I know that looks funny, “Jim Scarantino, by Jim Scarantino.” We’ve been getting questions asking for who we are. We’ve introduced our video correspondent, Steve McAllister, earlier this week. So here’s my bio copied from the “About” page, where you can also find our contact information.

Jim Scarantino, Editor, New Mexico Watchdog. Jim is a magna cum laude graduate of the The University of Pennsylvania Law School and Penn State University. As a young lawyer in Philadelphia, he clerked for the Chief Judge of U.S. Third Circuit Court of Appeals, the late Edward R. Becker. He then prosecuted child abuse and investigated organized crime and political corruption as an assistant district attorney in the office of Ed Rendell, the current Governor of Pennsylvania.

Jim moved to New Mexico in 1984 and rose to partner in one of the state’s leading firms before establishing his solo practice in 1991. Jim has represented Fortune 500 companies, Native American religious activists, ranchers, gold miners, hunting guides, LA gang members, illegal immigrants and, in particular, small businesses and individuals fighting government oppression. In 2006 Jim closed his practice, going out as the ACLU of New Mexico‘s Attorney of the Year.

Jim has been a Democrat and a Republican. He worked for U.S. Senator John Heinz of Pennsylvania in his successful first run for the Senate. Jim was an advance man for the great Bob Casey, Pennsylvania’s most popular governor. In New Mexico he worked on the campaigns of Democratic and Republican candidates for state and local offices. He was persuaded to become a registered Republican by the gubernatorial campaign of Gary Johnson, “America’s Most Dangerous Politician.” In 2000, Jim co-chaired the McCain for President effort in New Mexico. In 2004, in protest of the administration of George W. Bush, Jim switched to the Democratic Party. Since then, he has continued to support the person he believes is the best candidate for the office, left the GOP. Jim is currently registered Independent, but reserves the right to register with either party to support the right person in a party primary.

Jim for three years wrote a column for Albuquerque’s alternative news-weekly, The Weekly Alibi. He was named one of the nation’s best political columnists by the American Association of Alternative Newsweeklies. In 2008-09, Jim wrote a bi-weekly column on the op-ed pages of The Albuquerque Journal. He surrendered that honor to begin this website. Jim also wrote a column for New Mexico Politics with Heath Haussamen.

Jim has had his own or co-hosted talk radio programs on AM 1550 KIVA and FM 106.3 KAGM. His op-eds have been published in over fifty major newspapers around the nation.

Jim is a regular panelist on KNME-TV’s “InFOCUS” public affairs program, which airs every Friday at 7 p.m. and again Sunday morning at 6:30 a.m.

Jim is an avid hiker, a pretty darn awesome Italian chef, and joyfully sings with his church choir at the First United Methodist Church of Albuquerque. He is married to Kara Kellogg, a former attorney who is now in her second career as a social worker at the Veteran’s Administration helping combat veterans struggling with Post Traumatic Stress Disorder . Their Albuquerque household is made brighter and crazier by an orange tabby named Corky.

Related Articles:
Denish Reimbursing State for PR Work (Albuqueruqe Journal–subscription required)
Fact Check: Stimulus Money to “Phantom Districts”?
Did Phantom Districts Get Stimulus Cash?
Albuquerque Journal Columns
Dems Plan is Hidden Tax (Albuquerque Journal)
Let New Mexicans Make Call on Investments (Albuquerque Journal)
Before Its Spent, Stimulus Falls Short of Its Billing (Albuquerque Journal)
Equal Protection for All of Peak’s Cultural Landscapes (Albuquerque Journal)
Motto Should Reflect State Reality (Albuquerque Journal)
Local Bailouts from Cycle of Abuse (Albuquerque Journal)
Madness Defined: Perpetuating Nixon’s War on Drugs (Albuquerque Journal)
Aragon Loyalists Buy Into Delusions (Albuquerque Journal)
No Good Deed In State Government Goes Unpunished (Albuquerque Journal)
Call It “The American Dream Zone,” Not “The War Zone” (Albuquerque Journal)
When Going Gets Tough, Tough Debate Bolo Ties (Albuquerque Journal)
Hispanic Affairs Department Slights All Other New Mexicans (Albuquerque Journal)
Progressives Sacrifice Conscience on Altar of Noble Ideals (Albuquerque Journal)
Haunted by a Battlefield Christmas (Albuquerque Journal)
There’s No Political Percentage in This Giving (Albuquerque Journal)
In Private Moment, Heather Wilson Reveals Heart (Albuquerque Journal)
GOP Deserves to Lose, But New Mexico Deserves Balance (Albuquerque Journal)
Arabs Continue to Find New Mexico A Welcoming Place (Albuquerque Journal)
Bibo, NM: Setting the Record Straight (Albuquerque Journal)
State Acts to Fix Problems with College Savings Plan (Albuquerque Journal)
Weekly Alibi Columns
Tax the Politicians: Let Them Feel Our Pain
Buddy, Can You Spare Some Change We Can Believe In?
Palin Drone
Obama The War President
After the Apocalyse: Ode to Purslane
Jesus for President
The Carrot in the Wind
Trolley Roundabout
Got Your Mind Right?
The Udall Economy
Red New Mexico
Confessions of a Rehab Republican
Hillary’s Ego Trip
The City Hypocritical
Clinton’s Hot Poker
Could Udall Lose?
Habitat Gardening
The Taste of Hope
The Heinrich Maneuver
Therapy Dogs
Drilling Albuquerque
The El Vado Mess
Wolf Music
The Red and Green Mile
Democrats Against the War: Oh, yeah, since when?
Green Cowboy Hats
Where the Wild Things Aren’t
A Cyclist Died Here
Deja Vu Not All Over Again
Pathetic Democrats
Kids Feeding Kids
The Southern Star
Albuquerque’s Right-Wing Death Squads
Rock Star Farming
Chimps Are Cool: Never Mind Those Kids in the Gutter
What in the World is Wrong with Gary King?
The Big, Green Terror Genie
Standing Up For Marty
A Conversation With David Iglesias
The Man Who Got Iglesias
Opera Unlimited
Repast with Palast
Iran’s 9/11
The Thin Green Line
Voter Fraud Fraud
The Dalai Lama of PTSD
That Republican Skin Disease
Free Market, Free Thinking: Profile of Paul Gessing of Rio Grande Foundation
Hold the Hillary
Flogging Abbey’s Ghost
Stopping the Next Stupid War
Christmas Flu
Tattooed Christians

Columns for New Mexico Politics with Heath Haussamen
No Bailout, No Way
Same Old Democrats
Democrats Divided on Abortion
Let Americans Select Their President
Here’s to Heresy
Pearce’s Conservation Bill: What’s Not to Like? Part 2
Pearce’s Conservation Bill: What’s not to Like? Part 1
Bingaman Goes to ANWR
Obama’s Heroes
Pro-Life Democrats Turning Red to Blue
Still Life With Democrats
Off and Running