New Mexico

Democrat state lawmaker announces resignation

23 Comments / New Mexico, News, Politics / By

On Saturday, Democrat New Mexico state Rep. Christine Trujillo of Albuquerque’s 25th House District announced her resignation from the Legislature effective July 1, 2023.

A press release announcing her departure noted her work during the 2023 Legislative Session to put feminine hygiene products in boy’s and girl’s restrooms in public schools and expand “school-based health centers” that would likely be feeders for clients to abortion mills and places to access “gender-affirming care.”

“It’s been the honor of my life time to represent our community in the Roundhouse for the last decade. Thank you to my neighbors for placing your trust in me as your representative. I hope I have made you proud by fighting for our public schools and working to make life easier for New Mexico families. I look forward to continuing to serve our community in my next chapter,” wrote Trujillo in the press release.

Legislative portrait of Rep. Christine Trujillo – 2023.

House Speaker Javier Martinez (D-Albuquerque) said the Democrat lawmaker was an “important voice in our chamber.”

Once Trujillo leaves the chamber, the Bernalillo County Commission will nominate a successor.

According to an analysis of Trujillo’s district’s partisan makeup by Princeton University, the seat skews heavily toward Democrats, with a 71.63 percent estimated vote share for the Democrat Party while only a 28.37 percent for Republicans. 

The seat will likely draw a competitive primary in 2024 for the seat, being a compact district in the heart of Albuquerque. Other seats, such as that of then-Representative, now-Sen. Moe Maestas (D-Bernalillo) resulted in two different Democrats occupying the seat following his abdication to the upper chamber.

Treaty broken: Navajo Nation unleashes on Haaland after Chaco Canyon ban

16 Comments / New Mexico, News, Politics / By

On Friday, Joe Biden’s U.S. Department of the Interior Secretary Deb Haaland, a former Democrat congresswoman from New Mexico, released her decision to ban permitting of any type of natural mineral extraction within ten miles of Chaco Canyon, resulting in fury from the Navajo Nation, which opposed the measure after unsuccessfully trying to work with the administration on a compromise.

“Despite the Navajo Nation’s position, Secretary Haaland proceeded to issue this decision one day after the Navajo Nation commemorated our Treaty Day, which recognizes the Treaty of 1868 and the start of the government-to-government relationship between the Navajo Nation and the United States. The Secretary’s action undermines our sovereignty and self-determination,” Navajo Nation President Buu Nygren said. 

“Despite my concerns and denunciation, the Department of Interior has moved forward, which is highly disappointing. Secretary Haaland’s decision impacts Navajo allottees but also disregards the tribe’s choice to lease lands for economic development. Ultimately, this decision jeopardizes future economic opportunities while at the same time placing some 5600 Navajo allottees in dire financial constraints,” said President Nygren.

“The Navajo Nation strongly disagrees with the new public land order and the Department of the Interior’s assertion that there was significant consultation with tribal nations prior to today’s announcement. The current resolution and position of the Navajo Nation supports no land withdrawal. In the past, the Navajo Nation attempted to compromise by proposing a five-mile buffer as opposed to the 10-mile. The Biden Administration has undermined the position of the Navajo Nation with today’s action and impacted the livelihood of thousands of Navajo allotment owners and their families. While we explore our options, we remain open to discussing a path toward compromise,” said Speaker Crystalyne Curley.

The Navajo Nation wrote in a press release, “President Nygren and Speaker Curley urge President Joe Biden and Secretary Haaland to reconsider this decision as it is a breach of trust between the Department of the Interior, the federal government, and the Navajo Nation; the decision is unjust and may violate individual landowner rights (Navajo allottees). President Nygren respectfully requests the Biden Administration work towards a solution that respects the rights and dignity of the Navajo people due to the long-lasting consequences to the Navajo People.” 

The decision ignored opposition from the Navajo Nation through various statements and resolutions by the current and past tribal administrations and conflicts of interest with her own daughter, Somah Haaland, lobbying Congress in support of the ban.

Haaland slaps Navajo Nation in the face with Chaco Canyon decision

New Mexico judge temporarily halts Eunice’s abortion lawsuit

2 Comments / New Mexico, News, Politics / By

This week, Fifth Judicial District Judge Lee A. Kirksey temporarily halted a lawsuit filed by the City of Eunice regarding the state’s newly passed H.B. 7, which attempts to usurp authority from local governments to enforce federal laws pertaining to abortion. The judge paused proceedings at least until the state Supreme Court rules on a case regarding local ordinances.

The City of Eunice argued that the federal Comstock Act makes it illegal to ship or receive abortion medication, which contradicts the new law set to go into effect in June. 

Six New Mexico cities and counties have passed pro-life ordinances that would enforce the Comstock Act. Other localities, such as Gallup and Artesia, are considering passing similar legislation. 

“We applaud Judge Kirksey’s decision to stay the lawsuit filed by the city of Eunice,” Democrat state Attorney General Raúl Torrez, who filed the motion for a stay, said, adding he looks “forward to definitively resolving this question in the proper forum — the New Mexico Supreme Court.”

Michael Seibel, who represents the City of Eunice in the case, said the judge’s action was not necessarily unexpected, telling the Albuquerque Journal, “This case is not going to be won at the District Court level.”

“We are just trying to protect the health, safety, and welfare of the citizens from an overwhelming of Texas women coming in to have abortions,” Seibel told the Piñon Post. 

Far-left dark money groups, including the ACLU and Planned Parenthood of the Rocky Mountains, have filed briefs in the case supporting Torrez’s attempt to subvert the federal statute. 

Haaland slaps Navajo Nation in the face with Chaco Canyon decision

13 Comments / New Mexico, News, Politics / By

On Friday, Joe Biden’s U.S. Department of the Interior Secretary Deb Haaland, a former Democrat congresswoman from New Mexico, released her decision regarding banning drilling near Chaco Canyon. 

Haaland declared that she would issue the withdrawal of federal lands within a 10-mile radius of Chaco Canyon from new oil and natural gas leasing for the next 20 years.

The decision ignored opposition from the Navajo Nation and conflicts of interest with her own daughter, Somah Haaland, lobbying Congress in support of the ban. 

“Despite her conflicts of interest, Secretary Haaland announced a withdrawal of land around Chaco that threatens the livelihoods of 5,500 Navajos near the park. She completely ignored the democratic resolutions of the sovereign Navajo Nation whose lands surround the park to put the interests of her tribe, based a hundred miles away, and obstructionist groups first,” said Kathleen Sgamma, president of Western Energy Alliance (WEA). 

“The decision prevents Navajo property owners from accessing the oil and natural gas resources they own which provide them with their sustenance. Secretary Haaland didn’t even consider the Navajo compromise proposal when conducting the NEPA analysis necessary to support this decision, which leaves her and the Interior Department legally vulnerable.”

In May, the Navajo Nation voted to reject any buffer around Chaco Canyon. In its resolution, the 25th Navajo Nation Council stated, “If the buffer zone is adopted, the Navajo allottees who rely on the income realized from oil and natural gas royalties will be pushed into greater poverty.” 

“The economic costs of Interior’s land withdrawal and prohibition of oil and natural gas leasing will cost Navajo members an estimated $194 million over the next 20 years. Exposing the secretary’s fallacy that it will not impact Navajo lands, the Council noted that the withdrawal will cause Navajo lands to be landlocked and inaccessible to development,” noted WEA. 

The group noted, “Sec. Haaland has several conflicts of interest related to Chaco as the Alliance pointed out in a recent letter to the House Committee on Natural Resources. The secretary’s conflicts involve her daughter’s ties to the climate group Pueblo Action Alliance (PAA). While ignoring the Navajos during the review process, Sec. Haaland granted PAA special access to her office to further her daughter’s lobbying activities.”

In a November 2021 letter to Sec. Haaland, Navajo Nation President Jonathan Nez, and Vice President Myron Lizer wrote, “By simply bypassing true and inclusive tribal consultation with the Navajo Nation and our Individual Indian Allottees, the Biden-Harris Administration is markedly undermining the trust responsibility they owe to the Navajo Nation and the 22,000 Individual Indian Allottees impacted by this decision.”

Despite the pushback from tribal stakeholders, Haaland flatly ignored the Nation’s input to instead push forward her daughter’s lobbying efforts on behalf of eco-left dark money organizations. 

Anti-oil and gas Dems get shockingly bad news from new LFC report

22 Comments / New Mexico, News, Politics / By

Anti-oil and gas New Mexico Democrats won’t like the latest numbers provided by the Legislative Finance Committee (LFC) in its 188-page end-of-session review report, showing that 50 percent of New Mexico’s General Fund revenues come from oil and gas. 

The Rio Grande Foundation’s president Paul Gessing wrote regarding the shocking revelation, “One interesting item among many is the chart below which shows that even as the Gov. and Democrats who control the Legislature claim to want to ‘diversify’ the economy and even dismiss New Mexico’s role as an energy state, New Mexico’s budget has become even MORE reliant on oil and gas revenues in recent years.” 

“[More] than 50% of New Mexico’s general fund revenues (nearly $7 billion in 2023) comes from oil and gas. As a reminder, the state’s FY 2023 revenues were approximately $11 million (according to the LFC), but it spent $8.4 billion in FY 2023 (the FY 2024 budget was just passed, and that is $9.6 billion),” the group continued.

Since Democrat Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham took the reins in 2019, she has continued to attempt to crush the oil and gas industry in New Mexico, first by passing the extremist Green New Deal, the “Energy Transition Act,” meant to eradicate the oil and gas energy sector totally. 

However, as the Democrats continue spending rapidly on social programs and other handouts, they have become increasingly reliant on the oil and gas industry, which is doing the heavy lifting for New Mexico — an extraordinarily natural resources-rich state. 

For years, New Mexico Democrats have tried and failed to pass the “Green Amendment, meant to open an endless Pandora’s Box of litigation to halt oil and gas completely. They also have tried and failed to ram through a 50+ cent per gallon gas tax via a “clean fuel standard,” which would have also irreparably harmed the state’s energy industry.

New Mexico responsible for astonishing amount of all U.S. oil production growth

See how New Mexico’s U.S. reps. voted on the Biden-McCarthy budget deal

6 Comments / New Mexico, News, Politics / By

On Wednesday, the U.S. House of Representatives voted on a deal between Joe Biden and House Speaker Kevin McCarthy (R-CA) to avert a default on the country’s debts, to the chagrin of many Republicans and Democrats.

Conservatives made the case that the deal doesn’t scratch the surface of the spending that needs to be cut, while Democrats were angered over the lack of supposed “climate” provisions, among other reasons. 

The bill passed by a vote of 314-117. 149 Republicans voted for the bill, 71 voted against it, 165 Democrats voted for it, and 46 voted against it.

This is how New Mexico’s three-member U.S. House delegation voted on the bill:

Pages: 1 2 3 4

Gov. Lujan Grisham celebrates ‘LGBTQIA2S+’ month of ‘Pride’

13 Comments / New Mexico, News, Politics / By

On Thursday, far-left Democrat Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham wished New Mexicans a “Happy #Pride” to the “LGBTQIA2S+ folx.”

She wrote, “​​Happy #Pride month to all the LGBTQIA2S+ folx in New Mexico! “Pride” means something different to all of us, but this month we take time to celebrate who we are – and honor those who paved the way for change. #LoveIsLove.”

“As LGBTQ+ rights are under attack in so many states, New Mexico will not go backward. During the last session, I was proud to sign legislation making sure gender-affirming care remains available in New Mexico. This state will remain a haven for queer people everywhere,” she added.

The post featured a picture of the “Progress Pride” flag, which Northwestern University claims added colors to the original rainbow supposedly include transgenders and “people of color.” 

“The flags black and brown stripes represent marginalized LBGT communities of colour, community members lost to HIV/AIDS, and those currently living with AIDS,” wrote Northwestern. 

The designer, Daniel Quasar, said the flag was meant to “shift focus and emphasis to what is important in our current community climate.” It has been used by the radical fringe parts of the LGBT community.

According to the Portland Art Museum, the governor’s long alphabet of letters and numbers, “LGBTQIA2S+,” means “Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer and/or Questioning, Intersex, Asexual, Two-Spirit.” 

In the 2023 Legislative Session, the governor promoted extreme laws that exposed local governments and schools to lawsuits if they did not facilitate abortions or “gender-affirming care,” meaning transgender surgeries and puberty blockers. 

The Democrats also expanded the state’s “Human Rights Act” to include “gender identity,” creating new opportunities for lawsuits. 

In previous years during the month of June, which has been coopted as “pride” month, Lujan Grisham and then-House Speaker Brian Egolf (D-Santa Fe) stood on the roof of the capitol holding LGBT pride flags.

Gov. Lujan Grisham and then-Speaker Egolf hoist Pride flags atop the Capitol in Santa Fe

In the past, Lujan Grisham touted her support for “pride” month to the “LGBTQ+” individuals. Apparently, she added new letters to her alphabet in 2023. 

All the New Mexico politicians on Russia’s ‘blacklist’

5 Comments / New Mexico, Politics / By

Russia is banning more Americans from its soil amid its armed conflict with Ukraine started in February 2022. According to Russian state media, TASS, the total number of U.S. citizens banned from the country has reached 963. 

“Russia seeks no confrontation and remains open to honest, mutually respectful dialogue, distinguishing the American people, who invariably enjoy our respect, from the US authorities, who foment Russophobia, and those who serve them. It is these individuals who are put on Russia’s ‘blacklist,’” the Russians wrote.

Here are all the New Mexicans who are banned from entry into Russia:

Pages: 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12

As ABQ fails, Mayor Tim Keller floats running for another term

8 Comments / New Mexico, News, Politics / By

New Mexico’s largest city, Albuquerque, has become a warzone under Democrat Mayor Tim Keller, being one of the deadliest cities in the United States, and crime forcing businesses to flee after skyrocketing crime led to devastating losses. 

Murder and pillaging are the norms in Albuquerque, with tent cities, and waiting times for police to arrive at the scene of a crime can take 40 minutes or even longer.

For crime alone, not to mention the other slew of issues the Democrat mayor has passed, including $30,000 crosswalks, bans on plastic bags (that are now overturned), and bureaucratic “equity” offices, Keller is hinting at yet another term in the city despite the abysmal record.

In response to a question from New Mexico PBS about seeking another term in 2025, Keller said, “That’s certainly what I’m looking at right now. It’s not a secret.” 

“I’m talking about groundbreakings in the State of the City, but if we’re looking at completions, we’re looking at like 2026, 2027, and so right now, that’s driving me to say, ‘Hey, I want to make sure to be here to stick around for that,’ and even getting out of consent decree,” he continued. 

The major shift from the far-left mayor toward seeking another term comes after he won the 2021 municipal election for a second term against two candidates, one of them being former Bernalillo County Sheriff Manny Gonzales. 

He won about 56 percent of the vote to Gonzales’ 26 percent and the radio talk show host’s 18 percent. Both candidates appeared to have split the vote in Keller’s favor and avoided a runoff election since the mayor narrowly won above a 50 percent majority. 

‘“The foundation that we’ve built to deal with crime and homelessness includes things like the Gateway Center, and our community safety department, and even the 100 new officers we have in the pipeline at the academy, and our crime-fighting initiatives through the Roundhouse to stop the revolving door – so this winter is really important,” claimed Keller on election night.

So far, Albuquerque remains failing in its supposed attempts to stem the effects of crime, and KRQE 13 News reported that Keller has so far failed to meet his 95 percent operational compliance level at the Albuquerque Police Department.

Does Tim Keller deserve a third term as Albuquerque mayor?

Please fill out the form:
Keller, top Dems buck mandate, spotted maskless at indoor wedding reception

Another top Lujan Grisham official leaves administration

15 Comments / New Mexico, News, Politics / By

Another Democrat Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham administration official is leaving, this time State Police Chief Tim Johnson, who announced his retirement Tuesday after heading the force for four years.

The governor has appointed W. Troy Weisler to take Johnson’s place. Weisler is currently the deputy chief for strategic development, special projects, communications, and recruiting.

“I am grateful to the governor and to the people of New Mexico for entrusting me with this great responsibility,” said Deputy Chief Weisler. “Society is changing, technology is rapidly evolving, and the need for public safety and honorable men and women to serve has never been greater. State Police now has access to unprecedented resources, and I am looking forward to quickly deploying them to address the most pressing needs of law enforcement and the people of New Mexico.”

NM State Police Deputy Chief Weisler

“I admire Deputy Chief Weisler’s dependability, calm disposition, and laser focus on the task at hand,’ said Chief Johnson. “His leadership and experience have greatly assisted me during the last four years and he is perfectly suited to take command of NMSP. I have no doubt the department will move forward in a manner which will serve our communities well.”

New Mexico State Police Chief Tim Johnson

The move by Johnson comes after a particularly violent few weeks for the department, including a Saturday biker gang shootout in Red River that left three dead and many injured. 

The latest departure from the Lujan Grisham administration is not surprising, as her entire reign has been marred with a lack of continuity in any department, with short-tenured cabinet secretaries and appointees leaving for various reasons from her scandal-plagued regime.

1 … 38 39 40 41 42 43 44 45 46 47 48 … 196

Stay Updated

Exit mobile version
Exclusive Piñon Post Updates

We will NEVER charge you for our news!

We promise not to spam you. You can unsubscribe at any time.
Invalid email address
Thanks for subscribing!