APS worker says Gov's chief grabbed her

ALBUQUERQUE (KRQE) - The Governor's Chief of Staff, Keith Gardner is under fire again and this time an APS employee claims he grabbed her at the Roundhouse and threatened her.

Gardner says it didn't happen and that the videotape of their encounter proves it.

APS policy analyst and legislative liaison Carrie Menapace says what happened last February went way beyond political debate. She says she had just gotten of a controversial hearing about education when Gardner approached her.

"He aggressively grabbed my arm. He yelled at me about the superintendent. He said that the bowels of hell were about to open up upon Winston Brooks and it was my obligation to make sure he knew about that," Menapace said.

There is surveillance of the two during their encounter where you can see the two meet, then part.  But where they part too is on what went down that day.

"I think there's one witness that doesn't have a political agenda, and that's the video. It was clear that this was a very short interaction and the things being alleged simply didn't happen," Gardner said.

He says Governor Martinez reviewed the tape and is standing by him.

But there is another man, education lobbyist Tom Sullivan who is also seen in the video. He is backing Menapace's story and the message Gardner told her to send to the APS superintendent.

"His parting comments as he turned to walk away were 'tell him the bowels of hell were about to open up upon him and he's being measured,'" Sullivan said.

Menapace says she wrote the governor a letter about the incident on APS letterhead and asked for an apology. She said she never got one.

Gardner, Menapace and Superintendent Brooks met shortly after Menapace wrote the letter.  Gardner said he thought the issue was resolved back then.