Renato Costa

Dems drop two new radical anti-gun bills ahead of 2023 Legislature

10 Comments / New Mexico, News, Politics / By

On Thursday and Friday, Democrats dropped more anti-gun bills to assault New Mexicans’ Second Amendment rights. 

On Thursday, far-left legislators state Rep. Patricia Roybal Caballero (D-Bernalillo) and state Sen. Linda Lopez (D-Bernalillo) dropped H.B. 72, which makes it illegal to “knowingly possess

or transfer a semiautomatic firearm converter,” making the sale of any kind of modification device to enhance usability a fourth-degree felon.

H.B. 72 requests $1.5 million from the state to enforce the extreme anti-gun bill.

Another bill, H.B. 101 by far-left state Rep. Andrea Romero (D-Santa Fe), 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.

These new anti-gun bills are just the beginning for anti-gun Democrats’ gun-grabbing agenda, which is sure to only increase, with the four already filed bills dropping before the 2023 Legislative Session starting on January 17. It is unclear if more will drop over the weekend or after the legislature goes into session.

All of the bills already proposed have either been stricken down in other states or are ripe for litigation due to their flagrant violation of the Second and Fourth amendments to the U.S. Constitution, as well as violations against the New Mexico state Constitution. 

Dems drop second anti-gun bill of the 2023 Legislative Session

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Dems drop first anti-gun bill of the 2023 Legislative Session

41 Comments / New Mexico, News, Politics / By

On Monday, far-left New Mexico state Rep. Patricia Roybal-Caballero (D-Bernalillo) dropped the Democrats’ first anti-gun bill of the 2023 Legislative Session, H.B. 50. The bill is a magazine ban that would make violations of the bill if passed, felons.

The bill reads, “It is unlawful for a person to possess or transfer a large-capacity magazine within New Mexico, except when the person is: a resident of another state who transports a large-capacity magazine into New Mexico for use exclusively in an established shooting competition” or “a peace officer, in accordance with the policies of the peace officer’s law enforcement agency,” with multiple caveats. Other minor exceptions include being a member of the armed forces, certain manufacturers, certain armored vehicle operators, or those displaying such weapons in government-run museums or exhibits. 

It continues, “A person who violates the provisions of Subsection A of this section is guilty of a fourth degree felony and upon conviction shall be sentenced in accordance with the provisions of Section 31-18-15 NMSA 1978.”

Roybal-Caballero requests $1.5 million in state funds to carry out this gun grab throughout 2024, “including the funding of additional local and statewide law enforcement, court process, and incarceration.” She apparently is seeking to lock up more people in prison to push for her anti-gun agenda, despite Democrats claiming to want fewer people in prison.

The bill will likely be just the first of a flurry of bills that are hostile to the Second Amendment and New Mexicans’ other constitutional rights. Other proposals floated include creating a state office of “Gun Violence Prevention,” as well as an addition to New Mexico’s “red flag” bills. 

Read the bill and its supporting information here. 

All the attempted gun grabs coming in the 2023 Legislative Session (so far)

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NM’s congressional reps. cozy up to socialist ‘Squad’ leader AOC

17 Comments / New Mexico, News, Politics / By

On Saturday, following the U.S. House floor vote leading to the election of Rep. Kevin McCarthy (R-CA) as speaker, two members of New Mexico’s congressional delegation were spotted hanging out with none other than socialist “Squad” leader Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY), the sponsor of the Green New Deal.

In a photo posted on Saturday, Democrat New Mexico Rep. Melanie Stansbury of the First District posted a photo of her, House Progressive Caucus Chair Rep. Pamila Jayapal (D-WA), Democrat Rep. Teresa Leger Fernandez of New Mexico’s Third District, and none other than Ocasio-Cortez. 

She wrote in the caption, “A little bleary eyed around 2am this morning—celebrating being sworn with these amazing ladies. 118th Congress, Let’s do this!”

New Mexicans responded to the socialist quartet of lawmakers, with one New Mexican writing, “Will you do anything other than take selfies and pay yourselves on the back this year?”

Another wrote, “Not company you should be proud of keeping. Do you represent NM or far left, divisive, bigots like the two clowns in the middle of the pic. Shame on you Ms. Stansbury, shame on you.”

“Oh sorry you were inconvenienced by elected officials actually fighting for their constituents,” one person wrote regarding the 15 ballots it took to have McCarthy meet the demands of representatives whose constituents had concerns about his election as speaker.

All three of New Mexico’s U.S. representatives are Democrats after leftists in the state legislature gerrymandered the congressional map to heavily shift the Second District toward Democrats, leading to the election of far-left Rep. Gave Vasquez, another supporter of enviro-Marxist politicies despite the oil and gas-rich district.

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Border Patrol agent in NM shot multiple times by trafficker

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On Thursday, a U.S. Border Patrol agent was shot multiple times by a human smuggler in a vehicle at approximately 11:30 a.m. on State Road 146.

Fox News reported, “The agent, assigned to Lordsburg, New Mexico, was wearing body armor at the time and survived, officials said…. After being shot, the unidentified agent returned fire as the vehicle sped away. That vehicle was involved in an accident a few miles down the road and rolled over.”

Six people inside the vehicle were reportedly taken into custody, while two were flown to a trauma center in El Paso, Texas. 

The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), New Mexico State Police, and other law enforcement agencies are investigating the shooting.

Following the news, state Rep.-elect Jenifer Jones (R-Deming), who represents a border district, wrote in a statement, “The shooting of our New Mexico border patrol agent yesterday highlights the escalating crisis we face here on our southern border. I am beyond grateful that miraculously our agent escaped serious injury and death. At the same time, I am deeply concerned about the safety of our citizens, our law enforcement and all who will suffer if our unsecured border continues to spiral out of control.”

“Our government, both federal and state, must acknowledge and take ownership of this crisis. We must take a strong stance against crime and the criminals who are threatening our lives and livelihood. We must move quickly with decisive action toward securing our southern border.” 

Joe Biden is expected to visit the border on Sunday in El Paso, which marks the first time he has focused on the sweeping immigration issue that has plagued the country under his tenure. Since his installation, there have been over 5.3 million illegal border crossings and over 900,000 “got-aways” escaping into the country, according to the Republican National Committee. 

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In latest snub to NM doctors, MLG gets knee replaced in D.C.

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In her latest snub to New Mexico healthcare professionals, Democrat Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham, 63, is once again fleeing the state for Washington, D.C. to get her knee replaced. This comes after a previous September 2022 visit to the nation’s capital, where she had “a consultation on an ongoing knee injury with an orthopedic surgeon from whom she has previously received treatment, according to her office,” as reported at the time. 

Now, the governor’s office has confirmed she will be going off to D.C. again. The Associated Press reported, “Lujan Grisham was scheduled to depart Tuesday and return next week after the replacement of her right knee with an artificial joint. She consulted with an orthopedic surgeon in September after aggravating a previous injury.”

The Albuquerque Journal noted that the governor is expected to return to New Mexico in time for the January 17 opening day festivities of the Legislature, where she will deliver her State of the State address.

“Lujan Grisham spokeswoman, Nora Meyers Sackett, said Tuesday the governor expects to deliver an in-person State of the State Address on the opening day of the 60-day legislative session. She has delivered the speech remotely during each of the last two years due to the COVID-19 pandemic,” the Journal noted.

It is unclear why the governor snubbed New Mexico doctors, who could have easily performed the routine knee replacement surgery in-state. It is also unclear who she may be meeting with while in Washington, D.C.

Previously, Lujan Grisham was angered over a debate with her former opponent, Republican Mark Ronchetti, who would not sit at a table to spar with the scandal-ridden governor. Instead, he stood at a podium, which is customary for debates.

Lujan Grisham has planned to attempt to ram through many far-left policy proposals in the upcoming 2023 Legislative Session, including trying to codify abortion up-to-birth and infanticide into state law, as well as enviro-Marxist proposals to enshrine her Green New Deal.

In latest snub to NM doctors, MLG gets knee replaced in D.C. Read More »

All three of NM’s congressional reps. back extremist Jeffries for speaker

14 Comments / New Mexico, News, Politics / By

On Tuesday, the first day of the 118th Congress, the U.S. House of Representatives met at noon for inaugural ceremonies and to choose a new House speaker. After three ballots, there is still no new speaker in the newly GOP-led chamber. This came following Republican victories in the November 8 election that put Democrats in the minority.

Democrat New Mexico legislators drew extreme partisan gerrymandered maps that guaranteed three Democrat seats, which robbed the state’s lone GOP member, U.S. Rep. Yvette Herrell, of her seat for progressive Gabe Vasquez in the Second Congressional District. Democrat Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham signed the maps into law. They are currently in litigation, expected to reach the state Supreme Court for arguments on January 9, 2023.

All three of New Mexico’s delegation backed Nancy Pelosi ally Rep. Hakeem Jeffries (D-NY) in the contest for speaker, while Republicans failed to successfully launch exiting House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy (R-CA) to the speaker post. The Democrats unanimously cast 212 votes for Jeffries. The speaker needs 218 votes to earn the gavel.

Democrat Reps. Melanie Stansbury of the First District and Teresa Leger Fernandez of the Third District joined Vasquez in backing the New York Democrat for the speakership. Jeffries denied the 2016 presidential election and has been extreme on all issues, from abortion to policing. 

The House is adjourned until Wednesday, when a fourth ballot will be taken for Republicans to come together and get to 218 with McCarthy or another nominee. Some have nominated Rep. Jim Jordan (R-OH) for the top spot, with some formerly McCarthy votes, such as Rep. Byron Donalds (R-FL), now backing Jordan.

UPDATE: On Wednesday, the U.S. House took its sixth vote, which also resulted in McCarthy losing with House Freedom Caucus members backing Donalds for speaker over the California Republican. The House is adjourned until another vote will be taken.

Gabe Vasquez outed as cowardly cop hater

All three of NM’s congressional reps. back extremist Jeffries for speaker Read More »

MLG promises more extreme radical left policies at inauguration

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On Sunday, far-left Democrat Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham was sworn in for her second term as New Mexico governor at Santa Fe’s Lensic Performing Arts Center, promising more abortion up-to-birth policies, enviro-Marxism, and expanded social programs focused on “poverty” during a roughly 20-minute speech.

After attending an inaugural Mass held by Santa Fe Archbishop John C. Wester at the Cathedral Basilica of St. Francis of Assisi, Lujan Grisham’s inaugural festivities commenced. Wester was photographed welcoming the pro-abortion governor to the Mass. He previously refused to deny her the sacrament of the Eucharist, despite her anti-life views and policies.

Lujan Grisham pledged during her inaugural speech to push for codifying abortion up-to-birth in state law, claiming, “Never again for all of time will a woman in the state of New Mexico have anything less than full bodily autonomy and freedom of choice” (code for unrestricted abortion).

She previously signed a bill legalizing abortion up-to-birth and infanticide in 2021 by stripping all protections for women, children, and medical professionals, the latter being forced to perform and refer for ending the lives of children in the womb via abortions. She also signed a bill legalizing physician-assisted suicides via lethal drug cocktails in the state.

The Santa Fe New Mexican reported, “Lujan Grisham said she also plans to continue work started during her first term on early childhood education and care, economic growth and environmental stewardship (enviro-Marxism). She also promised to fight poverty and homelessness by expanding access to affordable housing and free child care.”

She said, “The work is not done, but we have made a good start, and I will not rest until this is a state where the conditions that create generational poverty are a dusty relic of the distant past.”

The scandal-ridden governor, who was narrowly reelected by a mere 52 percent of the vote, charged $1,000 per person to attend her inaugural ball that featured the Lightning Boy Hoop Dancers, Compania Chuscales Flamenco, Mariachi Azteca de Santa Fe, musician Theo Kutsco, and the NM Peace Choir. 

Ex-state Rep. Deborah Armstrong (D-Bernalillo) and failed congressional candidate Victor Reyes both served as co-chairs for the Democrat’s inaugural festivities.

MLG promises more extreme radical left policies at inauguration Read More »

Dems seek to make NM’s minimum wage the highest in the nation

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Despite even mainstream news organizations shining a light on the harmful ramifications of the newly increased $12 per hour minimum wage, Democrats in the state legislature are doubling down on their attempts to raise the wage even higher.

State Rep. Christine Chandler (D-Los Alamos), who chairs the New Mexico House Taxation and Revenue Committee, told the Santa Fe New Mexican that she is “introducing a bill to raise the minimum wage to $16 per hour by January 2024, which would be the highest statewide minimum wage in the country.”

The outlet further reported, “Rep. Patricia Roybal Caballero, D-Albuquerque, also plans to introduce minimum or ‘living wage’ legislation raising it above $15 per hour.”

“Fifteen dollars might not be enough for a living wage,” she said. “Right now I’m leaning toward something higher than $15.”

Currently, the highest minimum wage in the country is in California at $15 per hour.

Mainstream TV station KOAT 7 admitted the extreme dangers of minimum wage increases this week in a report, writing that such policies will result in employers forced to “cut hours, automate tasks and demand more.” 

The station interviewed an associate professor of finance at the University of New Mexico, Reilly White, who said, “As rates increase, that does help a lot of people employed at the minimum wage.” He added, “But, on the other side of it, it does interesting things, particularly to businesses.”

“White says it could also come at a cost to workers. He says some employers might reduce hours, demand more work out of their employees and automate some jobs like grocery store registers,” KOAT reported.

“It affects the types of people hired,” White said. “Another example is employers usually forgo hiring inexperienced workers like teenagers in favor of older, more experienced workers, making it harder for younger people to get a start in the market. So, it’s an interesting dynamic that affects a lot of different things across the workforce.”

“If we would have been $15 [in 2019] and indexing all along, we would be in the neighborhood of $16 now,” Chandler said. “It reflects the reality on the ground. It’s what workers need to earn a living wage. The past bill was a good bill, but it was a compromise that didn’t go far enough.”

The extreme increases in the minimum wage will certainly harm businesses and workers, but the Democrats are intent on pushing these wage hikes at the cost of the business owner and the taxpayer.

Dems seek to make NM’s minimum wage the highest in the nation Read More »

KOAT 7 report admits minimum wage increase harms businesses, workers

7 Comments / New Mexico, News, Politics / By

This Sunday, New Mexico’s minimum wage is set to increase to $12.00 per hour or 50 cents more than the current wage. The new wage will be mandated beginning the first day of the New Year. Despite leftists using increases in the minimum wage to claim it is for social justice reasons, the increase will harm businesses and workers.

Mainstream TV station KOAT 7 even admits it, writing that the increase will result in “cut hours, automate tasks and demand more.” 

The station interviewed an associate professor of finance at the University of New Mexico, Reilly White, who said, “As rates increase, that does help a lot of people employed at the minimum wage.” He added, “But, on the other side of it, it does interesting things, particularly to businesses.”

“White says it could also come at a cost to workers. He says some employers might reduce hours, demand more work out of their employees and automate some jobs like grocery store registers,” KOAT reported.

“It affects the types of people hired,” White said. “Another example is employers usually forgo hiring inexperienced workers like teenagers in favor of older, more experienced workers, making it harder for younger people to get a start in the market. So, it’s an interesting dynamic that affects a lot of different things across the workforce.”

New Mexico Senate Finance Chairman George Muñoz (D-Gallup), a business owner, criticized the wage increase, saying that despite him already paying his workers above the $12 new minimum wage, he is “worried about the future.”

“What’s the next thing? What are they going to tell us?” he said. “So they’re going to say, ‘Well, you know what, we need to do some price controls. We’re going to tell you how much you should charge for your burrito.’” 

According to the IZA World of Labor, “minimum wages reduce employment among low-wage, low-skill workers. Second, minimum wages do a bad job of targeting poor and low-income families. Minimum wage laws mandate high wages for low-wage workers rather than higher earnings for low-income families.”

More companies are automating tasks and cutting staff due to increases in minimum wages, which decrease available jobs and force employers to cut back on critical investments in their businesses.

KOAT 7 report admits minimum wage increase harms businesses, workers Read More »

Sen. Luján hints at higher ambitions while promoting Hispanic Dems

16 Comments / New Mexico, News, Politics / By

On Friday, the Washington Post published an article claiming New Mexico is “a model” for Democrats to win elections, pointing to the Hispanic Democrats elected statewide and in the composition of the state Legislature.

First-term Sen. Ben Ray Luján, who was elected on the coattails of his father, former state representative and Speaker of the New Mexico House Ben Luján, claimed Democrats “showed up in places that Republicans usually don’t have to worry about showing up.” He claimed, “It’s how I was raised. It’s how dad did it. It was part of our strategy when we were successful before — you need to go talk to folks.”

The senator, who was previously the assistant House speaker, never showed up in New Mexico during most of his congressional tenure. Instead, in election years such as 2018, he wasn’t even spotted on Election Day in the state, opting to be in Washington, D.C., with Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-CA).

In the article, Democrats tried to paint New Mexico as the model for other states to elect Democrats, with state Rep. Javier Martínez (D-Bernalillo) claiming the recent tenure of Republican Gov. Susana Martinez from 2011 to 2019 was a fluke. He said Martinez was able to “break through the ranks and able to appeal to a wider range of voters.” He said now that Republicans’ “nominees have been candidates that do not relate to large enough numbers of voters.”

Luján hinted in the article at his own ambitions to run for Senate leadership, taking after former Sen. Dennis Chavez. 

The Washington Post article noted, “The first Hispanic senator, Octaviano Ambrosio Larrazolo, a Republican, was elected in 1928. The second was Dennis Chavez, a Democrat, who Luján said he tries to emulate, a sign that his goal is moving into Democratic leadership. Chavez was the fourth ranking Democrat when he died in office in 1962.” 

Others claim Republicans running in New Mexico are “extremists,” and that is how they have not been able to win in recent years, despite recent nominees, such as Mark Ronchetti for governor, being moderate. 

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