New Mexico

Governor’s feeble excuse reignites eco-left’s fury over EV tax credit veto

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At a Thursday POLITICO energy summit in Washington, D.C., far-left Democrat Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham attempted to justify her veto of electric vehicle tax (EV) credits to the chagrin of eco-leftist groups.

“These were important but way too small,” Lujan Grisham said of the tax credits. “These benefits were so small, they don’t move the needle. Sometimes when you get something, you don’t get a second bite at it.”

According to the Associated Press, “The state would provide a $2,500 refundable personal income tax credit toward the purchase of an electric vehicle — or up … to $4,000 for low-income residents, with an additional $300 credit for car-charging equipment and installation.” Those provisions died on the governor’s desk.

The dark money eco-left group, the Sierra Club of the Rio Grande Chapter, tweeted, “@GovMLG are you truly saying that you vetoed the electric vehicle tax credit that we’ve all been working on for the last 15 years because it was too small? Those were thousands of EVs for low-income New Mexicans that now won’t have that benefit.”

Others charged the governor with “blowing smoke” with her “bull***t response.” 

The Western Environmental Law Center’s executive director Erik Schlenker-Goodrich tweeted, “Listening to @GovMLG at #POLITICOenergy attempt to explain (unpersuasively) why she vetoed sensible climate tax credits just confirms that her administration, after a promising 1st term, has no climate policy agenda in its 2nd term beyond a word salad.”

Previously, a mirage of eco-leftist and enviro-Marxist groups took out full-page ads in the Santa Fe New Mexican, Albuquerque Journal, and Las Cruces Sun-News ripping the governor over her EV tax credit veto. 

Despite the governor promising to act on EVs early in her first term, “climate change” activists described themselves as “pissed” with the governor’s failures to act upon their agenda.

Climate activists are ‘pissed’ after Lujan Grisham vetoed EV tax credits

TV station shreds Lujan Grisham admin. over CYFD’s horrific failures

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On Thursday, KOAT 7 aired a heartbreaking special investigation detailing the failures of Governor Michelle Lujan Grisham’s administration to protect New Mexico’s children through the Children, Youth, and Families Department.

The 25-minute segment dug deep into the tragedies and avoidable mistakes caused by the “dysfunctional” agency. 

“Target 7 has spent months looking into these cases and searching for solutions as to why children have been placed back into homes, with some ultimately dying,” wrote the network.

It interviewed lawmakers, the attorney general, advocates, parents, law enforcers, and those who have warned about the failures of the catastrophic system that is doing more harm to New Mexico’s children than good.

Following the airing of the segment, state Rep. Stefani Lord (R-Sandia Park) wrote, “KOAT just put @GovMLG on notice. @koat7news had more balls than 90% of our legislators. 

“We introduced solutions – like ombuds and fixing CARA. From now on, if you oppose these bills, the blood is on you,” she continued. 

Bills to reform CYFD died in the 2023 Legislative Session, continuing a broken system that has harmed and killed children.

WATCH: 

Lujan Grisham declares war on federally approved nuclear storage project

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On Thursday, Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham launched a thinly veiled threat about the Holtec International facility that was recently approved by the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission. The Commission OK’d the facility, which will safely store casks of spent nuclear fuel in an interim facility in Eddy and Lea counties.

Holtec International, which has a gleaming reputation for nuclear power and storage, began the approval process for constructing the facility in 2017, gathering widespread support from the region. 

Metropolitan-area Democrats, including Lujan Grisham, have been bemoaning the potential of the safe facility to exist in New Mexico, erroneously claiming it would create a “dumping ground” of nuclear “waste,” spurring the passage of S.B. 53, aiming to stop the facility from being built. There was bipartisan opposition to try and preempt the company from coming to New Mexico.

Sens. Moe Maestas (D-Bernalillo) and Jerry Ortiz y Pino (D-Bernalillo), as well as Reps. Ambrose Castellano (D-Ribera), Christine Chandler (D-Los Alamos), Meredith Dixon (D-Bernalillo), Patricia Lundstrom (D-Gallup), and Joseph Sanchez (D-Alcalde) joined all Republicans in opposition to the unconstitutional bill.

These safe fuel rods, housed in secure casks, would be transported by rail to the facility on train shipments specifically for storage. The project would account for over 350 new jobs. 

The casks are immune to hurricanes, floods, tornados, earthquakes, and even the impact of a plane crash. There would be no adverse effect on wildlife nor on groundwater, no radiological consequences in the event of a fire, and an inconspicuous design. 

Despite the facts, Lujan Grisham is issuing threats to Holtec International and federal regulators after the project was approved. 

The governor told POLITICO, “I will use every tool in my toolbox” to stymie the project.

“I think other states need to step up. I think other solutions need to step up,” Lujan Grisham said during POLITICO’s first-ever Energy Summit. “And I’ll take it as a compliment. This is a highly scientific state … that does a lot of innovation with two of [the Energy Department’s] national labs right here. But don’t expect us to always do the heavy lifting here.”

The outlet reported, “On Thursday, Lujan Grisham said she supported advanced energy technologies and acknowledged the U.S. should be ‘a little bit more open-minded’ about what technologies fuel the clean energy transition. But she criticized the federal government and Holtec’s process for weighing the risks of nuclear waste storage within her state.”

Immediately following the NRC decision, Lujan Grisham and Attorney General Raúl Torrez fumed about the decision in a joint statement.

“It also undermines the NRC’s alleged commitment to meaningful engagement with stakeholders, as it appears our concerns were wholly ignored and went unaddressed by Holtec and the NRC,” they wrote, despite the lengthy process Holtec took to receive approvals and work with the state and local stakeholders.

NRC’s approval of Holtec project leaves Gov. Lujan Grisham, AG Torrez fuming

Lawsuit targets company for selling ‘New Mexico’ peppers not grown in NM

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In an 11-page filing from the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of New York, multiple plaintiffs have sued the Florida-based company Badia Spices, Inc. over the branding of its product “New Mexico Chili” peppers that misleads consumers into thinking the Mexico-grown peppers could be chile from New Mexico.

For consumers to know that Badia chili peppers are grown in Mexico, they would have to visit the company’s website, meaning those who merely view the product’s packaging would not know its country of origin.

“Even if consumers turned the package around they would not be informed the Product is not from New Mexico, because the ingredients identify ‘New Mexican chili’ and the label is not required to disclose its country of origin,” the lawsuit reads.

“New Mexico Chili is deceptively misdescriptive as a name because the Product is not grown in New Mexico.”

“New Mexico Chili is not a name whose market significance is generally understood by the consumer to connote a particular class, kind, type, or style of chili rather than to indicate geographical origin, because New Mexico chili refers to a specific type of chili pepper grown only in New Mexico,” it continues. 

For consumers, the lawsuit alleges, the place of origin is indicative of product quality. Since New Mexico’s chiles thrive from the state’s high altitude, mineral-rich soil, and arid climate, the state’s chiles are “unlike chili peppers grown anywhere else in the world,” the suit says, adding that New Mexico chile is one of the state’s “key” industries.

“New Mexico [chile] is a key industry, employing over 5,000 New Mexicans and putting upwards of a billion dollars into state coffers. However, the past 30 years has seen the number of acres devoted to New Mexico chili decline more than 70%. While drought brought… is one factor, the most significant threat has been lower priced imports of chili from China, India and Mexico.”

“The lawsuit looks to cover all persons in New York, North Dakota, Utah, Idaho, Alaska, and West Virginia who bought Badia ‘New Mexico Chili’ peppers within the applicable statute of limitations period,” according to ClassAction.com.

Read the lawsuit here:

reyes-v-badia-spices-incDownload

Harris praises Lujan Grisham for signing bill harboring criminal abortionists

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On Tuesday, during an event hosted by the group EMILY’s List, which bankrolls pro-abortion female candidates, Kamala Harris addressed the attendees in Washington, D.C.

Harris promoted abortion in the United States and scolded pro-life lawmakers enshrining the right to life in their prospective states after the fall of Roe v. Wade, which the U.S. Supreme Court struck down, citing the justices’ errors in the 1973 decision.

“How dare they attack our healthcare system.  How dare they attack our fundamental rights.  How dare they attack the freedom of the women of America to make decisions about their own bodies,” Harris complained about pro-life states. 

She then promoted Democrat New Mexico Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham, saying, “In New Mexico, they reelected Governor Michelle Lujan Grisham — who has signed a bill to protect abortion providers,” referencing S.B. 13 signed by Lujan Grisham that will harbor criminal abortionists in New Mexico who are wanted for extradition to other states. 

Section 4 of the legislation reads, “It shall be a violation of the Reproductive and Gender-Affirming Health Care Protection Act to request from a third party, or for a third party to transmit information related to an individual’s or entity’s protected health care activity with the intent to: . . . (6) deter, prevent, sanction or penalize an individual or entity for engaging in a protected health care activity.” 

Section 9 of the bill expressly exempts from extradition criminal fugitives who commit or conspire to commit illegal abortions, so long as the perpetrator remains in New Mexico during the commission of the crimes. 

Harris continued in her speech, saying, “These extremist so-called leaders are on the attack against our healthcare system as a whole.  They have tried to ban the abortion pill mifepristone,” referencing a dangerous drug used in the chemical abortion process to cut off nutrients to the child in the womb, causing its death. 

A 2021 scientific study found from FDA data between 2000 and 2019 that there were many deaths and adverse medical events directly linked to the use of mifepristone. The researchers found in their research that “[s]ignificant morbidity and mortality have occurred following the use of mifepristone as an abortifacient.”

Currently, New Mexico is at the center of litigation regarding the federal Comstock Act and localities that are aiming to uphold the law, which prohibits the transport of abortion pills and other abortion-related paraphernalia across state lines. Dueling cases across the country are poised to land in the lap of the U.S. Supreme Court, where the nine justices will rule on the future of Comstock.

NM bill to harbor criminal abortionists signed into law

Who was the Farmington shooter? Here’s what we know so far

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Police have released the identity of the Farmington, New Mexico shooter who killed three and injured at least six others as 18-year-old Beau Wilson, a student at Farmington High School who was set to graduate the day after the Monday shooting spree. Police fatally shot Wilson.

Beau Wilson, who killed three and injured at least six in the Monday. May 15, 2023, Farmington mass shooting.

The victims who died from Wilson’s rampage include 97-year-old Gwendolyn Schofield, her 73-year-old daughter, Melody Ivie, and 79-year-old Shirley Voita.

In a Tuesday briefing, Farmington Deputy Police Chief Kyle Dowdy said the shooting in the residential area between Dustin and Ute streets appears “to be purely random and had no specific targets or motives that we can identify at this time.”

Dowdy said Wilson lived at an address in the neighborhood where the shootings took place. However, there was no indication he knew any of his victims.

A 16-year-old friend of the shooter told the Albuquerque Journal that during the shooting, he sent Wilson a Snapchat message about the shooting.

“​​The 16-year-old said he saw a video on TikTok of his friend being shot by officers. He said he knew instantly — by the way Wilson was walking — who it was,” the report noted.

The friend said, “I knew he was going to do something bad, but I didn’t think it was going to be something like that.”

“What he did was wrong,” the teenager said. “But everyone is going to see him as the mass shooter of Farmington, and I’m going to see him as Beau.”

Law Enforcement give Tuesday, May 16, 2023, briefing on Farmington mass shooting carried out by Beau Wilson.

As for a motive of the shooting, police said, “We’ve discovered nothing that leads us to believe that the suspect knew” and “We’re pretty confident in that this was completely random.”

Dowdy noted Wilson had a history of “minor infractions as a juvenile” and was believed to have suffered from an unspecified mental illness but nothing that “would rise on our radar.”

NM Dems exploit Farmington tragedy to resurrect defeated anti-gun bills

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New Mexico’s Democrat Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham and the federal delegation have been going all-in, attempting to politicize the tragic Farmington shooting, which left three dead and six injured. 

New Mexico’s Democrat U.S. Reps. Teresa Leger Fernandez, Melanie Stansbury, and Gabe Vasquez led a moment of silence on the House floor, and at the same time, they pushed for anti-gun laws. 

New Mexico’s Democrat state lawmakers who unsuccessfully attempted to ram through extreme anti-gun laws are weaponizing the tragedy to get another shot at passing their extremist legislation.

Sen. Joseph Cervantes (D-Las Cruces), who proposed a bill banning all firearms with a capacity of more than ten rounds, told the Albuquerque Journal, “I’m hoping my colleagues won’t forget the events in Farmington this week when we meet again.”

Rep. Andrea Romero (D-Santa Fe), who sponsored a similar bill to Cervantes’, said, “It’s just heartbreaking…. As we heal from all of this, it’s ‘what can we do next?’ — that’s where my mindset is.”

“But Sen. Carrie Hamblen, D-Las Cruces, said the young age of the shooting suspect in Farmington underscores the need to raise the minimum age to 21 for the purchase of semiautomatic rifles — a proposal she intends to reintroduce,” reported the Journal.

“We will continue to pursue legislation that is about responsible gun ownership,” she claimed. 

While Democrats continue politicizing the deaths of people due to mental illness in order to push anti-gun laws, Republicans say they are focused on fixing the root cause — the mental health crisis. 

Sandoval County Commissioner Jay Block announces state Senate run

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On Tuesday, Republican Sandoval County Commissioner Jay Block announced his candidacy for New Mexico state Senate in District 12, currently represented by state Sen. Gerald Ortiz y Pino, a Democrat, who is retiring after his current term.

Ortiz y Pino has served in the seat since 2005, and this will be the first time the seat is up for election since the redistricting process. According to the Princeton Gerrymandering Project, the seat is composed of a 51.4 percent Democrat and 48.6 percent Republican vote share — a winnable seat for the GOP.

Block, a former 2022 gubernatorial candidate, wrote in a press release, “Since the end of the 2022 election, many of you have asked what my future would look like in our fight to save New Mexico. The answer to this question wasn’t immediately clear, but after many months of prayer, discussions with my family, and encouragement from you, I have some news to share.” 

“I will be launching my campaign as the Republican candidate to represent the incredible people of New Mexico’s Senate District 12. This decision was solidified after it became clear during the 2023 legislative session that the woke left would rather pass policies that help them virtue signal to their small base rather than help hard working New Mexicans.”

He continued, “New Mexicans want and need a fighter in Santa Fe that will stand up for our values of God, family, and freedom. If you know anything about me, then you know I’m not here to make friends—I’ll go head-to-head with the woke left and spineless politicians in the Roundhouse.”

“I will address the fentanyl crisis and drug addiction by using state resources to secure our southern border. I will protect New Mexico’s Second Amendment Rights. I will work to reform our failing education system, INSTEAD of teaching our children taboo gender ideology. I will cut wasteful spending, fight inflation, fight for bail reform to keep criminals off the streets, back our law enforcement by fighting to get their qualified immunity back, support pro jobs and business policies to stop the bleeding of jobs and businesses from New Mexico, introduce voter ID and other election security protocols to ensure election integrity, and reduce taxes to put more money back in your pocket.”

NM Dems waste no time politicizing tragedy in Farmington

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On Monday, a shooter opened fire in Farmington, armed with what appears to be a Glock pistol, and killed at least four while injuring two police officers.

“Farmington Police Department, San Juan County Sheriff’s Office, and the New Mexico State Police are on scene investigating an incident involving an active shooter in Farmington. At this time, the details we have are that multiple officers from the Farmington Police Department were involved in an officer involved shooting. One suspect was confronted and killed on scene. The suspect’s identity is unknown and there are no other known threats at this time. Two officers were shot, one from the Farmington Police Department and one from New Mexico State Police, both currently at San Juan Regional Medical Center being treated for their injuries and in stable condition. There are multiple civilian victims with at least 3 deceased,” the Farmington Police Department wrote.

One video by someone who says he was shot at appears to show the shooter in action outside of First Church of Christ, Scientist, on North Dustin Avenue in Farmington. (CAUTION — Explicit language): 

Despite no clear details available, Democrats almost immediately resoundingly politicized the tragedy and demanded more anti-gun laws.

Democrat Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham wrote in a statement posted on Twitter, “I am deeply upset by the tragic violence that unfolded today in Farmington. I am praying for the families of the victims, the wounded and the entire community of Farmington following this horrific tragedy. I’m also grateful for the quick response by law enforcement. My administration will not stop fighting the epidemic of gun violence from every angle possible.”

New Mexico’s entirely Democrat U.S. congressional delegation released a joint statement demanding gun grabs. 

“Although Congress took major action to combat gun violence last year through the Bipartisan Safer Communities Act, today is a painful reminder that we must do more. We are committed to fighting for sensible gun safety measures that will keep New Mexicans safe,” wrote the Democrats. 

The Democrat Party of New Mexico wrote, “Yet again, we see how the pervasiveness of gun violence threatens every community. As Democrats, we will continue working toward commonsense gun safety reform that confronts our nation’s gun violence epidemic to make neighborhoods safer in New Mexico and across the country.” 

In contrast, Republicans focused on the families of those slain and thanked the law officers who put themselves in the line of duty to help eliminate the threat.

The New Mexico House Republican Caucus wrote, “House Republicans are closely monitoring the tragedy out of Farmington. Senseless violence has become a norm for many New Mexico communities and we continue to call on the Legislature to seriously address out of control crime with common sense reforms, mental health support, and supporting law enforcement in New Mexico. We share our condolences and grief with the victims of this tragedy and all law enforcement involved.”

Police kill Farmington shooter who killed at least 4, injured 2 officers

Police kill Farmington shooter who killed three, injured two officers

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On Monday, a gunman killed at least three people and injured two law enforcement, according to the Farmington Police Department.

“At this time, the details we have are that multiple officers from the Farmington Police Department were involved in an officer involved shooting. One suspect was confronted and killed on scene,” read a news release from the San Juan County Sheriff’s Office.

The officers are in stable condition at San Juan Regional Medical Center, police said. 

According to The Washington Post, “The shooting shut down a half-mile of Dustin Avenue, between Ute and Apache streets.” 

“A gunman killed at least three people and injured two law enforcement officers Monday in northern New Mexico, the Farmington Police Department said.” 

Farmington Municipal Schools were in “preventative lockdowns” for at least two hours while police responded to the shooting.

A previous report based upon inaccurate reporting from KRQE News 13 incorrectly stated four people had been killed when the actual number, according to reports, is three.

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