On Friday, the Republican Party of New Mexico announced they have financed and filed a lawsuit requesting for Bernalillo County ballots in the First Congressional District to be impounded to search for irregularities.
“There are questions that still persist in this election that involve election integrity, and we must look closely at what happened here in New Mexico,” said Republican Party of New Mexico Chairman Steve Pearce.
According to the news release, the New Mexico Republican Party asked congressional candidate Michelle Garcia Holmes, who ran for the seat, to submit the petition. “New Mexico law grants candidates the right to have authorities impound tally sheets, registration certificates, paper ballots, absentee ballots, statements of canvass, absentee ballot applications and absentee ballot registers,” says the release.
NM GOP and Garcia Holmes are petitioning the Court to impound ballots in Bernalillo County’s 70 election-day voting convenience centers, 17 early alternative voting locations, and 88 absentee voter precincts.
“The Republican Party of New Mexico is also considering impounding ballots in other counties,” the release adds.
Last month, President Trump’s legal team members, including Rudy Giuliani and Boris Epshteyn, mentioned over 180,000 ballots in question in New Mexico, which they were seeking to review. Being the most populous in the state, Bernalillo County will be lucrative for searing for fraud if the Court allows the petition to move forward.
New Mexico uses the Dominion Voting Systems machines, which have been in question due to their ability to switch votes. Felon ex-Secretary of State Dianna Duran originally implemented them in New Mexico’s voting system in 2014.
BREAKING: @NewMexicoGOP launched and financed a lawsuit that was filed today, requesting that all 2020 election ballots in Bernalillo County be impounded. pic.twitter.com/85JeuDtRe0
— Republican Party of New Mexico (@NewMexicoGOP) December 5, 2020
People can help the Republican Party of New Mexico get over the finish line by donating at the website here. To read more about voter fraud in New Mexico, read more from the Piñon Posthere.
Chairman Steve Pearce will be on Breitbart SiriusXM Radio on Saturday morning to discuss the ballot impounding and Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham’s COVID-19 restrictions.
Please set a reminder and tune in tomorrow! The Chairman will be discussing ballot impounding in Bernalillo County and @GovMLG's COVID-19 restrictions. You won't want to miss this! https://t.co/euPvxQ1BQM
— Republican Party of New Mexico (@NewMexicoGOP) December 5, 2020
According to a report by the discredited CNN news network, Rep. Ben Ray Luján and other Democrat members of the Congressional Hispanic Caucus were triggered by the news hitting airwaves that Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham had snubbed an offer to be Joe Biden’s Interior Secretary in the 78-year-old former vice president’s fictitious presidential cabinet.
The CNN report says that while on a call with Democrat members of Congress and Joe Biden’s chosen chief of staff Ron Klain, Rep. Ben Ray Luján, alleged cousin to Gov. Lujan Grisham, and other Democrats were triggered by the news getting out that the Governor had turned down Biden’s offer to be his Interior secretary.
According to the report:
Rep. Ben Ray Lujan, a member from New Mexico, spoke up first, according to Grijalva, but was followed by a chorus of members in the CHC about the harm it had done to Lujan Grisham’s reputation and other women who had been interested in positions in Biden’s Cabinet.
“You can’t be cavalier with this stuff. Their reputations are on the line and when something comes up like, ‘We offered her something and she didn’t take it,’ it puts a bad light on her and on other candidates,” Grijalva said.
Grijalva said that members were also frustrated that it had hurt Rep. Deb Haaland, a Democrat from New Mexico, who had expressed an interest in the top job at Interior.
“Most of us interpreted it as a slap in both their faces,” Grijalva said. He added that Klain “shared both the concern and sometimes the anger that members were expressing.”
Rep. Veronica Escobar (D-TX) said that “there had yet to be a single Latina named to the Cabinet, and said the information about Lujan Grisham turning down the post at Interior going public seemed like an attempt to discredit a very qualified woman.” She added, “As someone who read the articles … the way it read was someone was trying to send a message that she had her shot and she walked away.”
Previously, Rep. Luján and other Democrats sent a letter begging Biden to nominate Gov. Lujan Grisham to the Department of Health and Human Services, despite her abysmal leadership during COVID-19, which has cost thousands of lives, with stark economic ramifications due to her lockdown of the state. This has resulted in countless jobs lost and hours-long bread lines forming outside of food stores.
The Democrats’ frustration aimed toward the Biden team appears to be hitting deaf ears, as Rhode Island Gov. Gina Raimondo has been reported to be the favorite for the spot, a massive blow to Lujan Grisham.
On Wednesday, it was reported by Politico that Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham was asked by former vice president Joe Biden’s team to be his Secretary of the Interior in his fictitious cabinet, however, she had reportedly turned down the job, according to three sources. She has been lobbying Biden for a role as Secretary of Health and Human Services (HHS), touting her supposed experience in health care.
Lujan Grisham has locked down the state during COVID-19, which has resulted in high unemployment and countless businesses closed, while COVID-19 case numbers and deaths are through the roof. This alone could disqualify her for HHS. She also grifted the people of New Mexico, along with her close friend and business partner, state Rep. Deb Armstrong, who “won” non-competitive state contracts to handle administrative work for the state’s high-risk insurance pool, despite the program being nullified by the implementation of Obamacare.
Now, the Biden team appears to be snubbing Lujan Grisham after she turned down the Department of the Interior post. Politico reports that the favorite for the role is no longer the New Mexico governor. The publication writes, Rhode Island Gov. “Gina Raimondo is now a top contender to be President-elect Joe Biden’s pick to run the Department of Health and Human Services, according to two people close to the transition.”
“Raimondo’s rise comes as New Mexico Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham is no longer favored for the role, according to one of those sources and another familiar with the discussions.”
However, the discredited “news” network, CNN, is still trying to lobby for Gov. Lujan Grisham’s appointment, with their television host Don Lemon, having Grisham on his program to discuss her potential nomination. Lujan Grisham’s close friend–if not family member–Rep. Ben Ray Luján has also been lobbying Biden to nominate the Governor, which appears to have fallen on deaf ears from the 78-year-old former vice president.
Lujan Grisham’s press secretary, Nora Sackett, took to Twitter on Wednesday to blast “national media” for not correctly reporting the Governor’s last name, re-sharing a tweet that said, “Since it seems to be that time again – the governor of New Mexico’s last name is Lujan Grisham. Governor Lujan Grisham. National media I beg of you to just like google this first before you get it wrong plz it’s not hard.”
Voter fraud is being uncovered across the United States, finding massive fraud in the 2020 election favoring Joe Biden. According to recent reports from Trump Campaign officials, New Mexico is also being looked at for potential election violations, which are expected to come out within the next couple of weeks.
Despite some on the left claiming long lines triggered by Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham’s capacity limits for stores as just a fluke because of Thanksgiving, after the holiday, hours-long lines still remain across the state outside of these stores.
As you can see below, these lines are still forming at stores all across the state, and many wrapping around the buildings.
November 28, 2020: Lowes at 407 Lowdermilk St, Española, New Mexico
November 28, 2020: Smith’s on 600 E 20th St, Farmington, New Mexico
November 28, 2020: Walmart on 1400 W Main St, Farmington, New Mexico
2:11 p.m. on November 28, 2020: Target on 3550 Zafarano Dr, Santa Fe, New Mexico
November 29, 2020: Walmart on 901 Unser Blvd SE, Rio Rancho, New Mexico
3:38 p.m. on November 29, 2020: Walmart on 3251 Cerrillos Rd, Santa Fe, New Mexico
November 29, 2020: El Super on 4201 Central Ave NW, Albuquerque, New Mexico
November 29, 2020: Walmart at 4500 N Main St Ste A, Roswell, New Mexico
November 30, 2020: Home Depot at 10200 Coors Bypass NW NW, Albuquerque, New Mexico
November 30, 2020: Albertsons on 3542 Zafarano Dr, Santa Fe, New Mexico
11:00 a.m. on November 30, 2020: 1400 W Main St, Farmington, New Mexico
November 30, 2020: Target on 4900 E Main St, Farmington, New Mexico
November 30, 2020: Smiths on 8301 Golf Course Rd NW, Albuquerque, New Mexico
November 30, 2020: 460 Nm Hwy #528, Bernalillo, New Mexico
November 30, 2020: 4500 E Main St, Farmington, New Mexico
Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham’s office originally said to the press, “The state is not forcing anyone to stand in a crowded line, as you suggest,” saying long lines at stores were just “Republican talking points” that were “politically motivated. Now, Gov. Lujan Grisham’s communications director, Tripp Stelnicki admits there are long lines, but says they are just a “minor inconvenience.”
Many people standing in-line are elderly individuals retrieving prescriptions, and people buying basic needs, such as food and toilet paper. The Governor’s lockdown has even prompted mainstream media to furrow their brows, such as Fox News’ Laura Ingraham, who chided Lujan Grisham for her treatment of New Mexicans on her Monday show.
On Sunday, it was reported that Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham is in contention for former vice president Joe Biden’s fictitious cabinet, despite him not winning the election and massive voter fraud swinging battleground states, including New Mexico, in his favor, which the Trump Campaign is exposing.
The Congressional Hispanic Caucus, including Rep. Ben Ray Luján, who may or may not be Gov. Lujan Grisham’s cousin, sent a letter imploring Biden to tap the New Mexico governor for the spot of Health and Human Services Secretary, despite her failed leadership during the COVID-19 pandemic.
In the letter, the all-Democrat signers beg Biden to “ensure that your Cabinet reflects the diversity of our nation,” despite most of his picks not reflecting anything more than career D.C. bureaucrats, far-left politicians, and academia of Ivy League universities.
They continue, “As you continue to finalize your nominees, we write to restate our strong support for the first Democratic Hispanic woman elected state governor in U.S. history, Governor Michelle Lujan Grisham, as Secretary of the Department of Health and Human Services.”
“Governor Lujan Grisham is an extraordinary leader. She has the vision and drive to see through large projects and effectively lead large organizations; and brings the necessary skills to serve our country as Secretary of Health and Human Services,” the letter continues.
However, the Governor’s “leadership” during COVID-19 alone, not to mention her previous stint in Gov. Bill Richardson’s cabinet as secretary of health, has lead to the worst unemployment recovery in the nation, COVID-19 cases skyrocketing, New Mexicans standing in hours-long lines to retrieve basic items like bread and toilet paper, not to mention the suicide rate in New Mexico at one point this year hitting the highest in the nation.
The move by the Congressional Balck Caucus Democrats appears to have been pushed into motion by Rep. Ben Ray Luján, who Gov. Lujan Grisham worked hard to put into the U.S. Senate.
In one instance, the Governor sent an email to supporters claiming President Donald Trump “barged into New Mexico” for a 2019 rally and saying if Luján, it can stave off Republicans from a plot to “rob the soul of our state for their political gain.”
The Governor’s heated rhetoric on behalf of her alleged cousin appears to have paid off, as he is already doing favors to attempt to further her political career by sending her back to Washington, where she previously served as a U.S. Representative from the 1st District.
On Friday, Gov. Lujan Grisham’s office released their new county-by-county “Red to Green” COVID-19 plan, which has been noted is a major flip-flop in policy on her part. Her staff, which has already adopted a general tone of hostility toward all New Mexicans, is now blatantly condescending local news stations, including the liberal KOB 4.
KOB 4 News sent questions to the Governor’s office asking about the new strategy since they were not allowed to ask questions during the announcement Zoom meeting, as reporters usually are allowed to do. (Not the Piñon Post, however, since we have not been granted such access despite multiple correspondences).
KOB Reporter Grace Reader asked simple questions to Gov. Lujan Grisham’s communications director Tripp Stelnicki, was met with pompous and condescending responses. Some responses questioned the reporter’s intelligence, some blasted county officials, and some answers so short that they didn’t adequately provide responses.
Reader asked Stelnicki, “Will county leaders be notified when they’re good to move to the next color via the state? Or do they need to be checking the DOH webpage every other Wednesday?”
Stelnicki responded with:
The map updates every other Wednesday. If county officials care about the spread of COVID in their communities, they are already checking this map regularly to identify the risks to their constituents so they can protect their communities they represent. County leaders are well-compensated and qualified professionals who are more than capable of reading the public health order and communicating within their own communities.
In another question, Reader asked, “For business owners who are going to be monitoring these developments closely to see what they can and can’t be doing, where do they need to be looking? Does the state have any concern that this county-by-county approach will confuse businesses and patrons about what they’re allowed to be doing?”
Stelnicki returned with a more long-winded response full of snark, but this time taking a jab at the reporter, appearing to question her ability to read attachments from the Governor’s news release:
Did you read the attachment to the news release yesterday and find it confusing? Please let us know if we can help you understand it. Three colors is not confusing. Checking a website— or asking your county to check a website—once every two weeks is not difficult. Many other states operate precisely this way. Many communities and legislators, particularly Republican legislators, have been demanding exactly this county-by-county framework for months, please make the time to ask them whether they are glad to see it now and hold them accountable to their prior statements on the matter. These questions assume that this method of enacting and publicizing the restrictions is somehow comprehensively different than what has been the case for the last 9 months. It is not. Businesses and anyone else who wants to monitor these developments can look to the exact same places they’ve been looking. The levels will be clearly demarcated on the state’s websites. We are creating web widgets they can use on their own websites.
Reader then asked, “We noticed that for the first time, close quarters businesses are being asked to open at 25 percent capacity or 10 people, whichever is smaller. Can you tell us what forced the 10 people cap to be added to the capacity requirement? Additionally, did you all consider lifting the 75 person requirement on essential retail businesses (I know a lot of people have been upset about the lines at large box stores)?”
As usual, Stelnicki responded by claiming the hours-long lines New Mexicans have been standing in to get basic goods and food are a “minor inconvenience.”
His response in-full:
A line is a minor inconvenience, for which the state is sympathetic. The state is also sympathetic to the overworked nurses and doctors in the state’s hospitals and the thousands of families who are suffering and grieving right now The state will continue to prioritize saving lives and protecting New Mexicans while providing for as much safe economic day-to-day activity as possible.
The Piñon Post reported on the long lines last week after the Governor’s office told KOB 4 that the lines were just “Republican talking points.” The office also claimed, “The state is not forcing anyone to stand in a crowded line, as you suggest.” Coincidentally, Stelnicki now appears to be punishing the television station (a station that has bent over backward to placate the Lujan Grisham Administration at every turn: see below) with his latest tantrum, throwing not only the reporter under the bus, but also county officials, New Mexicans, and Republicans in general for pointing out the Governor’s massive flip-flop on policy.
.@GovMLG’s allies in the mainstream media are working overtime to deliver the Governor’s scare tactics to the people of New Mexico. Objective journalism? Not.
New Mexicans responded to the Governor’s office’s latest snark-fest on Twitter.
State Rep. Rebecca Dow (R-Truth or Consequences), wrote, “Just wow! Her SILENCE towards his condescending tone IS AGREEMENT. Apparently we are not ‘all in this together’”
Matt García Síerra wrote, “Hey NM media, kudos for keeping @GovMLG staffers honest. Their petty responses indicate you’re making them do their jobs. You know, the jobs they’re still cashing in on, while New Mexicans are unemployed.”
It should be noted that Stelnicki and his counterparts in the Governor’s office have full funding and do not face budget cutbacks due to the COVID-19 pandemic. On average, the Governor’s staffers make around $100,000 each annually.
Grace Reader herself even took to Twitter, sharing the Q&A article and writing, “As a reporter, it’s my job to ask questions, especially when your livelihood and health is at stake. Today we asked about the next phase of the public health order, here’s how the state responded to those questions”
The condescending responses by Stelnicki are just the latest from him toward anyone daring to offer substantive questions or points he disagrees with. In April, Stelnicki wrote on Twitter that Republicans are a “death cult.” The Governor’s office did not apologize or respond. However, Stelnicki went silent for months, with Lujan Grisham’s press secretary Nora Sackett speaking publicly for the office in the interim.
Sackett is also known for being hostile to the press, such as in September when Española Mayor Javier Sanchez rebuked the Governor for chiding Españolans on mask-wearing despite only observing the alleged non-compliance from the back seat of her chauffeured car.
Sackett said, “Every media outlet that covered the mayor of Española’s self-righteous op ed will now also cover his flagrant hypocrisy and violation of the public health order, right?”
Before the Thanksgiving holiday, Sackett claimed, “New Mexico Republicans want you and your loved ones to get COVID-19 and potentially die” because the Party called out the Governor’s unreasonable 5-person household limit for gatherings.
It should also be noted that every time the Piñon Post has reached out to Nora Sackett or Tripp Stelnicki for comment, we have never heard a word back, and instead have had to use the Information of Public Records Act (IPRA) any time we have had a question regarding the Lujan Grisham Administration. On average, this process takes two weeks to produce information, and it is mostly not adequate due to redactions.
On Tuesday, New Mexico House of Representatives Speaker Brian Egolf, along with Democrats in his conference rammed through Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham’s $330 million stimulus bill that would use up all the remaining COVID-19 aid passed through Congress in the CARES Act.
Egolf broke House rules to cut off debate from Republicans, which he was later scolded for by angered representatives, notably Rep. Jason Harper (R-Rio Rancho) who chided the Speaker as a “bully” who misuses his position to meet his “whims.”
.@JasonHarperNM to @speakeregolf last night after Egolf prematurely cut off debate on Rep. Dow’s amendment to give aid to frontline workers: “Mr. Speaker, you have made a mockery of this body…. You again, are a bully, and use that chair to sue your whims.” pic.twitter.com/H498gfZIeD
But the shoddily drafted Democrat bill that was ultimately signed into law included a provision that allows criminal aliens who broke U.S. immigration laws to exist in New Mexico to receive some of the federal funds of up to $750 per household.
To explain the direct funding of criminal aliens in the bill, Egolf said, “There are folks who are in this country who are experiencing just as much hardship because of COVID and contribute just as much and sometimes more than their fellow New Mexican residents.”
According to KOAT 7, “Egolf said you have to have proof you live in New Mexico to get a check that would not rule out undocumented immigrants.” Also, “those eligible include dependents like children and the elderly, as well as immigrants in the country without legal permission.”
It should be noted that the $1,200 federal checks appropriated by Congress earlier this year directly from the U.S. Treasury excluded criminal aliens. Now, New Mexico Democrats have found a loophole to deny funding from New Mexicans who are legal U.S. citizens and instead reappropriate those remaining CARES Act funds to illegal aliens.
New Mexicans face an uphill battle in our state right now, especially with the COVID-19 pandemic and the liberal state government’s disastrous response. These failed policies by those at the top have forced our people to stand outside in the cold for hours to purchase groceries and caused many to live in fear of the state government’s wrath if we dare defy the countless orders given from on high.
However, I know New Mexico. I know our people are tough and don’t take kindly to being pushed around and diminished. We work hard to put food on our tables and keep roofs over our heads, and our very existence in this state is at stake right now.
But if I know anything about New Mexico, it’s that we never give up. We keep on fighting for a brighter future for our state, and every time we get pushed down, we get right back up, dust ourselves off, and stay in the fight.
Despite a governor who has disrespected us and attempted to rip away our Constitutional rights, a Legislature plagued with radical leftists and many weak Republican defectors who side with Democrats on key issues, elections riddled with massive fraud, and well-funded far-left extremists who try and scare us into compliance with their radical agenda, we keep on fighting. Despite how bad it may get, we know we have God on our side, and we are indeed on the right side of history.
We keep on moving forward and getting back on our feet. Now is the time to assess the work we must do to preserve our freedoms and protect our state from radicalism, as everything hangs in the balance. We must educate, organize, and launch our resistance to tyranny, and we can do it — if we work together.
We want our children, elders, law enforcers, teachers, first responders, truckers, ranchers, farmers, oil workers, and everyone in-between to have a future that is as bright as our state. We are blessed with the most spectacular treasures, from White Sands, the Organ Mountains, Carlsbad Caverns, the Gila, and the Sacramento Mountains in southern New Mexico, to Shiprock, the Carson National Forest, Ghost Ranch, the Rio Grande Gorge, and so many other things of beauty. We are blessed to live here and to experience all that God has blessed us with.
This Thanksgiving, let us reflect on these gifts, and most importantly, thank God for the gift of family. Even though we may not all be able to gather around the same table this Thanksgiving, each and every one of you are members of the family, and we wish you all a wonderful holiday.
We want the best possible opportunities for our loved ones, and as we look toward the future, we must always put the wellbeing of those we love at the forefront of what we do. It’s easy to get caught up in the day-to-day rhetoric of the battle for our state, but today, let us give thanks for what we still have and all the dreams and goals we wish to achieve. We can do anything if we work together, and I am proud to be in the fight alongside each and every one of you to help save our state.
On behalf of me, all the contributors, and the readers of the Piñon Post, we wish you a happy Thanksgiving as we continue to work to deliver the truth to New Mexicans and inform our state about the issues that impact us every day. Thank you for the opportunity to continue working for you, and our movement is growing stronger each day. God bless you all as you gather in fellowship with your friends and family today. And may God bless the Great State of New Mexico.
On Thanksgiving eve, New Mexicans who haven’t already stood in line for hours to do their Thanksgiving shopping face hours-long wait times to get inside traditional grocery stores and big box stores like Smith’s, Albertson’s, Costco, Walmart, Sam’s Club, and others. Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham’s clampdown on store capacities has resulted in retailers only allowing 75 people inside stores at any given time, and hefty lines have begun wrapping around stores.
While lines form at traditional supermarkets, New Mexicans may not expect lines at high-priced stores like the Whole Foods Market on 2103 Carlisle Boulevard NE in Albuquerque, where no lines were spotted on Tuesday morning at 10:37 a.m.
But products from stores like Whole Foods, owned by Amazon’s multi-billionaire founder, Jeff Bezos, will set shoppers back a hefty price. According to a report by the Santa Fe New Mexican, a Diestel pasture-raised turkey would cost an eye-popping $104.17 each. According to analysts, Whole Foods costs on average 10%-20% more than traditional grocery stores.
In contrast, at closeby Walmart on 2701 Carlisle Blvd NE in Albuquerque, lines are wrapping all the way around the store, into the parking lot, and down the block, which formed early this Tuesday morning and has not let up.
Similar schenes can be found across the state, as the Piñon Postreported this week. However, Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham’s office denies the existence of these lines, claiming they are just “Republican talking points,” and saying, “The state is not forcing anyone to stand in a crowded line, as you suggest.”
The Governor’s office may be blissfully unaware of the long lines at stores because members of her office may shop at establishments like Whole Foods, that do not have endless lines versus more modestly priced markets like Smith’s and Walmart.
Despite the Thanksgiving holiday approaching, the Governor is urging New Mexicans to not “mix households” and not to hug each other for the holiday, with propaganda videos via social media showcasing people social distancing from family this holiday season. Regardless, New Mexicans still need to eat, and there is no escaping a line unless one would prefer to pay top-dollar at places like Whole Foods.
This isn't a normal year, and it isn't a normal holiday season. We all wish it weren’t that way, but it is.
I know it’s hard. We’re tired. We all want to see our families. But please understand it’s not worth the risk.
On Tuesday, the New Mexico Legislature convened for a one-day special session after Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham called members of the New Mexico House and Senate to appropriate $330 million in COVID-19 relief to New Mexicans as a last-ditch attempt to use up what was left of the money appropriated through the federal CARES Act. The aide preliminarily acted to give $1,200 checks to the unemployed, grants to businesses, and housing assistance.
It should be noted that the Governor’s two-time lockdown of the state has resulted in the loss of countless small businesses, which in turn has forced people onto unemployment, whereby they are unable to pay for food, supplies, and rent. Without the strict lockdown, there would be no need for any relief for workers and businesses. The $330 million Democrat bill had no provisions to give aid to essential workers.
Republicans in the New Mexico House of Representatives worked to amend the Governor’s bill to add essential workers into the appropriation so they would also receive relief. However, Democrats vehemently rejected the measure, which was proposed by Rep. Rebecca Dow (R-Truth or Consequences) with Speaker Brian Egolf (D-Santa Fe) claiming that the essential workers hurting through COVID-19 were lucky because “they have a job,” whereas the people only included in the Democrat bill did not have jobs.
Hey, @speakeregolf: Do you want to explain to the frontline workers who are suffering and need aid that you think they are less worthy of COVID-19 relief because "they have a job"? What a disgrace you are! pic.twitter.com/2GLBJY3yIh
Egolf then pre-emptively cut off debate on the Republican amendment, proceeding to a floor vote despite further debate on the motion by Republicans, such as state Senator-elect David Gallegos (R-Lovington), who was denied the right to speak on behalf of his constituents on multiple amendments and motions.
“I attempted numerous times to speak on various amendments but to no avail. The Speaker refused to allow me to be heard. This is not a democratic system, it is an oligarchy and he and the governor tightly hold the power and are afraid of dissent. We must keep fighting for this state we love and for the voice of the minority in our state who continue to be silenced. We cannot let their tyranny stand,” wrote Gallegos on his Facebook page.
During the roll call for final passage of the Democrat bill, Rep. Jason Harper (R-Rio Rancho) was called on to vote, to which he then said, “Since we’re throwing the rules out and using them when we’d like, I’ll explain myself now and then vote. Mr. Speaker, you have made a mockery of this body and of the rules. You are choosing to use the rules that you want, and I am choosing to use the rules when I want. Mr. Speaker, I am disgusted with you and how you have run this body. There is nothing wrong with going to closing remarks by Representative Dow and voting on that and voting on the bill. But you again are a bully and use that chair to sue your whims. I vote yes, thank you.”
.@JasonHarperNM to @speakeregolf last night after Egolf prematurely cut off debate on Rep. Dow’s amendment to give aid to frontline workers: “Mr. Speaker, you have made a mockery of this body…. You again, are a bully, and use that chair to sue your whims.” pic.twitter.com/H498gfZIeD
“I wanted to support the bill, I appreciate what has happened, but this is just a shenanigan that is improper, unethical, and certainly not transparent,” said Republican Leader Rep. Jim Townsend (R-Artesia) while casting his “no” vote.
After the vote, Republican Whip Rep. Montoya (R-Farmington) took the floor and scolded Egolf for his blatant prejudice to the Republican minority, his hostility, and refusal to follow House rules. “Whatever we pass out of here today is going to be completely illegitimate, and I am very disappointed, Mr. Speaker, in the blatant effort, once again, to ignore the rules, try–with lawyer talk–to talk us through a quick discussion on this, when we are wasting more time on this when we could have already voted on the motion,” said Montoya.
All other legislation sponsored by Republicans, such as a bill to limit Gov. Lujan Grisham’s emergency powers, was tied up in committee and died on arrival. The Democrat relief bill was passed through both chambers and now goes to the Governor for her signature after the hurried special session.
