Taos Mayor Hires Warranty Deed Expert

The Legend and the Land Rush

In a charming headline yesterday, April 7, 2011, The Taos News announced “Town Hires lawyer to pursue land grant suit.” The copyrighted story by J.R. Logan says “Taos Mayor Darren Cordova has selected attorney Eliu Romero to pursue litigation over a deed laying claim to the entire Cristobal de la Serna Land Grant.”

Further, the paper claims, “By hiring Romero, the town is hoping a state district court judge will issue a declaratory judgment asserting the filed deed for the Serna grant is null and void” (my bold).

Apparently, the Mayor is not about to let the KCEC CEO fill the publicity void abandoned by TMS’s Cantankerous One. In what amounts to upping the ante in a contest for king of the “politics of divisiveness,” the Mayor is taking no prisoners.

A local wag said, “It’s like sending John Dillinger out to arrest bank robbers.”

Whether you’re following the ads and letters re: the Coop, TMS, or the Town, it seems as if the attitude is: “You’re either for us or against us.” You’re either “a disgruntled former employee” or someone “who is not from here” or maybe somebody like me who just doesn’t understand the bigger picture (according to Little Ramon).

Meanwhile, law and order man Jeff Northrup, the “little fag,” in Councilor Abeyta’s alleged words, is quoted in the Albuquerque Journal, “Activist Appeals Trespass Charge” (Stiny, 7 April, 2011) saying about his conviction for criminal trespassing: “This is a clear case of a rigged court.” Further, he says, “I don’t want a criminal conviction hanging over my head.” Jeff, the activist, was busted when he allegedly busted a July 4th celebration at the Mayor’s house for illegal use of fireworks. In turn, the activist was charged by the Mayor’s cops and convicted in the Mayor’s court for “criminal trespass.” He was warned, now he must pay.

Now comes Eliu Romero, 84, according to the excellent local, who is a key figure and a legend, according to Flavio. Called forth from semi-retirement for one more hand at the big table, Romero tells the reporter, “I’ve been trying cases now for 50 years and a lot of them have to do with real estate. About La Serna’s board, the legendary founder of the Centinel Bank, says, “They shouldn’t trample on the rights of others…”

You could drown in the irony of the above statements. He was born only two years before the demise of Arthur Manby, grave marker above, and if history is a guide, the legendary founder knows his way around the slippery warranty deed.

In the back issues of The Taos News, specifically, on Dec. 1, 1983, there’s a front-page story above the fold that states, “Grand Jury Indicts Eliu Romero.” We’re told by the news weekly that “A Taos Grand Jury has charged Eliu Romero with conspiracy, forgery, fraud and bribing the county assessor.” According to the weekly, “Treasurer’s records show $159.65 was paid for the 290 acres” in Los Cordovas–land valued at $5,000 an acre according to local realtors at the time.

The paper says, “The indictment charges that Romero bribed Vigil to help him falsify warranty deeds in 1979…” (my bold)

The indictment “also charges that Romero misappropriated money totaling more than $82,800 from nine Taos couples and one single man.”

Romero responded to the charges, saying “I committed none of these things charged as will be shown at the proper proceedings.”

In a follow up story, Dec. 15, 1983, “Assessor charged with fraud,” the paper says, “County assessor Senaida Vigil has been charged with conspiring to commit a felony, accepting a bribe, evading tax laws and falsifying deeds.” (my bold)

Flavio, a Friction researcher, says the trail then goes cold in his clipping file but according to scuttlebutt, the charges against Sr. Romero were dropped on a technicality when an alien presence was discovered in the grand jury chambers. Regardless, the man beat the rap and has been rapping out quiet title suits, subdivisions and developments, while growing the bank and his land holdings ever since.

Sure, he’s a man who knows a warranty deed when he sees one. Mr. Romero has never been convicted of a crime that we know of and now Jeff Northrup, the public safety maven, animal rights and gas price activist, is also determined to clear his name. An indictment or charge, even a conviction by a rigged court, is not necessarily a crime until the appeal process has been exhausted.

Speaking of charges, we urge Sluggo to cool it during Mother’s Day lest his bro get called out to find bail money. Hey, we’re just saying…

While the politicos fiddle and fight with each other or the activists, a record number of shops are closing down in the Historic District. According to Little Ramon, Broadband will save us. But he said that about Super Walmart, too. Eh Rudy? I had high hopes for the newer younger generation of community leaders but with Eliu running the show, I’m not so sure about “change.”

Hold on to your wallets and your warranty deeds, we’re going for a wild ride.

RICO anyone?