New Mexico judge restricts testimony in corruption trial

SANTA FE, N.M. (AP) — A judge is limiting testimony about a 2014 meeting between New Mexico's attorney general and a former state senator being prosecuted on corruption charges to the defendant's own words if he chooses to testify. District Court Judge Brett Loveless on Tuesday ruled against allowing testimony from an attorney who previously represented ex-Sen. Phil Griego about his knowledge of the conversation in June 2014 between Griego and Hector Balderas. Griego is currently standing trial on allegations that he used his position as a state senator to profit from the 2014 sale of a state-owned building. State prosecutors and defense attorneys have clashed repeatedly about the relevance of the meeting between Griego and Balderas, who was campaigning for attorney general at the time and received a campaign contribution from Griego.