Gov. Susana Martinez’s controversial Human Services Department secretary, Sidonie Squier, who led the department during a behavioral health shake-up, Medicaid expansion and a series of contentious policy maneuvers involving food benefits for the poor, resigned on Thursday.
According to her resignation letter to the governor, who won re-election Tuesday, Squier intends to step down Dec. 1.
“Being Secretary of the Human Services Department has been the job of my dreams — the hardest job of my dreams, but the happiest time of my career,” Squier wrote.
In a written statement, Squier said the governor’s transition period into a second term “is the most appropriate time to move on,” but Squier did not elaborate on the reason for her resignation.
Martinez’s office denied that the governor had encouraged Squier to resign. In her own statement, Martinez praised Squier’s work, including in the areas that have come under greatest attack from her critics.
“Her leadership has been valuable and important during all of the health care changes going on in our country, and I wish her the very best in her future work,” Martinez said.
But others say they welcome Squier’s departu
Martinez cabinet secretaries: Where are they now?
Steve Terrell | The Santa Fe New Mexican
An update on the cabinet secretaries who served under Gov. Susana Martinez:
Finance and Administration
Secretaries: Rick May (); Tom Clifford (); Duffy Rodriguez (present).
Comings and goings: May didn't stay long, leaving in August of to become chief executive officer of the New Mexico Finance Authority. He lost that job in after an underling submitted a falsified audit for the agency. After he was fired, May spoke publicly about his dealings with Gov. Martinez and her inner circle, saying he was left out of several important meetings during his brief time as finance secretary. He currently works as staff director of the U.S. House of Representatives.
Clifford stayed for nearly five years, retiring in May He now has a consulting company, which this year was awarded contracts totaling more than $53, by the state Taxation & Revenue Department. He was criticized in for giving the Legislature bad numbers for the fiscal impact of a large tax bill passed in the final moments of the Legislature that year. Weeks later, Clifford admitted the estimates he gave of how m
Martinez picks Squier to be human services secretary
Sidonie Squier
Gov.-elect Susana Martinez today nominated a former federal health and human services official, Sidonie Squier, to be the secretary of the state’s Human Services Department.
“Squier served as the director of the Office of Family Assistance at the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services from June through January , where she oversaw the provision of help to needy families through the Temporary Assistance for Needy Families program (TANF),” a news release from Martinez’s transition team states. “She has worked at both the state and federal levels on various social assistance programs and areas, including TANF, Medicaid, nutrition and domestic violence.”
Martinez said Squier “has the experience and talent necessary to ensure the most efficient delivery of health care and other social services in New Mexico.”
“She provides a valuable and unique perspective, having served at both the state and federal level,” Martinez said. “We face a significant budget deficit, and both Sidonie and I are committed to ensuring that the safety net for needy families and children in New Mexico remains strong and in place.”
Senate Leader Calls For Resignation Of Human Services Secretary
Santa Fe—Senate Majority Leader Michael S. Sanchez (DValencia, Bernalillo) today called for the resignation of Human Services Department Secretary Sidonie Squier. This follows a report of an email written by Secretary Squier on September 17, stating, “…[T]here has never been and is not now any significant evidence of hunger in New Mexico….”
Secretary Squier’s email was written in response to receiving a “Draft Hunger Task Force Report”. Her email in its entirety states, “Nicely written and organized document. Since there has never been and is not now any significant evidence of hunger in New Mexico, I would offer that the focus of the report should be on getting proper nutrition for children (and adults). The idea—which is the easy way out—that we should expand every government food program in existence is not productive, especially if the issue is nutrition and not hunger. Please consider.”
“This is just the latest example of Secretary Squier showing her utter lack of understanding of what her job requires and the people she serves,” said Sen. Sanchez. “Her failure to apprec
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