Pro-abortion radicals suffered a crippling defeat Tuesday when they failed to get a mere 589 signatures for a special election to overturn Alamogordo’s resolution declaring itself a Sanctuary City for the Unborn previously passed by the Alamogordo City Commission, according to documents obtained via an Inspection of Public Records Act (IPRA) request.
The City wrote in a press release, “A petition to take Resolution 2022-38, passed by City Commission on August 2, 2022, at a Special Meeting, for referendum was filed with the City Clerk on September 1, 2022. In accordance with NMSA 1978 § 3-1-5. Petitions, examinations of signatures; purging; judicial review, and in consultation with the Secretary of State and New Mexico Municipal League, the petition did not meet the statutory requirements. As such, the city will take no additional action on this matter.”
The pro-life measure passed in August with support from all but two apparently pro-abortion members, Mayor Susan Payne and Commissioner Sharon McDonald, on the seven-member commission.
The pro-abortion radicals who attempted to force a special election that would cost $30,000 in taxpayer funds included an unregistered group, “New Voices Otero,” with influence from outside pro-abortion organizations, including the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) and the Planned Parenthood abortion business.
Although pro-abortion individuals make up the extreme minority in conservative, pro-life Alamogordo, the tiny band of radicals organized and declared that they got enough signatures on Thursday, September 1 — the deadline for submission.
But on Tuesday, the City of Alamogordo confirmed that the pro-abortion organizers had failed to meet the signature threshold. This failure deals them a crippling blow and the inability to waste city taxpayers’ funds on a frivolous election — an election which would have only reaffirmed the City Commission’s stance that the rights of the unborn are precious to city residents.
The resolution affirms that “each and every innocent human life is unique and precious to God,” while “human life begins at the moment of conception and continues, uninterrupted, until the moment of natural death,” according to scientific evidence. It also concludes, “The City Commission hereby declares itself a Sanctuary City for the Unborn.”
The pro-abortion petition’s failure is also a blow to Mayor Payne, who not only voted against the pro-life resolution but signed the pro-abortion organizers’ petition that erroneously dubbed the City Commission “extremist.” She also advocated on behalf of the petition, telling the Alamogordo Daily News, “I appreciate the hard work that everybody’s put into this.”
Payne recently responded to a negative, anti-Trump commenter on the Facebook post of City Commissioner Karl Melton, who sponsored the pro-life resolution. The commenter wrote regarding pro-life U.S. Sen. Tom Cotton, “Tom Cotton is another fascist MAGA traitor,” adding, “The democracy hating GOP won’t stop until they suppress every vote that isn’t for them.”
Payne commented to the detractor, “lol me thinkst [sic] this is happening right here in our fair city recently,” apparently referring to pro-life Republicans making a difference in Alamogordo. Payne also leaked a private conversation she was involved in between city officials to a fringe leftist blogger and convicted felon who supported the pro-abortion radicals’ petition.
During the meeting to pass the resolution, Payne told the audience before voting against the pro-life resolution, “This is a very controversial subject, and I’m going to be honest with you. It might make some people mad at me, and you know what? If you can’t respect the way I feel, that’s kinda your deal. But this is a very controversial subject, and one I have said all along I did not believe was a function of city government. And I still believe that. I believe that very strongly.”
An independent analysis of the pro-abortion petition by the Piñon Post obtained via an IPRA request found that the signers only had 502 apparently valid signatures — 87 shy of the necessary threshold to call for a costly special election. These included 48 invalidated signatures due to the lack of an address, extremely illegible entries, or duplicate signatures, and 86 signers who were not registered voters.
The City’s count showed the petitioners had only 507 valid signatures — 82 shy of the 589 needed for a special election.
Following the news of the petition’s failure, Commissioner Melton said, “Alamogordo residents showed that they will not fall for the deception from the pro-abortion radicals. The petitioners only needed to get 589 signatures, less than 2% of the population.”
He added, “The fact that they failed to meet such an easy target is proof that the vast majority of Alamogordo is pro-life. I will continue to do my part to encourage a culture of life here in Alamogordo and Otero County.”
The Commission’s pro-life resolution stands intact, alongside a similar resolution passed by the Otero County Commission standing up for the right to life in the community.
This Is The Best News!!!!! I’m so extremely happy that this matter, has received the ending it did!! Thank U for fighting & also keeping us updated on all the issues that matter!!!
Thank God there’s a shred of sanity and decency in Alamogordo. But stay alert the vicious communists will continue to assail all aspects of righteousness with their country wrecking allies, the aforementioned ACLU and planned parenthood which are just communist / satanist fronts. Oh yea and you need a mayor replacement as well . Congrats to all the decent God fearing people in Alamogordo.
I am grateful that my home (and city of birth) city stands with refusing to murder the innocent as a means of birth control. Stand straight and tall as an American city; and not a Socialist enclave.
New Mexico needs John Block. He is already working for this state!
Finally common sense and humanity prevails. A society that does not protect its’ children, born and unborn, is doomed to destruction. Good Job, Clovis!
Praise the Lord! Stay on guard New Mexico! You are saving lives!