Renato Costa, Author at Piñon Post

Biden appoints MLG to Council of Governors

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

On Thursday, it was reported that Democrat Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham was appointed by Joe Biden to sit on the Council of Governors, which consists of five Democrat and five Republican governors appointed by the occupant of the White House.

“Preparation and planning are the keys to saving lives and property in every crisis from historic wildfires and major weather events to threats against critical infrastructure, protecting our electrical grid and hardening our technological defenses against cyber attacks,” Lujan Grisham said following the appointment.

Lujan Grisham was appointed alongside Gov. Eric Holcomb (R-Indiana) to fill the vacancies left by former Gov. Kate Brown (D-Oregon) and Gov. Bill Lee (R-Tennessee). Both governors will have two-year terms on the council.

According to the National Governors Association, “The Council consists of ten governors appointed to two-year terms by the President – five from each party – with two governors serving as co-chairs. The Executive Order specifically names a number of federal participants in the Council, including the Secretaries of Defense and Homeland Security, the President’s Homeland Security and Counterterrorism Advisor, the Commander of U.S. Northern Command and the Chief of the National Guard Bureau, among others.”

The Albuquerque Journal reported that the appointment will be “deepening ties between the state and federal administrations as the 2024 election year looms on the horizon.”

Lujan Grisham previously failed to be picked for the position of Biden’s U.S. Department of Health secretary, losing to Democrat former California Attorney General Xavier Becerra. Lujan Grisham then opted to run for reelection, narrowly defeating Republican challenger Mark Ronchetti in the November 2022 election.

Biden campaigned for Lujan Grisham during the election, even visiting New Mexico to stump for the embattled governor.

Lujan Grisham will serve on the Council with Governors Mike DeWine (R-Ohio), Tim Walz (D-Minnesota), John Carney (D-Delaware), John Bel Edwards (D-Louisiana), Gretchen Whitmer (D-Michigan), Spencer Cox (R-Utah), Phil Scott (R-Vermont), and Mark Gordon (R-Wyoming).

Biden appoints MLG to Council of Governors Read More »

Anti-gun bill to be heard on House floor Thursday

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

Democrat state Rep. Pamelya Herndon’s H.B. 9 is set to be heard on the House floor on Thursday, according to state Rep. Luis Terrazas (R-Doña Ana, Grant & Sierra). The bill, which previously passed two committees on party-line votes, forces New Mexicans 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.

As noted by even some Democrats in the chamber during a July 2022 preview of the bill, it would be the first crime proposal to base a defendant’s sentence not on their own actions but that of someone else (a minor) who got ahold of a firearm.

The bill does not, however, include provisions protecting the gun owner if the firearm was stolen, nor does it account for the de-facto tax it burdens the owner with being forced to find a new locking device to place it at all times. The bill is also blatantly unconstitutional.

Previous versions of this bill sponsored during the last two legislative sessions by state Sen. Antoinette Sedillo-Lopez (D-Bernalillo) have died. Now, the House calendar shows H.B. 9 is being heard Thursday, which makes the stakes that much higher for stopping this radical anti-gun legislation.

Contact Democrat legislators to oppose H.B. 9 by copying the following legislators’ emails in the BCC (Blind Carbon Copy) section of your email:

eliseo.alcon@nmlegis.gov, Janelle.Anyanonu@nmlegis.gov, Cynthia.Borrego@nmlegis.gov, micaela.cadena@nmlegis.gov, ambrose.castellano@nmlegis.gov, christine.chandler@nmlegis.gov, gail@gailchasey.com, Eleanor.Chavez@nmlegis.gov, art.delacruz@nmlegis.gov, meredith.dixon@nmlegis.gov, joanne.ferrary@nmlegis.gov, natalie.figueroa@nmlegis.gov, doreen.gallegos@nmlegis.gov, hgarciad69@gmail.com, miguel.garcia@nmlegis.gov, joy.garratt@nmlegis.gov, yanira.gurrola@nmlegis.gov, pamelya.herndon@nmlegis.gov, susan.herrera@nmlegis.gov, dayan.hochman-vigil@nmlegis.gov, Tara.Jaramillo@nmlegis.gov, dwonda.johnson@nmlegis.gov, raymundo.lara@nmlegis.gov, derrick.lente@nmlegis.gov, Charlotte.Little@nmlegis.gov, tara.lujan@nmlegis.gov, patricia.lundstrom@nmlegis.gov, willie.madrid@nmlegis.gov, Alan.Martinez@nmlegis.gov, marian.matthews@nmlegis.gov, matthew.mcqueen@nmlegis.gov, kristina.ortez@nmlegis.gov, andrea@andrearomero.com, andres.romero@nmlegis.gov, pat.roybalcaballero@nmlegis.gov, angelica.rubio@nmlegis.gov, debbie.sarinana@nmlegis.gov

Anti-gun bill to be heard on House floor Thursday Read More »

Dems advance anti-gun bills, kill Constitutional Carry proposal

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

On Tuesday, the New Mexico House Consumer and Public Affairs Committee considered two anti-gun bills sponsored by Rep. Andrea Romero (D-Santa Fe) and one pro-Second Amendment bill sponsored by Rep. John Block (R-Alamogordo).

H.B. 100 by Romero would institute a 14-day waiting period before any New Mexican can purchase a firearm. During the discussion, Block, who sits on the committee, proposed an amendment to exclude those who have filed a protection order and may need to get immediate access to a firearm for self-protection. However, the bill sponsor noted how the amendment was unfriendly to the bill.

After a discussion from Block and Rep. Stefani Lord (R-Sandia Park) about how statistics show there is no evidence showing how such orders protect those who the bill intends to keep safe, the Democrats on the committee voted 4-2 to table the bill, with Block and Lord opposing it.

Next up was H.B. 101, which would ban New Mexicans from purchasing “high-capacity” rifles over ten rounds or “high-capacity” pistols with over 15 rounds, as well as mostly any gun that has modifications, labeling them “assault” rifles or pistols. It would also “grandfather” current owners of such weapons, but only if they registered with the state on a list.

During the discussion, Romero claimed that “no rights are absolute” and discounted statistics showing such bans have not worked in the past. Also, constitutional arguments were brushed aside.

The committee proceeded to vote 4-2 to pass the extreme anti-gun bill.

The Constitutional Carry bill, H.B. 164, which Block co-sponsored with Reps. Lord, Tanya Mirabal Moya (R-Los Lunas), Jimmy Mason (R-Artesia), and Mark Duncan (R-Farmington) had much support from the public, with only a handful of comments made via Zoom opposing the commonsense, which is already implemented in 25 states including liberal Vermont and Maine. Despite the massive public support, the measure also died on a party-line 4-2 vote to table it.

H.B. 100 and H.B. 101 now advance onward to the House Judiciary Committee, which will now examine the extreme anti-gun proposals.

Dems advance anti-gun bills, kill Constitutional Carry proposal Read More »

Dem anti-gun bills, GOP Constitutional Carry bill to have Tuesday hearing

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

On Tuesday at 1:30 p.m., the New Mexico House Consumer and Public Affairs Committee will hold a hearing to consider multiple anti-gun bills, as well as one pro-gun Constitutional Carry bill.

The three anti-gun bills that will be heard include the unconstitutional H.B. 50 to ban firearm magazines over nine rounds by Rep. Patricia Roybal-Caballero (D-Albuquerque), H.B. 100, and H.B. 101 by Rep. Andrea Romero (D-Santa Fe).

H.B. 101 bans large-capacity magazines “regardless of whether the device is attached to a firearm.” It forces anyone owning such magazines to “remove the large-capacity magazine from the state,” “sell the large-capacity magazine to a licensed firearms dealer,” or “surrender the large-capacity magazine to a law enforcement agency for destruction.” It includes no grandfather clause and would take effect July 1, 2023, if passed. Any violator of the proposed law would be a fourth-degree felon.

Furthermore, anyone who owns any semi-automatic firearm, which Romero dubs an “assault” weapon, would be forced to either “remove the assault weapon from the state,” “render the assault weapon permanently inoperable,” or “surrender the assault weapon to the appropriate law enforcement agency for destruction.” Like the previous section of the bill, anyone not in compliance will become a fourth-degree felon.

H.B. 100 mandates a 14-day waiting period before anyone can buy a firearm in New Mexico.

The Committee will also hear H.B. 164 by Reps. John Block (R-Alamogordo), Stefani Lord (R-Sandia Park), Tayna Mirabal Moya (R-Los Lunas), Jimmy Mason (R-Artesia), and Mark Duncan (R-Farmington). The pro-gun bill would legalize Constitutional Carry (permitless carry) in the state for New Mexicans over 18, joining 25 other states, including liberal Maine and Vermont, in enacting such laws.

The Zoom information for the Tuesday meeting is below:

Please click the link below to join the webinar: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/89037370054 Or One tap mobile : US: +13462487799,,89037370054# or +16694449171,,89037370054# Webinar ID: 890 3737 0054 International numbers available: https://us02web.zoom.us/u/kdAYD2zIM2

Contact information for the committee members can be found at this link.

Dem anti-gun bills, GOP Constitutional Carry bill to have Tuesday hearing Read More »

House committee advances bill pushing abortion, ‘gender-affirming care’

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

On Friday, the state House Health and Human Services Committee advanced a radical piece of legislation, H.B. 7, which would force public bodies to facilitate abortions and transgenderism, dubbed “gender-affirming care,” 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.

The New Mexico Family Action Movement wrote of the committee, “Although it was a great disappointment to see this bill move forward, we are thankful for the representatives who stood in opposition to it. With meticulous scrutiny of the bill, Rep. Jenifer Jones, Rep. Stefani Lord, and Rep. Harlan Vincent stood firmly against the proposed legislation.”

Following the bill’s passage through the committee, Ranking Member Jenifer Jones (R-Deming) wrote, “During today’s discussion it became clear that this bill opens up the doors for any agent of any ‘public body’ or organization that receives public funding including [M]edicaid — to include doctors, teachers, firefighters, police, etc. — to be sued privately or by the Attorney General for ‘indirectly interfering’ with anyone seeking abortion or transgender procedures.”

“This means that if a child asks a teacher or doctor for help obtaining an abortion or transgender procedure, and they do not refer them to such a provider, or if they suggest alternative care, the teacher or doctor could potentially be sued for ‘indirectly interfering’ with access to these procedures for up to $5,000 or ‘damages’ including tens of thousands in attorney fees.”

The bill ultimately passed 7-3 and now heads to the House Judiciary Committee, where it will continue to be scrutinized.

House committee advances bill pushing abortion, ‘gender-affirming care’ Read More »

House committees to hear radical abortion, election proposals Friday

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

On Friday, two New Mexico House committees will consider extreme Democrat-sponsored proposals that would make major changes to state government.

Elections

The House Government, Elections, and Indian Affairs Committee will hear H.B. 4, which is a major measure sponsored by Speaker Javier Martínez (D-Bernalillo), House Majority Floor Leader Gail Chasey (D-Bernalillo), among other Democrats from both chambers.

The bill would create an automatic absentee voter registry and automatic registration at the Motor Vehicle Division (MVD) without customers’ consent, felon voting, among other measures that would be ripe for fraud.

The committee will hear the bill at 8:30 a.m. Friday in Room 305 at the Capitol in Santa Fe. Attend the meeting via Zoom and testify on the bill with the below information:

Please click the link below to join the webinar: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/81850374006 Or One tap mobile : US: +12532050468,,81850374006# or +12532158782,,81850374006# Webinar ID: 818 5037 4006 International numbers available: https://us02web.zoom.us/u/keoXg8C6mc

Abortion, Gender

The House Health and Human Services Committee will meet Friday to discuss H.B. 7, which 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.

The committee will hear the bill at 8:30 a.m. Friday in Room 307 at the Capitol in Santa Fe. Attend the meeting via Zoom and testify on the bill with the below information:
Please click the link below to join the webinar: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/84266137922 Or One tap mobile : US: +16699009128, 84266137922# or +17193594580, 84266137922# Webinar ID: 842 6613 7922 International numbers available: https://us02web.zoom.us/u/kbtl0LBS50

House committees to hear radical abortion, election proposals Friday Read More »

House committee stops ‘30 by 30’ land grab bill on bipartisan vote

2 Comments / New Mexico, News / By Renato Costa

On Tuesday, the House Rural Development, Land Grants, and Cultural Affairs Committee tabled an extreme bill, H.B. 45, by state Rep. Matthew McQueen (D-Santa Fe) that would create a fund to pay for the “acquisitions of land, conservation and agricultural easements and other interests in land and by funding land restoration to protect the land and water available for forests and watersheds, natural areas, wildlife and wildlife habitat, agricultural production on working farms and ranches, outdoor recreation and trails and land and habitat restoration and management.”

The bill mimics Democrat Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham’s “30 by 30” program to force at least 30 percent of public land into public “conservation” by the year 2030.

All but two members, Rep. Tara Lujan (D-Santa Fe) and the committee chairwoman, Rep. Kristina Ortez (D-Taos) voted against the measure. Democrat Reps. Ambrose Castellano (D-Ribera) and Joseph Sanchez (D-Alcalde) joined all the Republicans on the panel to reject the proposal.

The advocacy group Save Our Western Way of Life wrote on Facebook following the bill’s defeat, “Today our western way of life had a small win. HB45 DIED IN COMMITTEE! The bill, introduced by Representative McQueen, would have used taxpayer dollars to reduce the amount of land used for farming, ranching, and hunting.”

“The farmers, ranchers, and foresters are the true conservationists. Not only do they care for the land, they provide our families with affordable, high quality food.”

The death of the bill in committee is a positive improvement during the 2023 Legislative Session for conservatives, who have not had much luck thus far in stopping far-left legislation.

House committee stops ‘30 by 30’ land grab bill on bipartisan vote Read More »

Dems kill slew of GOP bills to curb crime, hold fentanyl dealers accountable

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

On Tuesday, Democrats in the New Mexico House Consumer and Public Affairs Committee killed a slew of bills sponsored by Rep. Bill Rehm (R-Albuquerque) that would curb crime relating to fentanyl trafficking, illegal firearm trafficking, and retail theft.

Democrats, on party-line votes, killed all five of Rehm’s bills, even a bill that would have enhanced sentencing for those trafficking 29 fentanyl pills or greater. Rehm made clear he was open to changing the number of fentanyl pills a dealer was peddling, but despite reasonable efforts, the bill died on a 4-2 vote.

Bills that would penalize those who conducted illegal activity while trafficking firearms also died on 4-2 votes, with Democrats and far-left groups such as the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) claiming the incarceration of these hardened criminals would be bad for New Mexico.

Rehm said following the committee hearing, “Today the progressives made clear that they are unwilling to lock up felons with illegal firearms, but they are willing to make felons out of law-abiding gun owners.”

He added, “Just days ago, we joined the Governor in her office, with statewide media, for productive talks about bipartisan action against crime and today’s disappointing votes reveal that House Democrats on the House Consumer & Public Affairs committee care little about improving public safety in meaningful ways. These political tactics are highly frustrating to the many victims of crime that spend their personal time advocating in Santa Fe for a safer New Mexico.”

Republican Reps. Stefani Lord (R-Sandia Park) and John Block (R-Alamogordo) made extensive arguments to pass the bills, but even bills that had Democrat co-sponsors, such as H.B. 59 regarding firearms trafficking, were tabled by the Democrats on the committee.

This development comes after Democrat Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham held a press conference with Republicans earlier this month, claiming to want to curb crime. Unfortunately, it appears such bipartisan talks about crime are now dead-on-arrival, at least in the House Consumer and Public Affairs Committee.

Dems kill slew of GOP bills to curb crime, hold fentanyl dealers accountable Read More »

One of MLG’s PRC commissioners recuses himself from PNM case

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

Under the newly restructured New Mexico Public Regulation Commission (PRC) that is now appointed by the governor, Democrat Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham is already hitting a roadblock with one of her picks.

New PRC Commissioner Patrick O’Connell recused himself from merger talks between the global energy company Iberdrola’s subsidiary Avangrid and the Public Service Co. of New Mexico (PNM).

In a Friday filing, O’Connell “cited the reason for his voluntary recusal as previous testimony he gave on behalf of a proposed settlement related to the merger while he worked for an environmental group. O’Connell also had previously served as a resource planner for Public Service Co. of New Mexico,” according to Fox News.

The $8 billion merger is currently pending in the New Mexico Supreme Court after the previous pre-governor-appointed PRC rejected the acquisition.

Now, only the two commissioners left on the PRC will consider the merger, “Gabriel Aguilera, who worked for the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, and James Ellison Jr., a principal analyst from Sandia National Laboratories,” as the report notes.

It further notes, “Tamer Cetin, economics advisor to the Public Regulation Commission, noted in the report that the merger may create a monopolistic electricity market in New Mexico in which Avangrid could ‘dominate all the segments from generation to transmission, distribution, wholesale and retail.’”

The new Public Regulation Commission would also be in charge of controversial rate hike cases from PNM, which could affect hundreds of thousands of customers statewide.

One of MLG’s PRC commissioners recuses himself from PNM case Read More »

NMPED Secretary Kurt Steinhaus quits Lujan Grisham administration

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

On Saturday, Democrat Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham’s New Mexico Public Education Department (PED) secretary, Dr. Kurt Steinhaus, announced his departure from the governor’s administration. He was first appointed to the post in 2021.

“The state of public education in New Mexico is in a better place than ever because of Kurt’s dedication, and I wish him a very happy and well-deserved retirement,” claimed Lujan Grisham, whose PED ranks as the worst of every other state and the District of Columbia.

“I am deeply proud to have given my best to this job, but at this time I have a critical need to focus on my family and health,” Steinhaus said in a statement, as reported by the Santa Fe New Mexican. “I am grateful to the governor for giving me the opportunity to finish my career working on behalf of the state of New Mexico, and I know that she will continue to work to deliver the best possible public education system for New Mexico students, educators, and families.”

Steinhaus began his education career working for Alamogordo Public Schools, then at Santa Fe Community College, the University of New Mexico, and the Los Alamos Public Schools.

Steinhaus’ departure comes just one day following the announcement that New Mexico Human Services Department Secretary David Scrase, M.D., was also quitting.

Lujan Grisham’s General Services Department secretary, John Garcia, is also leaving on February 4, 2023.

NMPED Secretary Kurt Steinhaus quits Lujan Grisham administration Read More »

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