Renato Costa, Author at Piñon Post

Smugglers hire through WhatsApp, Craigslist to sneak illegals into NM

4 Comments / New Mexico, News, Politics / By Renato Costa

A recent report from KXAN News Austin has documented multiple recent altercations Border Patrol units have had with smugglers, mostly Americans, transferring illegal aliens into New Mexico through the southern border.

In one case reported by the outlet, a black Mazda CX-5 was stopped by agents in Hidalgo County after failing to stop for a speeding violation on March 14. The vehicle, manned by U.S. citizen Francisco Perez Mercado, sped onto Interstate 10 until crashing into another car in Lordsburg.

Perez Mercado’s companion Christina Lynn James-Blake and two of the illegal aliens being smuggled were airlifted to the hospital.

“James-Blake allegedly told Homeland Security investigators that she availed her vehicle to the smugglers for $1,000. She said she and Perez picked up Mexican and Guatemalan migrants at a Douglas, Arizona, motel and were to drive them to Phoenix, taking a detour through Southwestern New Mexico to avoid highway checkpoints…. Migrant apprehensions remain steady along Southwest border One of the migrants told investigators smugglers charged him $8,000 to get him across the border and past highway checkpoints,” reported KXAN.

On February 28, an agent stationed at the Arizona-New Mexico border spotted a passenger inside a blue Hyundai duck, which led to the questioning of the driver, U.S. citizen Gabriel Scott. He sped up amid being questioned and was later apprehended with a tire-deflation device.

“Scott allegedly volunteered that he picked up the migrants in Nogales, Arizona, and hid two of them in the trunk for more than three hours. Scott said he was recruited by smugglers through an ad on Craigslist for an undisclosed amount of money, court records show,” the outlet reported.

On the morning of March 16, a Las Cruces-area Border Patrol agent spotted a dark Dodge Challenger following a gold Jeep with its lights off. As the caravan approached a Border Patrol checkpoint, the Challenger revved past traffic and was later apprehended on New Mexico Highway 185 after two miles of pursuit. The gold Jeep has not yet been located, but the driver of the Challenger, Jorge Luis Freyre, told investigators he belonged to the Chuco Tango gang.

Another caravan situation happened near New Mexico’s Antelope Wells point of entry, where a white Chevrolet Silverado and a 2006 Honda Pilot refused to yield and were later stopped by tire-deflation devices.

Seven illegal migrants were apprehended wearing camouflage clothing in the Silverado and three in the Pilot.

“The vehicles eventually stopped, and border agents apprehended seven migrants wearing camouflage clothing inside the Silverado and three inside the Honda Pilot. All were from Mexico. One driver, Marco Garcia Acevedo, allegedly said he was hired through WhatsApp to transport migrants; driver Carlos Eduardo Cruz Guzman said he is an Arizona resident who entered the United States illegally, court documents show.”

On February 27, Matthew Paul Anderson of Phoenix was apprehended driving his SUV on New Mexico Highway 80, where he surrendered, revealing his contract to smuggle three illegal aliens from Mexico via one of his contacts. He allegedly said to the Border Patrol agent, “You got me, man.”

U.S. Border Patrol said in a statement, “Arrested smugglers intercepted in recent smuggling schemes have been primarily from Mexico and the United States. However, they have also come from other countries such as Venezuela, Honduras and Cuba.”

Smugglers hire through WhatsApp, Craigslist to sneak illegals into NM Read More »

NM GOP calls for probe into MLG following Trump arrest rumors

15 Comments / New Mexico, News, Politics / By Renato Costa

On Tuesday, the Republican Party of New Mexico (RPNM) demanded an investigation into Democrat Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham over claims by a former staffer, James Hallinan, that the then-candidate for governor groped him.

The calls from RPNM come amid Manhattan, New York’s district attorney Alvin Braggs trying to indict President Donald Trump for “allegedly falsifying documents as ‘legal expenses’ concerning hush money paid to Stormy Daniels and potentially breaking New York campaign finance law” as the party put it in a news release.

The Party continued:

These seven-year-old accusations resurface after Stormy’s hush money case was previously dismissed by a federal judge who ruled the suit “irrelevant.” Stormy also filed a defamation case against Trump and lost, also losing a subsequent appeal to the Supreme Court. Daniels’ lawyer has since been found guilty of extortion and fraud.
The return of these accusations against Trump shows the signs of another political witch hunt. Even those critical of Trump have blasted the district attorney’s potential indictment. One such critic, lawyer and former Harvard law professor, Alan Dershowitz, highlighted the political agenda surrounding this case saying, “This is 100% political.
There is no basis for this prosecution, but with the judiciary in New York, you never know.” These claims are especially cogent when district attorney Braggs has recently vowed he would not prosecute numerous non-violent crimes.
While the investigations into former President Trump have turned up fruitless, there are almost identical charges against Governor Michelle Lujan Grisham that New Mexico prosecutors refuse to investigate.

RPNM Chairman Steve Pearce, a former congressman from New Mexico’s Second Congressional District, wrote, “Instead of harping on finding fault in Trump, who, after years of probing investigation, is continually vindicated, the left should begin an investigation into the eerily similar charges against our Governor.”

Ahead of the 2022 gubernatorial election, Governor Michelle Lujan Grisham’s campaign paid out $150,000 in alleged hush money to her former campaign staffer, who accused her of grabbing his genitals and making sexually demeaning comments to him. The Lujan Grisham campaign then refused to explain an additional $87,500 payment, labeled “legal expenses,” to the law firm believed to have represented the Governor in her sexual harassment case.

“This is a perfect example of the left’s hypocrisy. While the media continues an uproar over weak accusations against Trump, no investigation has been made into the substantial accusations against Governor Michelle Lujan Grisham,” wrote Pearce.

RPNM continued in the press release, “We call for New Mexico prosecutors to investigate the accusations against Governor Michelle Lujan Grisham. RPNM believes nobody is above the law and that truth, not politics, should determine justice.”

NM GOP calls for probe into MLG following Trump arrest rumors Read More »

Lujan Grisham signs bill giving life-sentenced minors chance of parole

8 Comments / New Mexico, News, Politics / By Renato Costa

On Friday, the day before the 2023 Legislative Session adjourned, Democrat New Mexico Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham signed S.B. 64 by Rep. Gail Chasey and Sen. Antoinette Sedillo-Lopez (D-Bernalillo), which would give inmates sentenced as juveniles the opportunity for parole after 15 years in some cases.

The bill would even give school shooters, rapists, and other criminals sentenced from age 14 to 17 the opportunity for a parole hearing. This would include if the then-juvenile was tried and convicted as an adult.

On the House floor Monday, Republicans unsuccessfully tried to add amendments to the bill.

Rep. Stefani Lord (R-Sandia Park) wrote on Twitter following her amendment being tabled, “Bad bills are usually heard after midnight — right on cue, Dems presented a bill to allow early parole of 20 years for minors who willfully and deliberately premediate a murder. I presented an amendment to exclude those that RAPE and murder a child, Dems said no.”

Another amendment offered by Rep. John Block (R-Alamogordo) would have exempted mass shooters from being eligible for parole. That amendment also died.

“Late last night and early this morning (11:16 pm yesterday to 2:16 am today), we debated SB64 letting mass shooters/rapists/other life-sentenced criminals convicted as minors get parole hearings. Dems passed it and killed my amendment excluding mass shooters,” wrote Block.

Rep. Andrea Reeb (R-Clovis) offered an amendment extending the parole deadlines in the bill. Democrats killed that amendment.

The bill allows the inmate to get a parole hearing every four years, which Republicans noted would “revictimize” the families of those harmed or victims themselves.

Another measure, S.B. 29 by Sen. Bill O’Neill (D-Bernalillo), “allows early parole for anyone over 55 with an ‘age-related disease,’ which, according to WHO, includes hearing loss, cataracts, back/neck pain, osteoarthritis, diabetes, depression, etc.,” according to Rep. Lord.

Lord offered an amendment to O’Neill’s bill that would exempt pedophiles from being eligible for early parole, but “Dems said no,” she wrote.

Despite a massive crime wave plaguing New Mexico, especially Albuquerque, Democrats failed to pass much meaningful crime legislation targeting criminals. They instead opted to reward criminals with early parole and target law-abiding gun owners in bills such as H.B. 9, which passed and was signed by Gov. Lujan Grisham.

During the 2023 Legislative Session, over 200 bills passed. It is unclear how many the governor will sign. She has until April 7, 2023, to act upon the passed legislation, or else it will be “pocket vetoed,” meaning it will be discarded due to inaction.

Lujan Grisham signs bill giving life-sentenced minors chance of parole Read More »

NM legislature adjourns with only one anti-gun bill reaching governor’s desk

14 Comments / New Mexico, News, Politics / By Renato Costa

On Saturday at noon, the New Mexico House and Senate adjourned from the 2023 Legislative Session. The adjournment meant the death of many anti-gun proposals that would have restricted citizens’ constitutional rights. Only one bill, H.B. 9, mandating the lockup of firearms, passed and was signed by Democrat Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham.

The dead gun-grabbing legislation includes S.B. 44 banning citizens from carrying a firearm within 100 feet of a polling place during an election, S.B. 428 targeting firearm retailers and manufacturers with frivolous lawsuits, H.B. 100 banning most firearms over 10-round capacity, and H.B. 101 mandating a 14-day waiting period before firearm purchases.

S.B. 427, which is similar to H.B. 101 banning magazine capacity, died, while S.B. 116, mandating a person must be 21 to purchase a firearm, did not make it across the finish line.

Other bad bills, such as H.B. 426 to create a “clean fuel standard” (resulting in increased gas prices), along with H.J.R. 4 to install the “Green Amendment,” died in their first chamber.

Other extreme legislation, such as H.B. 399 to attack counties’ sovereignty, died, while a proposal, H.J. R. 8, to pay legislators salaries fizzled in the Senate.

H.B. 25 to raise the minimum wage to over $16.00 per hour, S.B. 77 mandating electric vehicle charging stations be put in all new homes, H.B. 263 to create taxpayer-funded drug dens for addicts to shoot up, and H.B. 230 to astronomically increase the cost of alcohol, all died.

A tax package that will increase taxes overall by around $100 million did pass, although it is unclear if it will be signed into law by Gov. Lujan Grisham. That package included a minor additional tax on alcohol.

Following the end of the session, the Republican Party of New Mexico wrote, “We knew progressives would take advantage of their majority in the legislature to push through their radical agenda this session. However, despite being in the minority, Republicans successfully passed beneficial legislation and halted other unconstitutional bills from becoming law.”

NM legislature adjourns with only one anti-gun bill reaching governor’s desk Read More »

House committee kills Dem ‘paid family leave’ bill

6 Comments / New Mexico, News, Politics / By Renato Costa

On Monday, the House Commerce and Economic Development Committee voted 6-5 to table S.B. 11, a proposal mandating up to 12 weeks of “paid family leave” for all New Mexico businesses.

The move would have been a multi-million dollar tax on employees that would have forced small businesses and employees to pay into a fund for paid leave.

According to the group Better Together New Mexico, “SB 11, the Paid Family Medical Leave Act (PFMLA) is estimated to cost well over $400 million dollars if it becomes law. This act forces employees and employers to pay out of pocket into a fund managed by the New Mexico Department of Workforce Solutions. That’s the same agency that overpaid an estimated $250 million dollars in unemployment benefits during 2020-21.”

“Many New Mexicans are already dealing with the financial strain of inflation, and for many families, an additional .5% of their wages would go into this state-managed fund.”

The bill carried by Rep. Linda Serrato (D-Santa Fe) died with two Democrats, Reps. Patricia Lundstrom (Gallup) and Marian Matthews (Albuquerque) voting with all four Republicans against the costly measure.

“Lundstrom also expressed concern about the long-term solvency of the initial fund, saying it’s likely businesses would have to pay more to keep it afloat down the line,” according to the Santa Fe New Mexican.

With the 2023 Legislative Session ending at noon on Saturday, the bill is undoubtedly dead.

Supporters of the extreme bill, including AARP New Mexico, told reporters they are optimistic the bill will come back in another legislative session, despite its extreme cost to businesses and workers, who would be significantly taxed for the socialized program.

House committee kills Dem ‘paid family leave’ bill Read More »

Dems’ extreme election code rewrite heads to governor’s desk

9 Comments / New Mexico, News, Politics / By Renato Costa

On Monday, the New Mexico House of Representatives voted 42-25 to concur with the Senate’s changes of H.B. 4, an extreme rewrite of many portions of the state’s election code. The bill now goes to the governor’s desk.

Provisions in the bill would erode election security by letting felons vote, mandating a permanent absentee voter list, ballot drop boxes, and mandating voters be automatically registered at the Motor Vehicle Division (MVD), where they would have to opt out by mail.

There were many concerns in committees and during floor discussions about the bill infringing on religious freedoms because some religions do not permit voting. Forcibly registering people to vote would be a violation.

According to the bill’s fiscal impact report, the Taxation and Revenue Department reports that “implementation of this bill will have a high impact on its IT Division. The estimated time to develop, test, and implement the changes is approximately 2,704 hours or 17 months and approximately $717,700 ($567,800 contractual resources including gross receipts tax and staff workload costs of $149,900). The bill will require MVD to partner with [the Secretary of State’s office] to make changes to the interface between the two agencies.”

According to the New Mexico Sun, “The New Mexico Business Coalition (NMBC) strongly opposes HB 4. NMBC President Carla Sonntag published a letter arguing that the legislation would endanger both voting rights and voting system integrity in many ways, including automatically registering voters without their consent, increasing the likelihood of non-U.S. citizens being registered to vote and giving full voting rights to felons prior to completion of parole/probation.”

Provisions on the Senate side that were amended in include giving county clerks the opportunity to get waivers from the Secretary of State’s office to opt out of ballot drop boxes and clarifying language regarding prisons and detention facilities.

The bill now goes to Democrat Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham’s desk for a signature.

Dems’ extreme election code rewrite heads to governor’s desk Read More »

Dem bill forcing public bodies to facilitate abortions, ‘gender-affirming care’ passes

17 Comments / New Mexico, News, Politics / By Renato Costa

On Friday, the New Mexico House of Representatives concurred with changes the state Senate made to the extreme H.B. 7 sponsored by Rep. Linda Serrato (D-Santa Fe).

The bill, if signed, will force public bodies to facilitate abortions and “gender-affirming care” (transgender treatments and surgeries) or face lawsuits.

The bill also explicitly bans municipalities and counties from passing local laws to protect children in the womb from being aborted, meaning places like Roosevelt County would be banned from enforcing their ordinances.

The bill would “prohibit public bodies from discriminating against persons based on their use or non-use of reproductive or gender-affirming care,” meaning it could push teachers and any other public workers to support body mutilation for all ages, including children, as well as abortion, according to the bill’s fiscal impact report.

So-called “gender-affirming care” means “psychological, behavioral, surgical, medication, and other medical services to support a person’s gender identity,” while “public bodies” are defined as “state and local governments, commissions, or boards established by the state and any branches of state government, such as school districts and universities, that receive state funding.” It would also open up conscientious objectors to civil suits.

According to New Mexico Alliance for Life (NMAFL), “Analysis provided by the ACLJ, reveals the legalized infanticide portion of HB 7 in section 3C mirrors language of radical California and Maryland bills that shocked the nation. In an effort to deceive the public, the abortion lobby behind HB 7 tried to sneak in the operative term, “perinatal” as a part of “reproductive health ” into another section, 2C. **Perinatal as defined in legal terms, encompasses up to 28 days after birth.”

The bill passed the House on concurrence 39-29, with Democrat Reps. Harry Garcia of Grants, D. Wonda Johnson of Church Rock, Patricia Lundstrom of Gallup, and Joseph Sanchez of Alcalde voting with all Republicans against the bill.

Now, the legislation heads to Democrat Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham’s desk, where she has signaled she will sign it.

During the Senate debate on a similar bill, leftists attacked pro-life state Sen. Crystal Diamond (R-Deming) for opposing the anti-life legislation.

A left-wing Twitter account reportedly wrote, “The only thing that this going to top off the misogyny right now is for #senatebarbie @CrystalRDiamond to make some stupid comment that only applies to wealthy white conservative women.”

State Sen. Mark Moores (D-Bernalillo) said in response on the Senate floor, “I hope this body steps up and defends this senator, who is a hell of a senator,” adding, “You guys want to talk about misogyny. Let’s see if people in this chamber call out that kind of talk on Twitter. It’s inappropriate. I’m going to defend her. That was crap, Mr. President.”

Dem bill forcing public bodies to facilitate abortions, ‘gender-affirming care’ passes Read More »

Dem anti-gun bill heads to Gov. Lujan Grisham’s desk for a signature

44 Comments / New Mexico, News, Politics / By Renato Costa

On Wednesday, the New Mexico House of Representatives concurred with changes to an anti-gun bill that were made in the state Senate, sending H.B. 9 by Rep. Pamelya Herndon (D-Bernalillo) to Democrat Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham’s desk.

The bill would force citizens to lock up their firearms in “a gun safe or a device that prevents a firearm from being discharged or from being used to expel a projectile by the action of an explosion or a device other than a gun safe that locks a firearm and is designed to prevent children and unauthorized users from firing a firearm, which device may be installed on a firearm, be incorporated into the design of the firearm or prevent access to the firearm.”

If the gun owner does not lock up any and all firearms and their gun is somehow used in an offense by a minor causing “great bodily harm” or death, the parent of that child could be made a felon if the victim of the crime is killed or permanently disabled.

The bill included an amendment from the state Senate that created an exception for minors who have the “authorization of the minor’s parent or guardian for lawful hunting, lawful recreational use or any other lawful purpose.” The “lawful purpose” language would likely keep some people out of jail for not following the vague and confusing law.

It is unclear how the bill if signed, would be enforced since it is a reactionary piece of legislation based on if someone is harmed or killed by a weapon.

The bill passed on a 34-28 vote with Democrat Reps. Ambrose Castellano of Ribera, Harry Garcia of Grants, Tara Jaramillo of Socorro, Patricia Lunstrom of Gallup, Willie Madrid of Chaparral, and Joseph Sanchez of Alcalde voting alongside all Republicans against concurrence.

Other anti-gun bills have not advanced as far as H.B. 9, but with fewer than nine days left in the legislative session, the likelihood of their passage declines significantly.

Dem anti-gun bill heads to Gov. Lujan Grisham’s desk for a signature Read More »

Radical abortion, infanticide, ‘gender-affirming care’ bill advances

12 Comments / New Mexico, News, Politics / By Renato Costa

On Tuesday, the New Mexico state Senate passed H.B. 7 by Rep. Linda Serrato (D-Santa Fe) and Sen. Katy Duhigg (D-Rio Rancho) to force public bodies to facilitate abortions and “gender-affirming care” (transgender treatments and surgeries) or face lawsuits.

After debate in the Senate, the chamber passed the bill 23-15, now sending it back to the House after amendments made in the Senate Judiciary Committee.

If the House passes the bill on concurrence, it will then go to the governor for a signature, and Democrat Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham has already signaled her support.

NMAFL’s executive director wrote following the vote, “Today was a tragic day for our state as a majority of New Mexico Senate Dems voted in favor of radical HB7’s unscientific infanticde, abortion and transgender mandate. It’s really shameful that the sponsors misled the public throughout this process, until today, Senator Duhigg admits HB 7 is indeed a mandate and aims to “change behavior” regardless of conscience objections, long-term health impact, and parent’s rights.”

Radical abortion, infanticide, ‘gender-affirming care’ bill advances Read More »

NM House Dems vote to give themselves taxpayer-funded salaries

26 Comments / New Mexico, News, Politics / By Renato Costa

On Saturday, all but one New Mexico House Democrat voted to give themselves salaries on the backs of the state’s taxpayers. The proposal, H.J.R. 8 by Rep. Angelica Rubio (D-Doña Ana), passed the House chamber on a 40-24 vote, with Rep. Ambrose Castellano (D-Ribera) joining all Republicans in rejecting the measure.

The chamber debated the resolution for three hours, with Republicans offering an amendment to cap the salary at the median household income of an average New Mexican, which is approximately $54,000 annually.

The amendment, sponsored by Rep. John Block (R-Alamogordo), was rejected on a party-line vote after a lengthy debate. Democrats advocated for a commission to set the salary without any parameters by the Legislature on how the amount should be set.

Currently, legislators in New Mexico do get paid a per diem, which is $176 a day for a House member and $181 a day for senators. For House members during the 60-day session, they receive $10,560, and senators receive $10,860. They also receive per diem for interim committees that meet throughout the year and, after ten years of service, receive a generous pension.

Despite the compensation legislators receive, Democrats erroneously claimed New Mexico is the only state in the country that doesn’t pay its lawmakers. However, New Mexico’s system is quite generous versus states like New Hampshire, which pay their legislators only $100 without per diem, or Utah, which pays $285 per legislative day. Currently, New Mexico lawmakers make around $22 per hour based on eight hours of work for the per diem rate.

During the debate, Rep. Alan Martinez (R-Bernalillo) said he is “uncomfortable” voting for legislator pay, saying it incentivizes politicians “to stay here and become entrenched in the system.”

The resolution now heads over to the state Senate for consideration. However, it is unclear if it will pass the chamber with only around 13 days left in the legislative session. If it does pass the Senate, it will go on the 2024 general election ballot for voters to approve or reject the measure.

NM House Dems vote to give themselves taxpayer-funded salaries Read More »

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