On Tuesday, the Senate Finance Committee advanced the gas tax on the poor, S.B. 11, which has been previously enacted in Oregon and California, states where the gas price is 119% and 135% higher than the national average, respectively, according to AAA. The bill is sponsored by Sen. Mimi Stewart (D-Bernalillo).
The bill puts extreme clean fuel standards on businesses that produce or import transportation fuels and fuels used in motor vehicles. The restrictions on these companies would force them to invest in costly upgrades to their fuel standards, meaning these costs would transfer to the consumers. The bill also adds vague and sweeping “enviro-justice” provisions to state law.
In California and Oregon, where clean fuel standards are already in place, there are already increased costs of up to 24 cents per gallon on gas, which directly hurts poor consumers.
In the bill’s previous committee, Senate Tax, Business, and Transportation, Sen. Craig Brandt (D-Sandoval) asked a question about the tax on the poor, to which Sen. Stewart got flustered. She said in a stern voice, “You know what gas costs in Europe? It costs $6-7 a gallon!” She said people drove smaller electric cars in the region and said she didn’t appreciate “the sky is falling” arguments regarding concerns attributed to her bill. Stewart also complained about the committee hearing nearing two hours long on her bill.
The New Mexico Oil and Gas Association (NMOGA), which took a neutral stance on Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham’s “mini” Green New Deal (The Energy Transition Act) is also taking a neutral stance on this bill. NMOGA dumped thousands into Democrat campaigns in 2018 and 2020.
The bill advanced the Senate Finance Committee on Tuesday by a vote of 6-4, with Sens. Bill Burt (R-Chaves, Lincoln & Otero), Crystal Diamond (R-Doña Ana, Hidalgo, Luna & Sierra), Bill Sharer (R-San Juan), and Pat Woods (R-Curry, Quay and Union) rejecting the measure. Sen. Woods dubbed the bill a “lawyers’ dream” and a “pie-in-the-sky proposal.”
The bill is listed as the 11th item on the Senate floor calendar for March 10, 2021. You can help stop this bill by reaching out to your New Mexico senator and asking them to vote “NO” on Senate Bill 11. You can find your senator here.
On Monday, Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham’s Public Education Department (PED) finally announced a reopening plan for New Mexico schools by April 5, 2021.
During a virtual news conference, Lujan Grisham’s PED secretary Ryan Stewart said, “All schools across the state do need to be open by April 5,” however, “that gives about a month for planning.”
“Your school or district administration will determine the timeline that works well for the community… we encourage our school leaders to work with their families, educators, school staff and community members,” PED said regarding when school districts will be reopening.
According to Stewart, remote learning will remain an option for students, while PED will allow “high-risk” staff exemptions until two weeks following full vaccination or inoculation becomes available to them. All teachers are eligible for the vaccine, says Stewart.
New Mexico’s largest school district, the Albuquerque Public Schools, “is updating its plan to get students back in the classroom, following the state Public Education Department’s announced expectation that all New Mexico public and charter schools return to in-person learning by early April,” writes the District.
Masks will be required to be worn by students and faculty and 6-feet “social distance” is highly encouraged wherever possible, but does not appear to be mandatory.
“It is time to ring the bell to welcome our kids back to class,” Stewart said.
“Our message to New Mexico public schools is that you can and should move as quickly as possible to get everyone who wants it back for in-person learning,” he added.
The announcement by PED comes nearly a full year after Gov. Lujan Grisham shuttered schools and thrust children and teachers into a 100% virtual format.
In July–right in the middle of the Governor’s lockdown–New Mexico had the highest rate of suicide, with the rate for children 5-14 increasing by 88%.
New Mexico Republican Party Chairman Steve Pearce wrote in a statement following the announcement, “This is a decision that’s been long overdue. While it’s good that public school students will be back in class where they have always belonged, they and their families have had to endure real hardships for a year.”
He added, “It’s been a devastating experience, and students have fallen behind academically and socially. It will be hard to tell whether the Governor’s actions will have a long-lasting impact in our state. Now it’s time to fully reopen New Mexico and get life back to normal.”
In a rare Sunday meeting of the Senate Health and Public Affairs Committee, an anti-police proposal ending qualified immunity, S.B. 376, was rejected on a 3-3 vote. The bill, sponsored by Sen. Joseph Cervantes (D-Doña Ana), appears it would personally benefit his law practice. Cervantes practices civil litigation himself, which the passage of S.B. 376 would benefit.
During the committee hearing, Cervantes said the bill would “assure that the Tort Claims Act squares with the initiatives and the efforts being made in the Civil Rights Act. If we do not adjust the Tort Claims Act at the same time, we would be adopting the Civil Rights Act, we would have different laws and different standards that are in conflict.” The Civil Rights Act, H.B. 4, is being sponsored by Speaker of the Hosue Brian Egolf, and he would benefit from the passage of his bill.
“It makes it especially hard to settle small cases… Given the poverty in our state, given the incredible needs of our community, is this the best use of precious, I would say, taxpayer dollars?” asked attorney Grace Philips of the New Mexico Association of Counties.
Douglas Ford, Chief of Police at Clovis Police Department, said, “This legislation would bring more frivolous lawsuits into our police departments.” He continued, “We continue to bring district against our law enforcement and cause an unnecessary separation between our citizens and our police officers.”
“This kind of bill will again enhance the villainization of our law enforcement, which is not healthy for our communities or our police officers who serve and protect them. This is more legislation [that] is going to cause good police officers to leave our state and to leave their duties in this state or to leave this profession completely. And we are already seeing that now with all the legislation, the negative rhetoric, and what we’ve been seeing throughout the country and throughout what’s been going on with this state and bills that have been put forward that are affecting law enforcement.”
Another commenter and attorney, Martin Esquivel, said, “The statute of limitations presently for the Tort Claims Act is two years, and this ups it to three. So, if you look at premiums for some of the larger school districts like Santa Fe, Las Cruces, Rio Rancho, they average anywhere from four to six million dollars. What will it mean to their budgets? Potentially, anywhere from a 10-20 percent increase in risk premiums given the exposed liability. That could be anything from three hundred to five hundred thousand dollars that comes out of their operating budget to pay the additional exposure. That is a hit coming out of actual school budgets.”
The bill died with two Democrats, Sen. Liz Stefanics (D-Bernalillo, Lincoln, San Miguel, Santa Fe, Torrance, and Valencia) and Sen. Bill Tallman (D-Bernalillo) voting with Republican Sen. David Gallegos (R-Eddy & Lea) against the measure. Two Republicans were absent for the vote, so if the committee moves to vote again on the measure, it is still headed for certain death.
On Saturday, March 20, grassroots organizers are planning statewide rallies against New Mexico’s COVID-19 lockdowns. The event “will be a non-partisan, peaceable, statewide rally for freedom. Organizers from Santa Fe, Albuquerque, Rio Rancho, Edgewood, Las Cruces, Roswell, Portales, and other cities will stand with fellow New Mexicans at sites across the state to support ending lockdown,” says a press release from the various groups, many being part of the New Mexico Freedom Alliance, organizing the statewide event.
The rally occurs “on the same day that freedom rallies will take place in dozens of countries all over the world, including Canada, England, New Zealand, South Africa, Denmark, Australia, Lithuania, Ireland, Poland, Switzerland, Italy, Spain, the Netherlands, and Norway.”
Sarah Smith, of Free People of the Southwest, said, “The Governor’s Lockdown policies are killing our state. New Mexicans have suffered from higher COVID-19 death rates than states with far fewer restrictions, such as Texas, Idaho, Utah, and Florida.”
She added, “Hundreds of NM businesses have failed, leading to long-term loss of livelihood for thousands, increased food insecurity, high rates of unemployment, rampant depression, and other mental health issues, as well as increased suicide rates, especially among children. The lockdown has to stop. The immediate and long-term health of New Mexico’s citizens is at stake. There is ample evidence, from across the country and around the world, that restrictive lockdown policies are unnecessary and harmful. There is no reason to extend this tyrannical lockdown in New Mexico.”
A lawsuit to end the lockdown filed against Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham by New Mexico Stands Up! is now working its way through the Federal Court. Ana Garner, the lead lawyer on the case, said, “The lockdown and other mandates in New Mexico are causing vast harm, are ineffective, and are medically unnecessary. We have overwhelming evidence and testimony to prove it. It also violates the U.S. Constitution, the New Mexico Constitution, and all precedent of human rights and civil liberties. We call upon our elected representatives and justices to end this crime against New Mexico now.”
Jesse James, a Roswell resident, and organizer of Concerned Citizens for New Mexico added, “People can’t take this any longer – and they shouldn’t have to. The Governor’s illegal and immoral abuse of power in New Mexico cannot be tolerated. Whatever party you identify with, it’s time to raise our voices and say ‘No more!’”
The No Lockdown, Yes Freedom rally is the first statewide protest to show that New Mexicans from diverse communities and belief systems oppose lockdown in New Mexico, according to the press release.
On Monday, the New Mexico Senate Finance Committee chaired by Sen. George Muñoz (D-Cibola, McKinley, and San Juan) will consider the radical S.B. 11 “Clean Fuel Standard Act,” which will result in a gas tax on the poor and middle classes. The bill is sponsored by Sen. Mimi Stewart (D-Bernalillo).
The bill puts extreme clean fuel standards on businesses that produce or import transportation fuels and fuels used in motor vehicles. The restrictions on these companies would force them to invest in costly upgrades to their fuel standards, meaning these costs would transfer to the consumers. The bill also adds vague and sweeping “enviro-justice” provisions to state law.
In California and Oregon, where clean fuel standards are already in place, there are already increased costs of up to 24 cents per gallon on gas, which directly hurts poor consumers.
In the bill’s previous committee, Senate Tax, Business, and Transportation, Sen. Craig Brandt (D-Sandoval) asked a question about the tax on the poor, to which Sen. Stewart got flustered. She said in a stern voice, “You know what gas costs in Europe? It costs $6-7 a gallon!” She said people drove smaller electric cars in the region and said she didn’t appreciate “the sky is falling” arguments regarding concerns attributed to her bill. Stewart also complained about the committee hearing nearing two hours long on her bill.
The New Mexico Oil and Gas Association (NMOGA), which took a neutral stance on Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham’s “mini” Green New Deal (The Energy Transition Act) is also taking a neutral stance on this bill. NMOGA dumped thousands into Democrat campaigns in 2018 and 2020.
Senate Finance Committee will convene at 1:00 p.m. (Or ½ hour after Floor Session ends) on Monday to discuss the fiscal implications of the bill, including its proposed $3,200,000 appropriation and other concerns, including the tax on the poor.
Call these Senators and ask them to oppose S.B. 11–the gas tax on the poor and the middle classes.
George Munoz (D), Chair, 505-397-8836, senatormunoz@gmail.com
Siah Correa Hemphill (D), 505-397-8821, siah.hemphill@nmlegis.gov
Jeff Steinborn (D), 505-397-8852, jeff.steinborn@nmlegis.gov
Pat Woods (R), 986-4393, pat.woods@nmlegis.gov
For public participation email SFC@nmlegis.gov. Sponsors and Experts have 15 minutes to present the bill followed by 10 minutes each for Proponents and Opponents. Send written comments to Sen.Fin.Comm@nmlegis.gov with your Name, Entity Represented, Bill #, For or Against, and a limit of 300 words or less. All Committee Members have access to written comments. The deadline is 12 hours prior to meeting time (1:00 a.m. on Monday, March 8, 2021). You will be contacted by our Zoom Operator with the virtual meeting instructions.
While the mainstream New Mexico media has refused to cover Democrat Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham’s deep connection to Communist China, the Piñon Post has been the only outlet to do an in-depth dive into Lujan Grisham’s connections with the oppressive country.
In December 2020, we covered all the Governor’s meetings with Chinese officials, but not until now have we received correspondences showing details about the Democrat governor’s April 11, 2019 meeting with Chinese Consul General Zhang Ping and what specific topics were covered in the secretive closed-door meeting.
Zhang Ping is a high-ranking communist Chinese official who has repeatedly spread propaganda whitewashing Communist China’s humanitarian failures and oppression of its people. For example, here is an excerpt from Ambassador Zhang Ping’s speech given months after he met with Gov. Lujan Grisham:
“Over the past seven decades, staying true to its original aspiration and mission for pursuing happiness of the Chinese people and for rejuvenation of the Chinese nation, adhering to the people-centered approach, the Chinese Communist Party has united the Chinese people of all ethnic groups in a strenuous struggle to build a strong and prosperous country, opened up a road that fits China’s own conditions, that is, socialism with Chinese characteristics, and accomplished the most profound and the greatest social transformation ever occurred in the country’s history.”
According to the newly unearthed documents exclusive to the Piñon Post, obtained via an Inspection of Public Records Act request, we now know that the Governor spoke with the Chinese ambassador in a “private meeting room” after her public photo-op that she posted on Twitter describing the supposed meeting.
In a May follow-up email from Zhang Ping’s office, Junying Shao, Director of Political Section for the consulate of the People’s Republic of China in Los Angeles, who was at the April 11, 2019 meeting, wrote to Lujan Grisham’s senior advisor and former chief of staff while the now-governor was in Congress, Dominic Gabello, that “We understand the Governor is interested in China-US Governor’s Forum but may not be able to attend this year due to her schedule. We welcome The Governor to visit China next year and attend the Forum as it is scheduled to be hosted by China.” Gabello was also at the April meeting.
Previously in August of 2017–eight months after announcing her run for New Mexico’s governorship–Lujan Grisham was spotted at a photo-op at the Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Beijing. It appears she was the only U.S. representative on the trip, and she posed multiple times with China’s Vice Minister of Foreign Affairs, Zheng Zeguang. For reference, other photographs of world leaders posing at the same location can be found here.
Regarding particulars of the meeting, the May 24, 2019 email from Junying Shao reads, “[T]he Consul General and the Governor also talked about the establishment of sister-state relationship between NM and certain state (we call it “province” in China). We are working on that. May I know what is [a] further idea on your end about this, any standard, or requirement on the potential sister state from China?”
In another email from April 13, 2019, a Xinlian Liu from the Chinese Consulate wrote to Gabello that the meeting between the Governor and the Ambassador was “pleasant and fruitful.”
Here’s what the email read:
Hi Dear Dominic,
It is a great honor to meet you in Albuquerque. Thank you so much for attending the meeting between the Honorable Governor and my ambassador. The meeting was pleasant and fruitful. Thank you so much for making all these happen. We highly appreciate your support and help.
I am back now in LA and start to miss the enchanted land. If anything brings you to LA, please let me know. Let us have authentic Chinese food.
Have a nice weekend.
Xinlian
Also, it appears that the Chinese consulate director of the political section attempted to guide the Governor’s hand in condemning the visit of Tibet’s democratically elected leader of the country’s government-in-exile state, Dr. Lobsang Sangay, who was chosen as the successor to the Dali Lama in 2012.
The Chinese official wrote referring to a May 24, 2019 proclamation by the City of Santa Fe that it had officially proclaimed a “Friendship Between Santa Fe Indian School, Sikyong Dr. Lobsang Sangay, and Tibetan People Day.” In 2017, Dr. Sangay, who traveled from India where he is being protected, spoke at the Santa Fe Indian School for a speaker series.
Junying Shao wrote to Cabello:
“The last but not least, there is one thing we would like to get your attention. We got to know someone whom Chinese government opposes and condemns is going to visit Santa Fe in coming days. His name is L[o]bsang Sangay, who conducts activities to gain sympathy or support in international community which aim against Chinese government, particularly for the independence of Tibet, part of China. It is anti-china act [sic]. We sincerely request officials of high ranking as Governor or local officials in NM not be in any contact with him during his visit. We sincerely hope to get your attention of our stance and pass it to the Governor.”
Although Cabello did not appear to respond to Junying Shao’s email, a later email shows that in February 2020, Consul General Zhang Ping spoke with Lujan Grisham’s executive policy advisor for Health and Human Services, Jane Wishner.
An email from Junying Shao reveals more details about that conversation:
“Dear Anna (Gov. Lujan Grisham’s scheduler) and Dominic, many thanks for the facilitation. Consul General and Governor’s health policy advisor Jane had a good talk on the Covid-19 last Friday. He also sends best wishes to the Governor and expresses his will on the efforts for further exchange and cooperation between NM and China. Thanks again and keep in touch. If you happen to come to LA, please let me know. Regards, Junying.”
Also at the meeting, according to documents obtained from the Governor’s office, was Deborah Burns, managing partner at “InvestUS LLC,” a company that invests in real estate in major markets. She also reportedly “was involved in bringing the US/China business matchmaking conference to Albuquerque in October of 2017.”
The Governor’s office has been contacted for comment, but as with every time we have attempted to receive a response, we have never received one.Records from Gov. Lujan Grisham’s days in Congress and meetings with communist Chinese officials have not been available for release since Congress is exempt from the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA).
On Saturday, Dan Patterson, a 50-plus year educator, and current Eastern New Mexico University regent wrote an op-ed for the Santa Fe New Mexican relaying why he thought the recreational marijuana bills in the Legislature are wrong for New Mexico.
“During my career, I have worked with more than a hundred thousand students, helping them through difficult times through counseling and the disciplinary process. I can say through firsthand experience that I believe approving recreational marijuana will bring extreme harm to a tremendous number of our youth,” said Patterson.
Patterson noted that even though proposals currently have the age limit for recreational pot at 21, younger New Mexicans will still get access. “We all know, if we are honest, that if older brother has legal access, then younger brother also has access,” he wrote.
“I have seen too many kids get caught up in drugs that begins with the casual use of marijuana. Good kids suddenly start changing. Grades drop, attitudes change, dropouts increase, behavior changes, and disciplinary problems and auto accidents increase. Before long, good kids become troublemakers, get lost or flounder. Potentially productive members of society become druggies, criminals or just dregs of society. I have seen too many promising lives lost this way.”
“Not every kid who smokes marijuana goes down this path, but it happens far too often. Why are we so eager to bring such potential harm to so many of our youngsters? Money? Are we really willing to sell the health and well being of so many of our youngsters for greenbacks?”
“Throughout this pandemic I kept hearing that if we can save a single life through a certain regulation that it would be worth it. Well, authorizing the use of recreational marijuana will, without a doubt, lead to the loss of many lives, particularly among our youth — if not through actual death then through the loss of otherwise productive, contributing assets.”
The op-ed comes as the New Mexico Senate mulls a bill, H.B. 12, which narrowly passed the house, and would be one of the most expansive marijuana bills proposed this session. Democrat leaders in the Senate see it as the best shot to ram through marijuana legalization. Multiple other bills also aim to legalize pot.
Pro-family groups such as the Family Policy Alliance are organizing against the legalized pot bills, making the case that, “Since Colorado legalized recreational weed, our neighboring state has seen a dramatic increase in violent crime, traffic fatalities, and marijuana hospitalizations. And usage by minors – sometimes fatal, from eating poorly regulated marijuana “candies” – has soared.”
On Friday, the Senate Rules Committee passed a bill, S.B. 412, brought forth by Sen. Carrie Hamblen (D-Doña Ana) to lower the voting age in New Mexico state and local elections. Although the original proposal listed the minimum age of 16 to be a qualified elector, the committee amended the bill to the age of 17.
During committee, Sen. Hamblen brought forth two high school-aged “witnesses” who emphatically endorsed the bill. One of them claimed the bill was “a vaccine for our political atmosphere.”
The other witness claimed, “to not pass this bill is to invalidate me” when they were at the age of 16 and 17. The student also claimed people who had access to voting “tokenize me for my youth.”
The committee sped through the bill in fewer than 20 minutes of committee time, with only a motion from Sen. Mark Moores (R-Sandoval) to remove the provision for 16-year-olds to vote and make it 17-year-olds. The motion passed on a vote of 6-3.
The final vote on the committee for passage was 7-2, with Moores voting with all the Democrats on the committee to advance the bill. Sen. Linda Lopez (D-Bernalillo) claimed she supported 16-year-olds being able to vote because, “When I was a senior in high school, I was sixteen, and I think I could make some pretty good decisions at that time,” she claimed.
Sen. Lopez sponsored the radical abortion up-to-birth and infanticide bill, S.B. 10, which passed last month and was signed into law shortly afterward.
Radical far-left dark money groups, including OLÉ, NM Café, NM Dream Team, billionaire Mike Bloomberg’s Moms Demand Action, among others, and are already rallying behind the bills, which would likely add around 50,000 underaged voters on the rolls, according to the fiscal impact report (FIR) for S.B. 412.
On Friday at 9:00 a.m., the Senate Rules Committee chaired by Sen. Daniel Ivey-Soto will hear a bill, S.B. 412, sponsored by far-left Sen. Carrie Hamblen (D-Doña Ana) to lower the voting age to 16 years old.
The bill, which is duplicative of Hamblen’s other bill, S.B. 336, looks to let 16 and 17-year-olds register and vote as “qualified electors.” Far-left dark money social groups, including OLÉ, NM Café, NM Dream Team, billionaire Mike Bloomberg’s Moms Demand Action, among others, and are already rallying behind the bills, which would likely add around 50,000 underaged voters on the rolls, according to the fiscal impact report (FIR) for S.B. 412.
OLÉ claims these bills “address the age disparities in voter participation by building participation and a lifelong habit of civic engagement earlier in life.”
SB412/16- & 17-Year-Olds as Qualified Electors in Senate Rules Committee on March 5, 2021 9:00am.
“Almost 23 percent of New Mexicans are under 18, and if one assumes an even breakdown by age within that cohort, there are approximately 53 thousand 16- and 17-year olds. Approximately 6.5 percent of New Mexicans are non-citizens, so nearly 50 thousand 16- and 17-year olds could be qualified electors under SB412,” reads the FIR.
Another bill, S.B. 14 from Sen. Linda Lopez (D-Bernalillo), seeks to register people to vote without their knowledge any time they make a change to their Motor Vehicle Division records and then make them go through the burden of filling out a card saying they would not want to vote and sending it back to their local county clerk. This would allow these 16-year-olds, many of whom are eligible for licenses, to be automatically added to the voter rolls, adding more opportunity for voter fraud with each voter who is unaware they have automatically been registered to vote.
Olé is also supporting S.B. 14 by sending New Mexicans texts that read the following, “Hi [Name]! This is Frances with OLE. SB 14 is headed to its first Committee, Senate rules do you have any questions about the bill ?” Coincidence?
Dark money groups likely see the implementation of these extreme bills to boost their political advantage in certain close elections by adding thousands of more voters, which can be easily manipulated at their impressionable young age. Hamblen’s proposal mimics others being sponsored by far-left politicians, including “Squad” member in the U.S. House of Representatives, Rep. Ayanna Pressley (D-MA). who has repeatedly sponsored the radical measure.
You can watch the committee hearing by clicking on “Senate Rules Committee” at 9:00 a.m. here. You can contact the committee members here:
On Wednesday, it was reported that Doña Ana County Detention Center officer, Isaac Legaretta, sued Doña Ana County Manager Fernando Macias and his supervisor on Sunday, claiming they threatened he would be fired if he did not take the COVID-19 vaccine.
“The complaint claims the county manager and supervisor violated his rights by making the vaccine a condition of employment for first responders unless reasonable accommodation has been approved,” according to The Hill
According to a memo from the county manager, “It is required that, if you have not already started your vaccinations, that you be vaccinated with your first dose on one of those days, or contact Human Resources for accommodation…. Being vaccinated is a requirement and a condition of on-going employment with the County due to the significant health and safety risks posed by contracting or spreading COVID-19.”
Macias first announced the vaccine mandate on January 29 for all first responders–including police officers, detention center workers, and anyone in contact with detainees.
“You can’t be forced to be a human guinea pig when a product is experimental,” said Ana Garner, the officer’s attorney. “We have the right to bodily integrity.”
“Garner said Legaretta wasn’t told about the vaccine’s known benefits and risks, or that he had the opportunity to refuse,” according to another report.
The county attorney has reportedly disputed the allegations and argued that the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) assert that employers can mandate vaccinations.
However, in March 2020, the EEOC said an employer covered by the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and Title VII can’t compel all of its employees to take a vaccine. ADA and Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 would allow for employee vaccination exemptions under certain health and religious reasons.
