Governor Michelle Lujan Grisham’s $3.6 million “Breaking Bad Habits” anti-littering campaign, featuring actor Bryan Cranston, has garnered attention for its creative approach to a persistent issue in New Mexico.
According to the Santa Fe New Mexican:
More than $2.4 million in media buys, from bus wraps and billboards to commercials on TV and various social media platforms, accounts for the bulk of the highly visible campaign. The campaign started with a total budget of $3 million, but an additional $640,000 was spent on more media buys.
Invoices and other documents obtained under a public records request show a $20,000 contract “furnishing the services of Bryan Cranston.” During a meet-and-greet with Cranston at the governor’s mansion, also in October, Cranston said he volunteered to appear in the campaign but explained “must be paid through [his] union” whenever he’s on camera. At the time, Cranston said he had donated the money to two “New Mexico-centric charities.”
While the campaign has reportedly led to over 100 cleanup events and the collection of thousands of trash bags statewide, critics question the substantial expenditure on marketing and celebrity involvement, especially when juxtaposed with other pressing needs in the state.
This initiative is part of a broader pattern of spending decisions by the governor that have raised eyebrows. In 2020, Lujan Grisham spent nearly $13,500 from a taxpayer-funded expense account on items including groceries, alcohol, and dry cleaning. Notably, over $6,500 was allocated for groceries and alcohol, with purchases such as Wagyu beef and high-end liquor. The governor later expressed regret over these expenditures, acknowledging that “more was purchased than what was necessary.”
A recent report showed that she just recently spent an additional $96,000 on lavish expenditures —all funded by taxpayers.
Further scrutiny arose when it was revealed that the governor’s office used state funds to cover costs for a political event at the governor’s mansion in October 2022. Although the campaign reimbursed the state $1,837 for the expenses, the incident highlighted concerns about the use of public funds for political purposes .
Additionally, an audit by the Office of the State Auditor found that the New Mexico Environment Department, under the governor’s administration, spent over $29,000 on business-class flights to Australia for a summit, a 600% increase from the initial cost estimates. The auditor deemed this a “clear case of waste of public resources.”
These instances, among others, have led to growing concerns about fiscal responsibility and the prioritization of state funds. While initiatives like the anti-littering campaign aim to address genuine issues, the associated costs and the pattern of questionable expenditures suggest a need for greater transparency and accountability in the governor’s spending decisions.
The one clip shown isn’t bad. The dems attack everything Trump does. It is a failed tactic and one we should not adopt.
Isn’t this just tax payer money being spent on advertising for a TV show about a drug dealer?
If the TV programming intended to demonstrate the major moral failings of the drug dealing protagonist, then shouldn’t -more- people be littering???
Staged trash.
If the ads are non-political and don’t dump on Trump – then I would applaud the governors insight using ‘Breaking Bad’ theme Brain C. as de facto spokesman sort of speak for anti-trash campaign for NM. BUT if this thing turns into a political hit on Trump administration, etc., then governor should be sanctioned/sued or whatever for bias using the public monies politically.
I’ll be watching and take a wait and see on this. This could be the first time I really have ever agreed with anything MLG had done – but we’ll see. Sincerely in health, jim brown
Too bad she’s focused more on litter than on reducing widespread crime and corruption.
The cincern should be the drugs and open borders she has allowed under her administration 🙄
I think she may well be diverting our attention from some other more corruption issue. She ought not be spending tax money on such in the first place. Bit she clearly doesn’t care about budgets!
The concern should be the drugs and open borders she has allowed .under her administration 🙄
I think the ad is fine. More targeted at the bozos that do litter than those that don’t. However, I think that spending that much on media buys is wrong. All, or at least much, should be treated by media as “public service announcements.” OK, cover your costs, but don’t charge rates to make a profit off the taxpayers.
Hoodlum advertising another Hoodlum.
Exactly
Why doesn’t Bryan Cranston pick up trash along Central Ave in Albuquerque instead of out in the desert? What a lame commercial!