Renato Costa, Author at Piñon Post

Dem donor launches ‘smear campaign’ against Dem state senator

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

Allegations of sexual misconduct and other inappropriate behavior have escalated for State Senator Daniel Ivey-Soto, leading to an additional ethics complaint filed against him. A veteran Albuquerque Democrat with a ten-year tenure in the Legislature, Ivey-Soto is now confronted with accusations of violating the Financial Disclosure Act, the Lobbyist Regulation Act, and the Governmental Conduct Act.

The ethics complaint, submitted by Santa Fe-based attorney Daniel Yohalem, alleges that Ivey-Soto capitalized on his position as a source of county clerks’ services, constituting payments for technical aid, legal advice, and lobbying services, thereby contravening state law.

Yohalem has spent over $3,500 in the last few election cycles electing Democrats to the state House and Senate. He appears to be related to Jane B. Yohalem, who was narrowly elected to the New Mexico Court of Appeals in 2020 and retained in 2022. Daniel Yohalem gave Jane Yohalem $5,000 in her 2020 race.

The complaint from Mr. Yohalem claims Ivey-Soto leveraged his political influence for personal and financial gain, causing a conflict of interest by simultaneously serving the county clerks and executing his duties as a state senator, thereby impeding the well-being of his clients and New Mexico residents at large.

Ivey-Soto refrained from directly addressing the claims outlined in the complaint. Instead, he asserted his intention to respond through the channels the New Mexico Ethics Commission provided, stating to the Santa Fe New Mexican, “I’m not going to try it in the media.” He characterized the complaint as a smear campaign aimed at his expulsion from the Legislature, suggesting that its exposure in various news outlets was indicative of its political nature.

The complaint, spanning 20 pages and accompanied by more than 100 pages of corroborative documentation, further alleges that Ivey-Soto consistently failed to fully disclose his financial interests, going so far as to promote legislation that obscured the sources of his compensation while augmenting his personal revenue. It claims that he transformed his for-profit consulting enterprise into a tax-exempt nonprofit organization in contravention of IRS regulations, consequently misleading the IRS.

The complaint also delves into allegations beyond financial improprieties. It contends that Ivey-Soto exploited his legislative position to further personal interests, pointing to previous investigations into his alleged sexual harassment and mistreatment of women within the context of the New Mexico legislature. Allegations include claims of retaliation against women who rejected his advances by obstructing their legislative priorities.

Ivey-Soto has faced a tumultuous period within his own party since a lobbyist accused him of groping her in 2015. Subsequent accusations of harassment and bullying from other women prompted calls for his resignation and reform in handling harassment allegations. While Ivey-Soto denied any wrongdoing, the state Democratic Party distanced itself from him, and he relinquished his chairmanship of the Senate Rules Committee and the New Mexico Finance Authority Oversight Committee.

NM Dems have ‘severed ties’ with Democrat lawmaker

Dem donor launches ‘smear campaign’ against Dem state senator Read More »

Gabe Vasquez sends ‘painfully out-of-touch’ email to constituents

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

Far-left Democrat U.S. Rep. Gabe Vasquez from the Second District recently emailed constituents asking, “Are your bills too high right now?”

*Email sent out by Vasquez’s office asking constituents about inflation.*

Former CD-2 Congresswoman Yvette Herrell, a Republican, responded to Vasquez’s email, writing, “My opponent, Rep. Gabe Vasquez, is painfully out-of-touch with the people of New Mexico and does not deserve to represent us in Congress.”

“Vasquez acknowledges bills are too high for working families in New Mexico, but of course, he doesn’t mention how… He has voted NO on bills that would help BRING DOWN costs…. He supports Joe Biden’s OUT-OF-CONTROL inflationary spending.”

“Radical politicians like Joe Biden, Nancy Pelosi, and Gabe Vasquez have created the mess we’re in, so why would we think they could get us out of it?” she wrote.

All of New Mexico’s U.S. House delegation, including Vasquez, voted against a measure that would fight inflation by promoting American energy over that of Saudi Arabia, Russia, and other foreign nations.

Vasquez won in Novemebr 2022 due to an extreme Democrat gerrymander done by the far-left state legislature.

Vasquez bragged in an August 2022 press release, “Redistricting moved the 2nd Congressional district from a Trump +12 to Biden +6 district and that is reflected in these results,” it concludes.

New Mexico is one of the top ten states feeling the pain of inflation

Gabe Vasquez sends ‘painfully out-of-touch’ email to constituents Read More »

NM Dems have ‘severed ties’ with Democrat lawmaker

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

According to a report from the Albuquerque blog called “The Paper,” the New Mexico Democrat Party has severed ties with Democrat state Sen. Daniel Ivey-Soto of Albuquerque amid a barrage of claims by women that he sexually harassed them, claiming “credible accusations and subsequent investigation” led to the break.

“To date, there have been accusations of eight incidents of harassment, sexual and otherwise, by Ivey-Soto against several women, many of them lobbyists, and a few of which were witnessed by others,” claimed the outlet.

“DPNM has severed ties with Senator Ivey Soto within our internal party affairs. He has been told by phone that he is not welcome at our events,” the Party wrote to the outlet in a statement.

“We have individually disinvited him from past and future DPNM events and he no longer serves on any DPNM committees or caucuses or as the regular DPNM parliamentarian, which he was for years. After being highly involved in internal DPNM affairs for years, he is no longer welcome to have any role within DPNM,” the statement concluded, according to The Paper.

Ivey-Soto has vigorously denied the allegations, saying to the blog, “I am befuddled and bewildered” by the Democrats’ move.

Fringe far-left national groups recently penned a letter to all groups associated with the senator asking them to sever ties with him. Signers included the Women’s March (led by antisemite Linda Sarsour), the National Women’s Law Center, and other low-profile “national” groups.

“As lvey-Soto has been credibly found to break basic rules of workplace conduct, he should not be in any position of power. To avoid any conflicts of interest and humiliating situations for women and survivors of sexual violence, we call upon your organization to sever ties and take any other appropriate action within your power to support the many women and survivors, including removing Ivey-Soto from panels, boards, committees; ending contracts with him; and finally, to call on him to resign from the State Senate,” the group wrote.

Ivey-Soto has served in the New Mexico Senate since 2013 and previously served as Associate Deputy Secretary of State of New Mexico for Elections, Ethics & Legal. He was also reportedly the New Mexico State Elections Director.

Dems continue eating fellow Dem alive

NM Dems have ‘severed ties’ with Democrat lawmaker Read More »

Biden to visit NM for first time since 2022 campaign stop for Lujan Grisham

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

Joe Biden will travel to New Mexico next week as part of a three-state excursion to Arizona, Utah, and the Land of Enchantment between Monday and Wednesday.

Biden previously visited New Mexico in 2022 to stump for far-left Democrat Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham in her narrow yet successful reelection bid.

Lujan Grisham was one of the first public officials to formally endorse Biden’s announcement that he will seek another term in the White House.

“In next week’s visit, a White House official said, Biden is expected to tout provisions in the Inflation Reduction Act addressing climate change and promoting clean energy and manufacturing,” reported the Albuquerque Journal.

The Associated Press wrote, “Vice President Kamala Harris heads to Wisconsin this week with Commerce Secretary Gina Raimondo to talk about broadband infrastructure investments. Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack goes to Oregon to highlight wildfire defense grants, Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg will go to Illinois and Texas, and Secretary of Education Miguel Cardona heads to Maryland to talk about career and technical education programs.”

Lujan Grisham, Biden lie repeatedly during ABQ campaign stop

Biden to visit NM for first time since 2022 campaign stop for Lujan Grisham Read More »

Lujan Grisham again ranked one of America’s least popular governors

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

On Monday, Morning Consult released its latest gubernatorial approval poll, showing that once again Democrat New Mexico Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham has ranked as one of the least popular governors in the United States.

According to the poll, 42 percent of respondents disapprove of her job performance, while 52 percent approve.

That makes her tied for third-least popular governor in America alongside Govs.

Lujan Grisham is only up four percentage points in popularity from the last Morning Consult poll taken in April, which had the governor at 48 percent approval.

Since then, she has had a slightly lower disapproval rating than the previous 45 percent.

The only governors worse than Lujan Grisham were Gov. Tony Evers (D-WI), who had a 44 percent disapproval rating, and Gov. Jay Inslee (D-WA), who had a 43 percent disapproval rating.

Other governors Lujan Grisham shares the third-worst spot with include Govs. Tate Reeves (R-MS), Greg Abbott (R-TX), Tim Walz (D-MN), Kim Reynolds (R-IA), and Ron DeSantis (R-FL).

“For Morning Consult’s state-level survey data, weights are applied to each state separately based on age, gender, education, race, homeownership, marital status, presidential voting history and — for a subset of states — race by education as well as an age-by-gender interaction. Margins of error for responses from all voters in each state range from +/-1 to +/-6 percentage points,” wrote Morning Consult.

Lujan Grisham tied for least popular governor in America

Lujan Grisham again ranked one of America’s least popular governors Read More »

After razor-thin 2022 loss, GOP state House candidate files for rematch

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

Retired teacher Elizabeth Winterrowd, a Republican, lost by a razor-thin margin of 133 votes in 2022’s election for New Mexico House District 53, located in Doña Ana and Otero Counties, against Democrat Rep. Willie Madrid.

She is looking to reclaim the seat for the GOP that Rep. Ricky Little formerly held before Madrid’s election in 2018.

Winterrowd’s campaign wrote in a press release, “Elizabeth has personally experienced the struggle of educating students as well as the failure of CYFD to protect New Mexican children as the mother of four grown children including one adopted through the New Mexico foster system and in her role as a special education teacher and teacher of gifted students for 17 years.”

“Parents now face a new blockade in raising their own children because of the extreme agenda carried out by Santa Fe politicians. A new law passed this session will now allow children to get life-changing, potentially endangering abortion or transgender procedures without parental knowledge or consent. Even further, those politicians are threatening schools with fines for ‘interfering.’”

The campaign contends that Madrid wasn’t present for “several critical votes.” It notes bills about free cultural programs for foster families and legislation providing funding for rural broadband.

“Since Willie Madrid has been in office, Southwest New Mexico families have been overlooked and ignored by Santa Fe politicians. At some point we have to ask ourselves, where is the guy who is supposed to represent us? Why doesn’t he speak up?” Winterrowd said. “Experience doesn’t count unless you put it to work for the people who are counting on you. I have the experience. I’m willing to put in the work. I am ready to fight for the interests of OUR district and put families first as your State Representative.”

The 53rd District, despite being redrawn in 2022 to favor Democrats, has remained competitive, as evidenced by Winterrowd’s strong performance last November. In 2020, Madrid held his seat by only 38 votes, and in 2018, a terrible year for Republicans, Madrid won the seat by 291.

To learn more about Winterrowd, visit LizForNM.com.

After razor-thin 2022 loss, GOP state House candidate files for rematch Read More »

NM Dems fundraise off of summer temps, blame ‘MAGA extremists’

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

On Wednesday, the Democratic Party of New Mexico (DPNM) sent out a fundraising ask, requesting donations because of summer temperatures in New Mexico, claiming “climate change” is the cause.

“Yesterday, New Mexicans endured what was the hottest day of the year– at least so far. Globally, the earth is experiencing its hottest year on record indicating that climate change is showing no signs of slowing down. Increased temperatures are also straining states’ power grids, resulting in heat-related injuries and deaths across the nation,” it wrote.

“Republicans everywhere are pushing for the ‘depoliticization’ of climate, even going so far as to claiming that scientists are being paid to make false claims or coming up with their own bogus science to ‘disprove’ the consensus,” the email continued.

“Time and time again, we’re only seeing Democrats step up to the plate to protect the climate. If we’re going to have any real chance of curbing climate change and protecting earth’s species and delicate ecosystems, we need to continue electing climate champions who will be proactive in advocating for pro-climate policies that will save our planet.”

It is unclear exactly what specifically via their anti-energy policies would “save our planet,” but paying higher taxes and forcing New Mexicans to adopt unreliable energy sources, such as solar and wind, are not proven to drop Earth’s temperature by a single degree.

Furthermore, the hottest temperatures ever recorded on Earth happened over 100 years ago, when oil, gas, coal, and other fossil fuels were hardly used at their current capacity, brought forth by new technologies.

But the Democrats wrote to their subscribers in an attempt to solicit donations, “Can you chip in to continue electing Democrats who will fight against climate change, as opposed to climate-denying, MAGA extremist GOP politicians who don’t take it seriously?”

New Mexico Democrat politicians have also been making these melodramatic clarion calls, claiming because summer is hot that, “climate change” is just shy of roasting people alive.

Far-left U.S. Sen. Martin Heinrich bemoaned, “We are all paying the price of Republican inaction on climate change.”

U.S. Rep. Melanie Stansbury, another far-leftist, wrote, “This summer is a scorcher! Friendly reminder that climate change is real and we are feeling the effects of global warming in REAL TIME. When @theestallion mentioned ‘hot girl summer,’ I don’t think this is what she meant,” referencing a song.

Despite the rhetoric, back in 1913, temperatures peaked, leaving Democrats defenseless against cold, hard facts that disprove their “climate change” hysteria.

Democrats whine about ‘climate change’ because summer is hot

NM Dems fundraise off of summer temps, blame ‘MAGA extremists’ Read More »

Heinrich spent over $21K in donor cash on ‘security upgrades’ at his ‘residence’

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

According to Martin Heinrich’s report submitted to the Federal Election Commission (FEC) from April 1 through June 30, he raised $1,492,673.01 while spending $579,141.56.

Large contributions include $6,600 from San-Francisco-based Meritage Group LP, $5,000 from Facebook Inc. PAC, $6,000 from Google’s PAC, $3,300 from marijuana company PurLife’s CEO Darren White, $4,000 from retired U.S. Sen. Patrick Leahy’s campaign committee, among tens of thousands from the eco-left energy sector such as The League of Conservation Voters Action Fund and Environment America Inc. Voter Action.

His largest expenditures for the fundraising period went to the fundraising firm “Authentic Campaigns,” which received at least $119,500. Other large recipients include the fundraising firm Fulkerson, Kennedy, and Company ($144,461.29) and FDM Connects LLC fundraising consulting company ($57,924.3).

Heinrich also hired Adam Schiff aide Brad Elkins, paying the far-left staffer who previously worked for the abortion up-to-birth group EMILY’s List $28,517. He paid far-left Democrat Rep. Teresa Leger Fernandez’s fundraiser Kyra Ellis-Moore $19,528.88.

An interesting tidbit from Heinrich’s previous report is that he spent $13,804.25 on “security upgrades at the residence” through “Jillian Homes Realty” on January 13, 2023, and spent $7,374.15 at the Arizona-based Safe Haven Defense LLC for the same purpose on January 30, 2023.

During the fundraising period ending in June, Heinrich spent $17,305.29 on mileage, meals, and travel, spending big at places such as the Albuquerque Hilton Garden Inn, San Francisco Grand Hyatt, Chicago AC Marriott, Bellevue, and Washington’s Hyatt Regency, among other expenditures.

He spent $4,652.78 during the period on legal fees, $7,000 on polling from Public Policy Polling, and $13,413.63 on videography and photography.

Heinrich spent over $21K in donor cash on ‘security upgrades’ at his ‘residence’ Read More »

Someone files ‘Breaking Bad’ character to run for New Mexico congressional seat

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

According to a Federal Election Commission (FEC) filing, the main character from AMX/FX’s hit show Breaking Bad, filmed and set in New Mexico, is running for Congress as a Republican in the state’s Second Congressional District.

A June 16, 2023 filing shows “Walter Hartwell White/ Jesse Bruce Pinkman” had registered a committee for the former to run for the Second District. White’s character, an Albuquerque-based former chemistry teacher from the show, became a meth cook who sold the drug to the cartel to pay for his cancer treatment and ended up becoming a legend in his own right known as “Heisenberg.” Pinkman was White’s partner in crime who worked as his drug dealer in the show.

The filing listed “3828 Piermont Dr” in Albuquerque as the candidate’s address — the filming location of White’s fictitious house on “308 Negro Arroyo Lane” from the television show. The address is not within the Second District, although candidates need not live in the district to run, unlike state legislative candidates who must live in the district they aim to represent.

The committee name, “Gus Associates,” pays homage to the show’s cartel boss Gustavo “Gus” Fring, listing the committee’s filing address as that of the Chihuahuan Desert Nature Park in Las Cruces.

Following the fake campaign filing, the FEC wrote in a June 25, 2023 letter to the entity, “It has come to the attention of the Federal Election Commission that you may have failed to include the true, correct, or candidate information under 52 U.S.C. § 30102(e) when you filed FEC Form 2.”

It added, “Furthermore, the Commission requires the filing to be true, correct, and complete. When you filed FEC Form 2, you made the following certification: ‘I certify that I have examined this Statement and to the best of my knowledge and belief it is true, correct and complete.’ The Commission also informed you on that form that: ‘Submission of false, erroneous, or incomplete information may subject the person signing this Statement to the penalties of 52 U.S.C. § 30109.’”

“It is not known who filed the FEC candidate paperwork for the fictional characters. The FEC said it would crack down on fake candidate filings in 2016 after several fake presidential candidates were listed for the vacant office,” wrote KOAT 7.

Former Congresswoman Yvette Herrell is the sole legitimate Republican candidate in the Second District, while Democrat Rep. Gabe Vasquez is attempting to run for another term after narrowly beating Herrell in 2022.

Someone files ‘Breaking Bad’ character to run for New Mexico congressional seat Read More »

Redistricting group praises NM Supreme Court’s ruling in gerrymandering case

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

This week, the fully Democrat New Mexico Supreme Court dealt Democrats a shocking blow when it denied Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham’s appeal for the high court to strike a bipartisan lawsuit challenging the state’s extremely partisan congressional district gerrymander. That means the case can now be heard at the state district court level.

In 2021, the Democrats in the New Mexico Legislature rammed through maps that cut communities of interest in halves or thirds while creating snake-like districts that are clear of a partisan gerrymander.

During the process, the Democrats gerrymandered the Second Congressional District, which swung the seat from favoring Republicans by 14 points to now favoring Democrats by four points, resulting in New Mexico’s only Republican congresswoman, Yvette Herrell, losing to far-left Democrat Gabe Vasquez, in 2022.

The nonprofit group that was heavily involved in the redistricting process, which the Democrat legislature subverted, Fair Districts New Mexico, applauded the state Supreme Court on its move.

“Some people are declaring yesterday’s decision a victory for New Mexico Republicans, who are challenging in court the state’s redrawn congressional map,” said Hannah Burling co-President of the League of Women Voters of New Mexico and Project Leader of Fair Districts for New Mexico. “But no one knows what the final decision on that question will be. Instead, yesterday’s decision is a victory for voters who believe the courts can – and must – protect voters’ constitutional rights by considering cases alleging partisan gerrymandering.”

Heather Balas, Vice President of the Election Reformers Network, said, “New Mexico’s court rightly joins a growing number of other state supreme courts in holding what the U.S. Supreme Court once recognized and what every voter knows to be true: that extreme partisan gerrymandering is incompatible with democratic principles and causes constitutional harms. Such cases must be at least heard.”

Mason Graham, Policy Director for Common Cause New Mexico noted that New Mexicans deserve a fair and transparent process for redistricting. “This process was flawed from the outset. When elected officials from either party meet in secret to manipulate maps and protect their political power, voters lose faith in our institutions and in democracy itself. In that way, gerrymandering harms us all. Ensuring the courts retain the power to protect the interests of voters is an essential safeguard.”

“As New Mexicans we are proud that on the day following Independence Day, the New Mexico Supreme Court affirmed the balance of power enshrined in our state constitution and respected by the U.S. Constitution. This is not a win for any political party; this is a victory for all New Mexicans.”

The support for sending the case to the lower court to determine the case and the condemnation from all sides of the extreme partisan gerrymander by the New Mexico Democrats in the majority at the Legislature is a testament to the bipartisan groups and officials, such as Democrat Roswell Mayor Tim Jennings, in supporting fair districts.

Redistricting group praises NM Supreme Court’s ruling in gerrymandering case Read More »

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