One of New Mexico’s most powerful lawmakers, Senate President Pro Tempore Mimi Stewart, is facing serious scrutiny following a legislative ethics hearing on Friday, where investigators presented evidence that the veteran Albuquerque Democrat verbally berated a staffer during the 2024 legislative session.
The accusation stems from a February 27 incident involving Michelle Jaschke, who coordinates capital outlay programs for the Legislative Council Service. According to testimony, Jaschke emailed Sen. Stewart’s office after the deadline for capital requests, inquiring whether the senator had submitted her required documentation. What followed, according to Jaschke, was a barrage of hostility.
Special counsel Lorna Wiggins, who conducted the harassment investigation, told the Legislative Ethics Subcommittee that Jaschke received a reply email from Stewart in all capital letters — a format Jaschke interpreted as “screaming.” Minutes later, Stewart allegedly followed up with a phone call, during which she shouted and called Jaschke “stupid.”
“She described the call as a verbal attack,” Wiggins said. “The encounter affected her so deeply that she was unable to work the next day, citing both mental and physical distress.”
Wiggins, a labor and employment attorney, determined Stewart’s conduct fell within the Legislature’s anti-harassment policy, which broadly defines harassment as behavior a reasonable person would find “insulting, intimidating, humiliating, or degrading.”
Sen. Stewart’s attorney, Ray Vargas, acknowledged the lawmaker’s actions were inappropriate. “She wasn’t just impolite — she was downright rude,” he admitted. But he insisted the incident didn’t meet the legal threshold for harassment. “This was an unfortunate outburst in a high-stress situation, not an act of intimidation or coercion.”
Vargas explained the context: Stewart had submitted nearly $4 million in capital outlay requests on time for her district, one of the poorest in the state. When she received an email suggesting the forms were missing, she lost her temper. “She was beside herself,” Vargas said.
Former Supreme Court Justice Richard Bosson, who chairs the subcommittee, emphasized the group’s role is to determine whether a violation of the Legislature’s anti-harassment policy occurred and whether sanctions should be recommended. A formal written order is expected soon.
In a statement read aloud during the hearing, Stewart expressed regret. “I believe it’s important that we legislators treat everyone with kindness and respect, especially our staff,” she wrote. “I failed to do that. I apologized to Michelle, and I’m now seeing a counselor to help ensure I handle stressful moments better in the future.”
The subcommittee concluded its deliberations in executive session. A final decision on possible disciplinary action is expected to be made public in the coming days.
Crickets….
if you follow any of Mimi’s policies you know she is NOT for the people of NM. she is for the democrat party and control over our lives. too many legisilators like her have a superiority complex and think they are wiser and better than the rest of us. they arent. they are self centered narrissicsts who do not deserve to be in office. nothing will happen to her. nothing every happens to the democrat political elite. this will all be covered up and she will continue to harm our state.
I agree with everything you say Billie. But come on, man, it’s evident you received your education in NM — they didn’t even teach you to capitalize the first letter in each sentence. If you want to be taken seriously, you need to pay attention to grammar.
your grammar is no better. if you want to be taken seriously start writing content instead of criticism. you dont start a sentence with but, use – as you did , and you misspelled my name.
For some reason I thought this was a serious post. It’s not.
You are exactly right on all counts…
Well said.!!!
S
I’m still wondering if the documents really arrived on time or not.
If the document was electronically generated, & sent, I’m sure she would have had to produce the evidence. The receiving office would have an electronic record as well. Of course, in New Mexico, no proof of a magistrate correspondence with law enforcement is required. The judge simply says “It was hand carried.”, not by whom. Some issues in Catron County as well.
Maybe it’s just me but this is a nothing burger. “Oh, someone yelled at me. I am now in a state of high stress and anxiety.” All of these people need to get a real job..
Yep!
When Senator Stewart was serving in the House, she exhibited the same behavior. Sad then. Sad now.
Thank you Janice Arnold-Jones for calling her out on her behavior, you represent the Red party, I think the Blue Party has witnessed Mimi behavior but they are intimidated because of her Leadership roll in Santa Fe. Look at the past complaints that the Democratic Party has brought upon their own party. This does not paint a pretty picture for them. I do hope they throw the book at her and I’m sure her peers feel the same way.
Yeah, throw the book at her. Give her a black eye😂😂
I’d like to see the full medical records from Mimi’s counseling sessions to prove that she went there for the incident and that she’s not hiding behind a doctor’s confidentiality agreement- which seems far more likely.
So… as a follow on… Mimi is going to see a psychologist/counselor because her power is going to her head and she can’t help but berate people around her???
I sat in at the Roundhouse, not a nice person…besides that, her
district is terrible.
Liberalism is a mental disorder
What does anyone propose happen?
Nothing will happen because, and you ALL KNOW THE ANSWER.
They are their own judge and jury.
R’s find candidates and figure out your message! You have neither.
In NM dems elect people that have personality disorders, smoke weed because of claimed stress ( while in office) and have elected a city coucilor with a past that includes shooting someone as a DC cop. NM voters have low standards. or is it no standards ?