demise of Albuquerque accounting firm Meyners Company—a major player with more than $6 million in New Mexico state contracts in the last three years—was predictable.

On July 16, the US Senate passed a financial reform bill. Two days earlier, and with less fanfare, the SEC published a new rule banning “pay to play” by investment advisors to public entities. Critics complain the reform bill doesn’t really shake up Wall Street and, as a result, may fail to stop the next crisis.

Recent testimony at the Roundhouse was the most blunt public statement yet by former Educational Retirement Board Chief Investment Officerfrank foy. Foy has filed two lawsuits alleging appointees of Gov. Bill Richardson had pressured him to make bad investments that benefited Richardson’s campaign contributors.

Domestic partnership, outlaw texting, transparent investing,frank foy, Steven Soderbergh and the Railrunner's weekends.

Law firms in Albuquerque, New York City and Washington, DC have joined to file a class-action lawsuit against former New Mexico Investment Officer Gary Bland and members of the Educational Retirement Board who participated in alleged pay-to-play schemes involving two out of state firms, Vanderbilt Capital and Aldus Equity.

Play to Pay in New Mexico. It’s a story with a wide cast of coast-to-coast characters—financiers, politicians, whistle-blowers and federal investigators. The details are immense, but the bottom line is clear: Political corruption—of the perceived, alleged and verified variety—is rampant in New Mexico.

This A-to-Z guide to pay-to-play in New Mexico is not meant to be complete. Nor does this guide offer anything close to proof of misconduct. Use it as a catalogue of coincidences—coincidences that, if the Obama era is to be a cleaner one, at least demand a second look.