Nearly 16 months after a Santa Fe police officer cited him for reckless driving, state Public Regulation Commissioner Jerome Block Jr. finally appeared in Municipal Court to pay his fine.

But, even though court officials gave Block a letter to present to the New Mexico Motor Vehicles Division to get his driver's license reinstated, MVD records show the 34-year-old elected official hasn't done so, an MVD spokesman said Tuesday.

"As of this afternoon, his license is still suspended," spokesman S.U. Mahesh said. "Once you get a clearance letter and take that to any MVD office and pay a reinstatement fee, which is $25, they give you a permit for 45 days. Then the driver's license will come in the mail."

Asked whether it was possible that Block presented the letter and the agency had not yet processed it, Mahesh said, "Our records show he hasn't produced the clearance letter and paid the reinstatement fee."

Block didn't return two phone messages left for him Tuesday.

Block's suspended driver's license is among several problems for the PRC member, whose state-assigned vehicle was taken away this summer after it was learned he had been driving without a valid license.

Although the state suspended his driver's license July 6, 2010, Block told a reporter in August that he didn't learn about that until June 15. Records appear to show, however, that he continued to rack up charges on a state fuel-purchase card in July of this year.

Sharon Romero, records custodian for Santa Fe Municipal Court, said Tuesday that Block on Sept. 2 pleaded guilty to last year's reckless driving charge and paid a $146 fine.

The New Mexico House of Representatives voted last week to subpoena records from the state Attorney General's Office to help legislators determine whether Block should be impeached for misconduct in office. The vote marked the first time the chamber has ever authorized the issuance of a subpoena, according to the Legislative Council Service.

Among accusations that legislators are looking into is whether Block had abused his state-issued gasoline purchase card.

The Northern New Mexico Democrat was already under indictment on charges related to misuse of public funds in his 2008 election campaign. A hearing on that case is scheduled for Wednesday in state District Court.

Block has come under bipartisan pressure to resign his $90,000-a-year post.

In early August, investigators from the state Attorney General's Office searched vehicles used by Block. According to state records, between January and June of this year, Block racked up more than $8,000 on his state gasoline account, the most of any member of the state Public Regulation Commission. Irregularities include multiple purchases on the same day, including seven times within less than half an hour. Those factors and the varying types of fuels purchased led state investigators to conclude he bought fuel for multiple vehicles.

Outside agencies also are looking at questionable spending on gas-card accounts belonging to two state Public Regulation Commission employees who have said the spending wasn't theirs.

Amid all this, last month Block admitted to struggling with an addiction to oxycodone, a strong narcotic pain reliever and cough suppressant similar to morphine, codeine and hydrocodone. At the time, Block refused to step down. However, Block told a reporter last week that he might reconsider calls for him to resign.

A House subcommittee is scheduled to meet Nov. 1 to hear evidence gathered by its special counsel and decide whether to recommend impeachment by the full House.

Contact Trip Jennings at 986-3050 or at tjennings@sfnewmexican.com.