DWI center's lawyer has DWI conviction

ALBUQUERQUE (KRQE) - An attorney who was recently hired by the DWI Resource Center is coming under fire because of her past which includes a drunken driving arrest.

In May, Executive Director for the DWI Resource Center Linda Atkinson hired Barbara Romo. Romo was the Deputy District Attorney in Santa Fe.

In January, Romo was arrested for driving drunk in Rio Rancho on Southern Boulevard. She pleaded guilty and now has an ignition interlock in her car.

Romo disclosed her conviction when she applied with the DWI Resource Center.

The center provides education, research and public awareness, in hopes of preventing DWI.

Atkinson said she hired Romo because she's extremely qualified and understands the mission of the Resource Center.

"She was one of the prosecutors who understood what the victim's rights project was about, what we were doing as far as protect crime victim's constitutional and statutory rights in the criminal court system," Atkinson said.

However, not everyone is on board with the hiring. Police officer and DWI Resource Center Board Chair Todd Griffin told
News 13 in an e-mail that several board members disagreed with hiring Romo.

"I believe one's conduct and behavior is indicative of one's true character, after all it isn't what we say, but rather what we do that speaks volumes about our true character. So my issue is one of investing trust in someone who acted contrary to the center's position on DWI," Griffin said.

Griffin resigned this month but said it has little to do with the hiring. He said he has strong differences on DWI enforcement than the DWI Czar and other members of Gov. Bill Richardson's cabinet.

Atkinson said Romo has been very open with her clients about her DWI conviction.

If there's ever a conflict of interest, there are other attorneys who can take the cases.

"I think that this is an opportunity for them to change and have a better quality of life. And I believe that with all DWI offenders. When there's an arrest, this is primary intervention opportunity," Atkinson said.