New Mexico

NM’s 2nd Congressional District not listed on Dems’ 2022 ‘target list’

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In 2020, Republican Congresswoman Yvette Herrell decisively won back New Mexico’s Second Congressional District after far-left Democrat Xochitl Torres Small held the seat for two years following mysterious absentee ballots appearing just in time to swing the vote in her favor in 2018. 

Now, as Rep. Herrell is working through her first year in Congress, Democrats at the Democrat Congressional Campaign Committee (DCCC) are eying 22 congressional seats they think they can flip in 2022. However, the Second District is not on it. 

The District swings Republican by about six points, with President Trump winning the district in both 2016 and 2020 by around ten points. 

With 2020 being a census year, New Mexico and all other states are constitutionally required to redraw their congressional seats, which will take effect by the 2022 election. New Mexico just enacted an independent redistricting commission in the 2021 Legislative Session, which will require a fairer process than the traditionally Democrat-dominated affair in the Legislature.

By staving off Democrat New Mexico House Speaker Brian Egolf’s threats to gerrymander the Second District out of Republican control, that appears unlikely now that a fair process will be in place. 

But even if Egolf did get his way to gerrymander the 2nd District to possibly favor Democrats, according to FiveThirtyEight’s “Atlas of Redistricting,” the new less Republican district would still have a 76.9% chance of being represented by a Republican. With that change, however, Republicans would have an almost 200% increased chance of winning back New Mexico’s 3rd Congressional District, currently represented by far-left Democrat Rep. Teresa Leger de Fernandez. 

The move by the DCCC not to put New Mexico’s Second District on their “target list” gives more confidence to voters of the Second District that it will remain in Republican hands, although former Democrat Rep. Torres Small is taking out her bitter loss of the seat after just one term by joining a PAC aimed at taking out Republicans from Congress.

Torres Small’s PAC is made up of failed Democrat cognressional candidates and former members and calls itself “Shield PAC.” It claims to combat Republican “lies,” fear-mongering that if vulnerable Democrats don’t keep their seats in Congress, “the seditionist, Trump-loving GOP will take over the House.” These extreme attacks from a supposed “moderate” Democrat PAC show that these calls for moderation appear to be merely smoke and mirrors. 

Despite the bitterness spewing forth from Democrats desperate to get back in Congress by hook or by crook, Herrell is not in hot water just yet, with Washington, D.C. Democrats prioritizing other districts than hers to focus on in the 2022 midterms.

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MLG signs anti-police bill lining Brian Egolf’s pockets with bankrupted local communities’ funds

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On Wednesday, Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham signed, H.B. 4, the “Civil Rights Act” into law, an extreme assault on local communities, which will put a target on the backs of law enforcers, and consequently line the pockets of Speaker of the House Biden Egolf’s (D-Santa Fe) pockets with payouts from civil litigation.

The left-wing American Civil Liberties Union applauded the radical bill, “This groundbreaking law allows New Mexicans to hold public officials accountable in our state courts.” However, many claim it will do the opposite by crippling law enforcers’ abilities and taking away much-needed funding from localities already hurting due to the effects of Gov. Lujan Grisham’s COVID-19 lockdown.

The Governor tried to quell the anger of those opposed to the bill, claiming it is not an anti-police bill. She said, “This is not an anti-police bill. This bill does not endanger any first responder or public servant – so long as they conduct themselves professionally within the bounds of our constitution and with a deep and active respect for the sacred rights it guarantees all of us as New Mexicans.” But by removing protections for law enforcers and other government workers, it is doing the opposite of what she claims.

During the Senate debate of the bill, Sen. Bill Sharer (R-San Juan) said, “We don’t want to deprive somebody of their civil rights, but we also don’t want to make the taxpayers of whatever jurisdiction just pour money into this endless pit of lawsuits.”

Sen. Stewart Ingle (R-Chaves, Curry, De Baca, Lea, and Roosevelt) said, “We have the most liberal liability laws of any place except Washington, D.C., and the stuff we didn’t have has now been added through this.” He added, “It’s going to open up areas for liability that we have never seen before. And our counties and our cities, our highway departments, every state agency we have, I think, is going to be subject to things that they have never even thought about.” 

“More money for insurance or claims means less money for essential services or higher taxes,” said Santa Fe County Attorney Greg Shaffer during testimony against the bill in a Senate committee. “This shifting of risk impacts all citizens,” he said. “More money for insurance or claims means less money for essential services or higher taxes.”

In a previous hearing of the bill, Detective Shaun Willoughby of the Albuquerque Police Officers’ Association said, “This particular bill takes away our ability. This is basically a tax increase. We are taxing the public all over the state of New Mexico. Hurting budgets that can be used for training on the mental health, can be used for resources and social programs in the poorest state in the nation.” 

Proponents of the police-attacking bill came sponsored by dark money groups like billionaire Mike Bloomberg’s “Moms Demand Action,” the Soros-funded “Sierra Club,” “ProgressNow New Mexico,” and “Equality New Mexico.” These groups’ supporters claimed H.B. 4 was a necessary reform for civil rights while not addressing how it would cripple local municipalities’ budgets, open these localities to million-dollar frivolous lawsuits, and put targets on peace officers’ backs. 

Egolf has been criticized for sponsoring the bill, as it would directly benefit his private law practice, which is 60% civil litigation and claims. His unethical sponsorship of the bill led a prominent retired judge to file an ethics complaint against Egolf. He had his lawyer file a motion to dismiss the ethics complaint, as reported on Friday. During House consideration of H.B. 4, Egolf voted against an amendment proposed by Rep. T. Ryan Lane (R-San Juan) to bar legislators from financially benefiting from the bill.

The measure barely squeaked by the Senate Judiciary Committee on a vote of 5-4, with Sen. Daniel Ivey-Soto (D-Bernalillo) voting with all Republicans against the radical measure. Another similar measure was brought forth by Sen. Joseph Cervantes (D-Doña Ana) regarding tort claims and qualified immunity. However, it was swiftly rejected, with two Democrats voting to kill the bill. Cervantes also may profit off of his co-sponsorship of H.B. 4 despite his claims that he has “no conflict of interest or financial motive in bringing this legislation.” Only time will tell on that.

The Senate amended the bill to eliminate mandatory attorney fees. However, the small concession did not fix New Mexico’s small communities and local governments’ many concerns. In its amended form, the bill passed the House of Representatives for concurrence before it was sent to Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham for a signature. It passed the Senate on a 26-15 with one Democrat in opposition, Sen, George Muñoz (Cibola, McKinley, and San Juan), siding with all Republicans against the extreme bill.

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Gov. MLG signs bill creating an independent redistricting commission

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On Tuesday, it was reported that Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham signed S.B. 304, a bill establishing an independent redistricting commission comprised of seven members comprised of all three major parties (Republican, Democrat, Libertarian) and Declined to State.

The commission will hold at least twelve public meetings to gather input and draft three potential district maps for U.S. Congress, Public Education Commission, and state House and Senate districts. S.B. 304 prohibits plans that favor one political party or incumbent in the map-drawing process, with the requirement that public input is included in the new plans.

The bipartisan bill brought forth originally in another form by Rep. Rebecca Dow (R-Grant, Hidalgo & Sierra) and Rep. Natalie Figueroa (D-Bernalillo) was passed with much opposition from Democrat Speaker of the House Brian Egolf and others who wanted much more partisan control over the redistricting process.

Previously on a Zoom call with a left-wing group, Retake Our Democracy, Egolf blasted the idea of an independent redistricting commission, saying, “I think that it puts at unacceptable peril a woman’s right to choose, environmental protection, fairness in taxation.” He added, “It puts at tremendous peril all of the progressive causes that we care about.”

During a House Judiciary Committee hearing, Speaker Egolf continually whined about Republicans “casting aspersions” that he did not want a fair redistricting process, demanding an apology from Republicans, including GOP Leader Jim Townsend (R-Chaves, Eddy, and Otero). He did not end up getting one, as Egolf has constantly worked to favor Democrats in the redistricting process and only recently joined Sen. Ivey-Soto’s last-ditch redistricting bill to install a more political way of redrawing district maps. After the meeting, Rep. Stefani Lord (R-Bernalillo, Sandoval & Santa Fe) wrote, “We will NEVER apologize for standing up for the people of New Mexico!” 

During House floor consideration of the bill, the measure passed 64-2 with Rep. Eliseo Alcon (D-Cibola & McKinley) and Majority Leader Sheryl Stapleton (D-Bernalillo) voting against it. 

The newly enacted law aims to take redistricting away from the dark rooms of the Roundhouse and opens it up to the public in a fair, less partisan way, despite opposition from Democrats. 

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Santa Fe Mayor Alan Webber triggered after Hispanic group blasts him in newspaper ad

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Last week, Hispanic cultural group Union Protectíva de Santa Fé published a scathing advertisement against Democrat Mayor Alan Webber in the Santa Fe Reporter, which was titled “Mayor Webber’s Dark Side.” 

The advertisement included an essay claiming Webber “has attempted to privatize city services, discounted ‘attacks on our religion,’ and established a ‘Marxist’ process to address potentially controversial monuments across the city,” according to the Santa Fe New Mexican. 

The advertisement shows images of the mayor surrounded by public monuments in the city, including the destroyed Plaza obelisk, which Webber instructed police officers to stand down during its destruction by domestic terrorists. 

Webber later defended the Police Department’s decision to “stand down” and allow the riot, saying, “The choice to not incite more violence was the correct one.”

“The organization’s ad was the fourth in a series criticizing Webber. After Webber ordered the removal of a Don Diego de Vargas statue from Cathedral Park in the summer, the 106-year-old group placed an ad in The New Mexican calling on the mayor to protect the Kit Carson monument at the downtown U.S. District Court and the obelisk on the nearby Santa Fe Plaza,” according to the New Mexican’s report. 

Triggered by the advertisement, Webber lashed out at the group, however, he did not overtly deny their accusations. He wrote, “These charges are wrong” in a statement. “The facts are wrong. Even worse, their intention is wrong: Their purpose is to inflame divisions in our city.” 

“We pride ourselves on our histories, our diversity, our many cultures, backgrounds and experiences,” claimed Webber, despite letting anti-Hispanic hate groups rip down the downtown obelisk and his removal of the Don Diego de Vargas statue originally sitting in Cathedral Park to a city worker’s backyard.

Webber wrote in the statement Monday, “Everyone is welcome here. That’s what we believe, that’s how we live. It’s who we are.”

“We must reject this kind of divisive ugliness,” he added. “I know Santa Feans join me in standing against hate here and across our country.”

But the organization’s vice president, Gil Martinez did not agree with the childish ramblings from Webber. Martinez reportedly said he was “offended” that the mayor would suggest the image was meant as a racist attack. “I think it’s ridiculous in every form you can look at it,” he said. “They are grasping at straws.”

Webber’s challenger Joanne Vigil Coppler did not pay attention to the conflict, instead, focusing on her campaign against the deep-pocketed incumbent. “The only thing I can say is if he wants to run a positive campaign, then let’s talk about that,” she said.

Editor’s note from John Block: In the name of full disclosure, my father is and my late grandfather was a member of Union Protectíva de Santa Fé

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MLG signs anti-science trapping ban bill despite 19K+ New Mexicans opposing the measure

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On Monday, Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham signed 50 bills into law, many of them negatively affecting the state financially and in practice. One such bill was S.B. 23 by Sen. Bobby Gonzales (D-Los Alamos, Rio Arriba, Santa Fe, and Taos), banning trapping on public lands.

The bill squeaked by its last chamber, with the House of Representatives narrowly passing the measure by a vote of 35-34. During this session, many rural residents and wildlife conservation officers say trapping remains critical for managing wildlife and protecting livestock. 

The bill, which many Republicans and Democrats vehemently oppose, has garnered formidable opposition, with one Change.org petition named “Support science-based wildlife management,” gaining over 19,000 names of those opposed to the bill.

“This bill is not based on science, data or wildlife [biologists’] input.  It is not based on the North American Model of Wildlife Conservation and the Public Trust Doctrine, which define fish and wildlife resources as the property of the people to be managed by the state and federal agencies entrusted with their stewardship.  This model should be used as the foundation of science-based fish and wildlife management and hunting, fishing and trapping are appropriate management tools,” reads a portion of the petition. 

Despite the vast opposition to the bill by wildlife experts and everyday New Mexicans, Lujan Grisham signed the extreme bill into law, signaling “an unbalance and sets a precedent for what could end up listing many animals as endangered or threatened in the future,” according to the petition organizers.

The signing and passage of the bill come with little to no public or scientific involvement in its fast-track to the Governor’s desk, and the massive bipartisan opposition to the bill indicates just how corrosive it is.

The disgraced fringe eco-left group “WildEarth Guardians” celebrated the bill’s signing, writing on Twitter, “Woo-hoo! Minutes ago, New Mexico Governor Michelle Lujan Grisham signed into law a bill banning traps, snares, and poisons on public lands across New Mexico. Join us in celebrating this huge milestone for #wildlife and #publiclands.”

The Governor also signed multiple other bills into law, such as a bill banning “hair discrimination” regarding cultural hairstyles and headdresses, a bill dumping vast amounts of mostly unregulated money into failing public schools, a bill forcing New Mexico public schools to “develop programs and curricula to teach Black history and culture,” and a bill promoting the use of solar power.

The Governor also signed S.B. 112, a radical environmental bill sponsored by Sen. Mimi Stewart (D-Bernalillo), which moves $100,000 from the General Fund to form a “Sustainable Economy Task Force” tasked with “developing an annually updated strategic plan to transition the state economy away from reliance on natural resource extraction.” Leftist “Republican” Rep. Kelly Fajardo (Valencia) was the only Republican in either chamber to vote in favor of the extreme eco-left bill, which is corrosive to the oil and gas industry. Fringe groups celebrated the newly created commission to destroy the oil and gas industry in New Mexico:

The Governor has yet to sign many other more extreme bills into law, but she is allowed 20 days since the Legislature delivered the bills to her to sign them into law, or else they are considered “pocket vetoed.”

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MLG has photo-op at Los Alamos school after finally lifting one-year ban on in-person learning

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After closing public K-12 schools in the state of New Mexico for over an entire year to supposedly “mitigate the risk of community spread of COVID-19,” Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham’s ban on in-person learning left countless children without schooling and crippling relapses for many students. In many instances, children in rural areas could not access their “virtual” classrooms due to the lack of technology or wireless connection to the internet. 

The damage the Governor’s lockdown caused was much more painful than merely the year of education many children lost altogether. Hundreds of children in New Mexico took their own lives in 2020 and early 2021, with New Mexico ranking the second-worst state for suicides. As for teen suicides, New Mexico ranked as the fifth-highest state nationwide in 2020. In July 2020, New Mexico hit a boiling point as the state with the highest rate of suicide in the nation, with the rate for children ages 4-15 increasing by 88%.

The Albuquerque Journal reported that around 12,000 “missing” children were going without instruction at all during the pandemic. 

A mere month before the end of the school year, the late reopening of schools has been met with opposition by radical science-denying teachers’ unions. Some even claimed going back to school is still unsafe despite vaccines readily available and CDC guidelines updated. 

Far-left state Rep. G. Andrés Romero, a teacher at Atrisco High School in Albuquerque, said he “worried that switching from remote learning to a hybrid model could be an added stress on teachers and students who already strained. He urged caution to districts considering the option,” according to the Santa Fe New Mexican.

Now, as schools are opening back up, Gov. Lujan Grisham is trying to capitalize as much as she possibly can, trying to portray herself as a hero for reopening the schools despite the countless New Mexico students who have been affected adversely by her strict and arguably cruel lockdown. 

She posted a photo of her visiting a sparsely-attended playground photo-op at Aspen Elementary School in Los Alamos, writing, “I was glad to have the opportunity to visit Aspen Elementary School in Los Alamos this morning, where students and staff were excited to see each other and to be back in the classroom. I look forward to a continued successful and safe re-entry to in-person learning statewide.”

On Sunday, the Governor shared a video made by teachers at Lew Wallace Elementary school in Albuquerque, writing, “Students & educators across the state are excited to be going back to the classroom this week & safely resuming in-person learning. The teachers & staff at Lew Wallace Elementary can’t wait to see their students again – check out this amazing video they made welcoming them back!” 

The tweets come as Lujan Grisham appears to be trying to move public perception away from her strict lockdown and to her reopening of schools. However, New Mexicans will likely not forget her stringent lockdowns, which have cost the lives of multiple children and irreparably harmed the state’s teachers, parents, and youth for years to come. 

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Dem county official blasted for saying people are being shot because of ‘the shape of their face’

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During the closing remarks at Thursday’s Sandoval County Commission meeting, first-term Democrat Commissioner Katherine A. Bruch of the First District made eyebrow-raising comments regarding mass shootings, claiming recent uses of guns to kill can be attributed to the “color” of peoples’ skin and “the shape of their face.” 

Across the country, the media has been fixated on crimes involving Asian American and Pacific Islanders after a gunman in Atlanta, Georgia shot up multiple massage parlors where he killed eight people, including people of multiple races. It has been surmised that the shootings were tied to sex addiction, not racial hatred.

Bruch said during the meeting, “This has kinda been a hard week in many ways with more mass shootings and even longer than that, with certain communities being assaulted more directly and I know I have some family members that fall into some categories that are more visible for whatever reason and I am just very saddened that we are having these individuals that are—for whatever reason—going out and shooting or assaulting people because of the color of their skin and the shape of their face.” 

“So, I just want you all to remember them in your thoughts and prayers, and then let’s get to work and let’s do something more effective than thinking about them by getting serious about helping with mental health, making sure that we provide the correct training and tools for our law enforcement, and that we are regulating the possession of weapons by those who have no business owning them,” she concluded. 

Second-term Republican Commissioner Jay Block of the Second District chimed in on the conversation after Bruch’s assessment regarding the need for more gun bans amid shootings. He took exception to her comments regarding face shape because he has children who are interracial. 

He said, “I am not sure what the ‘shape of their face’ means. We all have different shapes of faces unless you’re talking about my kids who are interracial. I don’t know. I would maybe change those words a little bit.” 

This is just the latest racially questionable comment made by a Democrat politician in recent weeks after Democrat nominee for Congress, state Rep. Melanie Stansbury (D-Bernalillo) said that displaced Navajo workers who would be losing their good-paying jobs “can sell their art or their wool” instead, insinuating that Native American workers can somehow shift focus in their job prospects to another field that Stansbury stereotypically decided was arts and crafts. 

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An Easter Sunday reflection on Gov. Lujan Grisham’s hostility toward people of faith

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Today is Easter Sunday, and although the strict COVID-19 restrictions from Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham have been slightly amended, New Mexico remains one of the six states on “advisory” status, one of the few with mandatory mask mandates, and some businesses still shuttered.

On Holy Saturday 2020, Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham made a proclamation that all in-person Easter church services of five or greater were banned, effectively stopping New Mexicans from attending church on Easter Sunday. 

She said she wanted to make “absolutely clear that mass gatherings of any type are not permitted in houses of worship.” She continued, “We know that you want to practice your faith, as you should. But this year we must remember that home is holy. The best thing you can do for your community is to stay there.”

Gov. Lujan Grisham had completely shuttered church services on a state level, however, abortion clinics were allowed to stay wide open, despite health concerns.

Then, on Easter, the Governor made a “proclamation” from the Governor’s mansion, writing on Twitter, “This Easter, home is the holy place. I expect all New Mexicans to stay safe by staying home to celebrate, not gathering with friends and family. Together, we will have a safe and happy Easter – by staying apart. BUT tell the kids not to worry: the Easter Bunny is essential!” 

She “expected” New Mexicans to just throw their faith out the door to comply with her mandates. Throughout the lockdowns, the Governor’s religious persecution continued.

Then in May, on Mother’s Day, Gov. Lujan Grisham sent out her State Police to serve a cease and desist order to Truth or Consequences pastor, Dr. Caleb Cooper.

“Here’s a notice that we need to get through, and it’s a cease and desist order,” said the officer serving the order. When Cooper asked why he was being served the order, the officer responded, “for violating the public health order,” citing the May 2nd church service held at the church.

Pastor Jeff Carr of Mesa Baptist Church in Rio Rancho was told by the Governor’s Office that while in-person services were prohibited, he could still hold “online services, drive-in services where people remain in the car with their windows rolled up… or listen to a radio service, honk their horns for ‘Amen!’ and so on.”

But others fought back, such as Legacy Church in Albuquerque which sued the state and remained under scrutiny by the Governor and the liberal media for living out their faith through fellowship in their church.

Las Cruces Bishop Peter Baldacchin instructed his diocese that “While it is true that we need to take every reasonable precaution to reduce the spread of Coronavirus, it is equally true that we offer the greatest ‘essential service’ to our people. The past few weeks have brought to light many unintended consequences of the ‘stay-at-home’ order.” 

This Easter, the struggles still remain, with the Faithful being instructed by the Governor to “celebrate safely” and important traditions such as the pilgrimage to El Santuario de Chimayó are being prohibited. But people of faith are not backing down, and should never forget Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham’s hostility toward them. New Mexico is a state founded upon faith and its people have proven they will not take kindly to persecution.

An Easter Sunday reflection on Gov. Lujan Grisham’s hostility toward people of faith Read More »

NM House GOP Whip rips Dem state Rep. Stansbury’s anti-Navajo racism in fiery letter

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Last week, Republican House Whip Rod Montoya (R-San Juan) ripped into Democrats for their use of victimization to shut down debate during this past legislative session, using terms like “marginalized peoples,” “institutional racism,” and “implicit bias” to silence opposition to their extremist bills.

In the letter, Montoya said, the divisiveness from Democrats has hit “obscene” levels. He said, “Acts of violent racism must be dealt with, however, each time racism is used as a catch phrase, it undermines the gravity and legitimacy of real victims of racist acts.” 

“Not only has this tactic been used to chill debate, it has been used to justify advancement of policies that are harmful to minority communities. It is infuriating to hear legislators say that Navajo coal miners who make $80,000 a year are somehow better off without a job because it slows climate change. To further call them victims of systemic racism, while they stand in unemployment lines, is nothing more than gaslighting,” wrote Montoya.

He made sure to focus on Rep. Stansbury’s racist comment toward Navajos, writing, “If this were not bad enough, absolutely zero attention was paid to the racially insensitive comments made by Representative Stansbury. When she was asked how these Navajo workers were going to replace their high paying jobs, she flippantly said ‘they can sell their art or their wool.’”

“Why were these comments not plastered all over social media or in local news? I can only surmise that her comments were ignored because she is a ‘well-meaning,’ white, progressive Democrat who is running for Congress.”

Montoya added, “Her comments, and many others for that matter, speak volumes to the condescending and paternalistic racism that has invaded the Democrat Party. If she were a Republican, demands would have been made for an immediate apology for her comments and she would have been asked to resign.” 

Montoya noted how “incredibly insulting” it is for “elitists” to think minorities are incapable of survival without their aid. “As a Hispanic who is married to a Native American, and having raised four children in New Mexico, I maintain that our successes and failures are our own, even when progressives pass laws that kill jobs and disincentivize hard work and success. It is the very essence of racism to pass laws that undermine self-sufficiency,” he wrote.

Montoya also touched on the use of gender to create division in the Roundhouse, particularly regarding Pro Tem Mimi Stewart, who claimed she was being attacked by a male Democrat colleague for asking her basic questions about her bill. 

“I thought that being a victim was directly related to a lack of power. Senator Stewart is not a powerless victim in this legislative body,” wrote Montoya, noting how “she determines all committee assignments, as well as every chairmanship.” 

“Progressives have crossed the Rubicon of using patronizing language, and unfortunately too many people now believe their future is in someone else’s hands,” he wrote. “If progressive Democrats are determined to continue this demeaning and dangerous tactic, we should perhaps change the words of our New Mexico pledge of allegiance to reflect, ‘… perfect disunity among divided cultures.’ I, however, have another idea. Traditional New Mexicans need to take back our state from outside influences that divide us over every tiny difference, and instead find common ground despite our differences. I think this new concept is called tolerance,” concluded Montoya.

The letter comes after one of the most divisive and corrosive legislative sessions in modern New Mexico history, with Democrats ramming through bills with little to no debate. If debate was, in fact, afforded, Democrats shut down the public from speaking and accused fellow members of racism and sexism at every other turn. 

During the legislative session and the subsequent Governor-commissioned special session, Democrats rammed through abortion up-to-birth and infanticide, assisted suicide via lethal drug “cocktails,” tax hikes, recreational weed legalization, raiding of the Permanent Fund to fund taxpayer-funded “free” daycare, mandates on small businesses to provide unaffordable benefits, a bill that will line civil litigation attorneys’ pockets and bankrupt local communities, and that is just the tip of the iceberg.

Rep. Melanie Stansbury, who is a far-left Democrat from Bernalillo County, has been chosen as the Democrats’ nominee for Congress despite her racist statements toward Navajos. 

NM House GOP Whip rips Dem state Rep. Stansbury’s anti-Navajo racism in fiery letter Read More »

MLG’s Oil Conservation Commission passes new extreme regulations on the oil and gas industry

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On Thursday, the three-member New Mexico Oil Conservation Commission voted unanimously on new rules that will severely handicap the oil and gas industry in regards to emission standards due to venting and flaring, according to a report from Bloomberg News.

Gas producing plants, oil companies, and pipeline operators will have until 2026 to reduce their gas emissions to 2% of production. “The two counties that make up the New Mexico part of the Permian have seen flaring and venting soar as drillers move past legacy acreage in Texas to the newer — and gassier — Delaware sub-basin,” reports Bloomberg. 

According to the report, the rules are a “compromise” between regulators, industry, and environmentalists to curb methane emissions. The Commission’s vote on Thursday follows two years of debate and two weeks of public comment in January. The new rules are expected to go into effect in May.

The commissioners include Adrienne Sandoval of the Conservation Division, who serves as the chair, Dr. Thomas Engler of New Mexico Tech, and Greg Bloom, Assistant Commissioner for Mineral Resources at the New Mexico State Land Office. 

According to a spokesman for the New Mexico Oil and Gas Association, which has stayed neutral on many job-killing anti-energy bills said, “We will strive for full compliance with the final rule, and we commend this commission for undertaking a collaborative approach throughout this two-year process.”

Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham’s Energy, Minerals and Natural Resources Department secretary Sarah Propst claimed the new rule, “creates a level playing field for the industry.” She also said, “Some companies are already investing in that takeaway capacity upfront and doing everything right while others maybe aren’t because they didn’t have to before.”

These new rules will heavily impact drilling and production on federal lands. According to radical leftist environmental group Environmental Defense Fund’s Daniel Grossman, “The Trump administration rolled back strong regulations.” He said, “But now with the Biden administration, that’s probably something that the Department of the Interior will address with the new leadership of [Interior] Secretary Deb Haaland, who is from New Mexico and understands the issue better than most.”

Haaland is an extremist when it comes to oil and gas, favoring a complete ban on fracking, which produces clean natural gas and fuels New Mexico’s economy. The Governor’s commission and its new ruling makes it clear that the oil and gas industry, which produces nearly 40% of revenues for the state budget, is in danger of extinction if Lujan Grisham gets her way.

MLG’s Oil Conservation Commission passes new extreme regulations on the oil and gas industry Read More »

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