New Mexico

City takes on NM governor, AG in groundbreaking abortion pill lawsuit

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During a press conference outside of the U.S. Supreme Court in Washington, D.C., the City of Eunice in Lea County, New Mexico, announced a new lawsuit against the state’s Democrat Attorney General Raúl Torrez and Democrat Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham.

The lawsuit revolves around the governor’s recent signing of H.B. 7, preempting local governments from enacting pro-life laws that restrict abortion. It also comes as the state Supreme Court is set to rule on another case spurred by a lawsuit from Torrez regarding local governments and the Comstock Act. This Act relates to interstate commerce, prohibiting obscene materials from the passage between state lines.

“Federal law imposes criminal liability on every person who ships or receives abortion pills or abortion-related paraphernalia through the mail, an express service, a common carrier, or an interactive computer service,” the City of Eunice wrote in the lawsuit.

“These federal criminal prohibitions apply in every state, including states where abortion remains legal, and anyone who violates 18 U.S.C. §§ 1461 and 1462 is subject to five years’ imprisonment for a first violation and ten years’ imprisonment for each subsequent violation. The shipment or receipt of abortion drugs or abortion-related equipment is also a predicate offense under the Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act (RICO), 18 U.S.C. §§ 1961-1968, which subjects abortion providers such as Planned Parenthood- and each of their employees, volunteers, and donors -to civil and criminal liability under federal RICO.”

The City of Eunice passed an ordinance mandating abortion facilities comply with U.S. law, which trumps state laws.

“The Attorney General of New Mexico has sued other cities and counties that have enacted similar ordinances on the supposed ground that the Constitution of New Mexico confers a state-law right to act in violation of a federal criminal statute. And the New Mexico legislature recently enacted House Bill 7, which purports to confer a state-law right to ‘access or provide reproductive health care … within the medical standard of care’ and empowers the Attorney General to sue local jurisdictions that infringe this newly created state-law right.”

On the Supreme Court steps, local Eunice officials, including Mayor Billy Hobbs, state Sen. David Gallegos, and Councilwoman Erica Jones, Councilman Chris Hanie, were joined by pro-life leadersEthel Maharg of the Right to Life Committee of New Mexico, Southwest Coalition for Life’s Mark Cavaliere, Lea County Right to Life’s Lori Bova, Dr. Michael New of the Catholic University of New Mexico, Sister Dede Byrne, Mark Lee Dickson of the Sanctuary Cities for the Unborn Initiative, GraceWay Baptist Church Pastor Brad Wells, and others. A live stream of the press conference can be seen here.

“Our attorney is providing local counsel for Eunice, and we will be bringing you updates as the case proceeds,” wrote the pro-life legal group Abortion On Trial, referencing attorney Mike Seibel. 

In an exclusive interview, Seibel told the Piñon Post, “The biggest testimony for New Mexico conservatives is they are willing to dig in and fight for what they believe is morally right,” adding, “The people are doing this, and I’m proud of them.”

Rep. John Block on ‘Tipping Point New Mexico’ podcast with Paul Gessing

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On Friday, the Rio Grande Foundation (RGF) released its Tipping Point New Mexico podcast featuring state Rep. John Block (R-Alamogordo), who is also the founder and editor of the Piñon Post.

Block recently ranked the highest among all other legislators on the 2023 Freedom Index.

RGF’s President Paul Gessing asked Block about the 2023 Legislative Session and other topics in the “wide-ranging” discussion.

Watch the entire interview here:

During CBS appearance, MLG pressed on NM’s ‘controversial’ no-limit abortions

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While appearing on CBS News’ Face the Nation Sunday, Democrat Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham doubled down on her pro-abortion stance, telling host Margaret Brennan regarding a recent ruling by a Texas judge to halt the use of one of the two drugs used in medication abortions, “if we’re going to use the federal courts as a way to bar and ban access, we are looking at a national abortion ban and more. And I think states have to band together to do as much as they can in opposition to that.”

“So, currently, in New Mexico, abortion is legal. But you don’t actually have a law codifying it. I know you want to write one,” said Brennan.

Lujan Grisham responded, “We do—we do now. So the last time I was here, we didn’t. And you were, and thank you, talking about Colorado’s work. We now have a law both codifying [the] right to abortion, abortion care and access, as well as gender-affirming care in the state. So that just got signed by me,” referring to the controversial H.B. 7 passed this legislative session.

The fate of the bill is currently tied up at the state Supreme Court, where a case regarding local pro-life ordinances is being heard.

Brennan asked, “What so, nail down for me then how do you define because up till now my understanding is there wasn’t a limit on when in pregnancy, a woman could receive an abortion? Have you set any limit on that?”

“There are no limits,” answered Lujan Grisham.

“That’s very controversial,” responded Brennan.

“It can be,” noted Grisham, trying to pivot to a statistic claiming one percent of all abortions are after 21 weeks, claiming, “New Mexico’s position, and mine, is that we should not be interfering with a woman’s right medical situation and her decision about that life-threatening potential circumstance. We shouldn’t be doing that.” 

“So your state has become this haven of sorts for the surrounding states that do heavily restrict abortion like Texas,” Brennan said, with Lujan Grisham chiming in that Oklahoma was also on that list of feeder states to New Mexico for abortion tourism.

Lujan Grisham then noted how she wants to work with tribal “sovereign” nations to institute abortions in those areas for those people as a means to circumvent potential laws in states or national laws protecting the right to life. 

Following the interview, Republican Party of New Mexico Chairman Steve Pearce, a former congressman, wrote, “Governor Michelle Lujan Grisham doubled down on her decision to keep no limits on abortions up to birth in New Mexico, justifying late-term abortions of viable babies. This very extreme position is far removed from our traditional New Mexican values.” 

Report: After Roe’s fall, national abortion rate nosedives while NM’s spikes

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According to a new report from the pro-abortion Society of Family Planning, over 32,000 babies’ lives have been saved since the Dobbs v. Jackson U.S. Supreme Court decision, which overruled 1973’s pro-abortion Roe v. Wade ruling.

“Since the Dobbs decision, compared to the average monthly number of abortions observed in the pre-Dobbs period, there were 32,260 cumulative fewer abortions from July to December,” wrote the group in the report.

CNN reported, “There were about 5,000 fewer legal abortions each month, on average, than there were in the months before the ruling – a drop of about 6%.”

“In the 13 states that enacted bans following the Supreme Court decision, abortions fell more than 95%, with just a few reported each month from July to December. But in the remaining set of states, the average number of abortions ticked up slightly. There were surges in some of those states, including Minnesota and Kansas, that suggest that individuals living in states with more restrictions may travel for care.”

The report notes that before Dobbs, abortion rates were “higher than previous years,” and the pro-life Supreme Court decision made a prolific impact on saving babies’ lives. 

“Thus, the net overall declines in abortion incidence in the US after Dobbs are even more striking given that there were trends of increasing abortion rates just before Dobbs,” wrote the report’s authors. 

However, since Dobbs, New Mexico saw an average of 232 more abortions in the state, according to the reports. This adds up to 2,784 more children in the womb killed in New Mexico annually, likely due to Democrats’ pushing of abortion tourism to get more out-of-state women to kill their children in the Land of Enchantment. Whole Woman’s Health, an Albuquerque-based abortion facility, recently told Axios it is mostly servicing Texas clients.

Abortion, up to birth, is legal in the state, with no protections afforded to mothers, babies, or medical professionals. Recent New Mexico legislation was passed in 2023 to harbor criminal abortionists from extradition to other states while banning localities in the state from passing pro-life ordinances.

The number of children being saved across the country is hopeful for those who value babies’ lives. However, a recent $10 million investment by Democrat Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham to erect a massive new abortion mill on the state’s southern border with Texas and other new abortion outfits having starting “goals” of killing 75 children weekly, New Mexico’s abortion number is climbing. 

NM bill to harbor criminal abortionists signed into law

State treasurer’s ethics in question amid campaign finance cover-up scandal

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According to a report by the Rio Grande Sun, an ethics case filed against State Treasurer Laura Montoya, a Democrat, is going forward. The complaint, made by Montoya’s predecessor, former State Treasurer Tim Eichenberg, also a Democrat, alleges Montoya failed to properly report $10,000 in campaign contributions, falsely claiming the money came from two LLCs.

“Eichenberg alleged Montoya violated New Mexico’s Campaign Reporting Act when she accepted two $5,000 checks from LLCs registered with the names Sheriff’s Posse Road 1 and 2 but falsely reported the money came from Adelante Sandoval, a Bernalillo-based PAC, according to State Ethics Commission records made public Friday,” the report detailed.

The LLCs are named Sheriff’s Posse Road 1, LLC, and Sheriff’s Posse Road 2, LLC, managed by Oklahoma resident Gary Plante. Adelante Sandoval, the PAC, was founded by Chris Daul, a New Jersey trial attorney, and New Mexico transplant.

Records show the $10,000 was donated to Montoya following a luncheon with Monoya’s campaign treasurer, Donald “Donnie” Leonard, Plante, Plante’s son, Michael, and others. Following the luncheon, Leonard testified that he and Plante went to the bank to withdraw two cashier’s checks for $5,000 each from the LLCs. 

The Sun further reports:

Mr. Plante testified that Mr. Leonard provided Adelante Sandoval’s name to the woman issuing the checks and that Leonard “delivered the checks to Adelante Sandoval,” whose two owners, including Plante, were “private people”  who wished to act as a conduit for the $10,000 contribution, the filings show.

“Mr. Leonard testified that he did not recall delivering the check…Plante denied making contributions to Adelante Sandoval with the intent to mask the true source of the contributions to [Montoya},” Boyd wrote. 

Daul, who manages the Adelante Sandoval Pac, told Boyd he “did not recall when or how I received the two hecks…the two checks may have been handed to me, but I cannot be certain.”

After reviewing evidence in the case, Boyd found it “likely [Montoya] provided Mr. Daul with the earmarking instruction” regarding the LLCs.

Ethics Commission General Counsel Walker Boyd later found “probable cause” for the case to move forward. Boyd found that the $10,000 cash infusion “came at a critical time in the primary election cycle” and “Without the $10,000 contribution, [Montoya] would have raised less money than her opponent.”

Montoya also consulted with Democrat Secretary of State Maggie Toulouse Oliver via text message to see how to report the contributions, according to commission filings. 

The case is set to be heard by Ethics Commission Hearing Officer Hon. Alan Torgerson (ret.), a former federal magistrate judge. Montoya could face fines of $1,000 for each campaign reporting violation and forfeiture of the two $5,000 checks.

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Hobbs woman found guilty after horrifically throwing newborn in dumpster

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On Friday, a jury found Alexis Avila, 19, of Hobbs guilty of abuse of a child relating in great bodily harm and attempted murder in the first degree. 

In January of 2022, Avila was caught on camera throwing her newborn, dubbed Baby Saul, in a dumpster outside the Rig Outfitters and Home Store in Hobbs. He was wrapped in a trash bag.

Fortunately, three people dug through the dumpster to find him, and he was rushed to the hospital in Lubbock, Texas. Baby Saul is “happy and healthy today living with family,” according to reports. 

“Officers with the Hobbs Police Department were called to an alley way in the Broadmoor Shopping Center after three people who had been digging through a dumpster found the hours old boy in a trash bag, alive, and with his umbilical cord still attached but crudely cut,” according to YourBasin.com. 

“Medical staff testified that the newborn suffered from hypothermia, severe anemia, and kidney problem, among other issues after being abandoned and left in 40 degree temperatures for more than six hours.”

Once police found Avila, she admitted she gave birth at home and abandoned the child, claiming to be too young to take care of him.

Avila’s sentencing hearing is scheduled for May 1. She faces 18 years imprisonment, but it could be reduced to 12 years.

Following the verdict, Fifth Judicial District Attorney Dianna Luce noted how “tough” the case was but how fortunate it was that the perpetrator’s actions were caught on camera. 

“That video said it all,” she said. “It clearly caught her actions, her expressions and it’s still difficult for people to watch that video when you think about the fact that baby was inside that bag.” 

Just how religious are New Mexicans? A new report has the answer

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The results from the Association of Statisticians of American Religious Bodies’ (ASARB) 2020 U.S. Religion Census report show a growing trend for people of faith in New Mexico.

According to the data in the report, there were 1,111,977 “adherents” (churchgoers) in the state. That is a 7.26  percent increase from 2010’s report, which showed 1,031,198 adherents. 

Despite congregations dwindling from 2,447 in 2010 to 2,405 in 2020, church membership grew.

The ASARB defined adherents as people who “generally are members, children who are not members, and others who are not members but are considered participants in the congregation.”

Catholics were by far the greatest number of church congregants in 2020, with 633,259 adherents (29.9 percent), which is a slight bump of 1.5 percent from 2010’s number of 584,941 adherents (28.4 percent). 

The next largest religious denomination in New Mexico is evangelical protestants, with 277,326 adherents, a slight 1.21 percent decline from 273,956 in 2010. Evangelical protestants make up 12.9 percent of all churchgoers, with non-denominational Christian Churches making up the largest amount of that figure or around 37.6 percent.

The Catholic Church had the highest concentration of adherents in 32 out of New Mexico’s 33 counties, with the only exception being Hidalgo County, which had a higher percentage of adherents belonging to the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS).

Islam had a massive 192.6 percent increase in New Mexico, with 12,046 members of the church in 2020, while there were only 4,116 adherents in 2010.

Judaism had a significant 14.4 percent decline in New Mexico adherents, with 3,698 in 2020 versus 4,232 back in 2010.

According to an analysis of the data by Ryan Roys of Eastern Illinois University, “South Florida and many of the least-populous counties in Texas close to the border with Mexico saw notable growth, as did parts of New Mexico and Arizona. Additionally, counties in Idaho became more religious in 2020 over 2010.”

Nationwide, the Catholic Church remained the leader in religious denominations, with 61,858,137 adherents, and non-denominational Christian Churches came in second place with 21,095,641 adherents. 

See the full results of the 2020 U.S. Religion Census here.

Pew Research Center’s 2015 Religious Landscape Study revealed that New Mexico is the 15th most religious state, with 63 percent of respondents saying they believe in God with absolute certainty and 57 percent of the population being “highly religious.” A similar statistic from the World Population Review revealed that New Mexico is the 18th most religious state, with 57 percent of adults being religious. 

Barbara Vigil is out as Lujan Grisham’s CYFD secretary

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On Thursday, it was announced that Democrat Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham’s New Mexico Children, Youth, and Family Department Secretary Barbara Vigil is stepping down from the role after fewer than two years.

“My time at CYFD has been the culmination of a career working in both the judicial and the executive branches of government, always with a particular focus on the well-being of New Mexico’s children and families,” Vigil, a former New Mexico Supreme Court justice, said in a statement.

“Collaborating with child welfare professionals, we built a foundation for lasting change and positive outcomes for our children and families. It’s been my honor to serve these families. I am grateful to the thousands of dedicated professionals – foster families, service providers, and CYFD staff and believe deeply in their capacity to achieve transformational change.” 

CYFD, which has been failing for years, did not get meaningful reform during the 2023 Legislative Session, despite many Republican and Democrat proposals to fix issues at the ailing department.

CYFD has suffered a 39% turnover rate for youth care specialists for the 2022 budget year, according to the Albuquerque Journal.

Lujan Grisham said she is conducting a nationwide search to fill Vigil’s position, saying the candidate “must have experience in successfully pioneering major systemic reforms.” The governor’s chief operating officer Teresa Casados will serve as interim secretary.

Although Vigil is leaving the role of secretary, she will remain on the governor-sanctioned Policy Advisory Council to make “recommendations” to the administration. 

Following Vigil’s announcement, House Republican Leader Ryan Lane of Aztec wrote, “While New Mexicans are frustrated that more meaningful reforms did not take place under Justice Vigil’s leadership of CYFD, we will continue to hold accountable the next CYFD leader. House Republicans remain resolute that the children and families within CYFD need better support and more accountability, and we will continue to lead on presenting reforms that benefit the families and not the broken system.”

The ACLU is ‘deeply disappointed’ with Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham

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Following Democrat New Mexico Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham’s sweeping vetoes of bills passed during the 2023 Legislative Session, some leftists are furious.

In a Tuesday statement from the American Civil Liberties Union’s (ACLU-NM) director of public policy, Nayomi Valdez, the group showed frustration with Lujan Grisham.

S.B. 84, which “strictly limited re-incarceration for technical violations such as missing appointments or failed drug tests while someone is on probation or parole,” was vetoed due to Lujan Grsham claiming it “failed to get the support of district attorneys and other stakeholders.”

Another bill veto ACLU-NM trashed was SB 187 would have nixed drug possession or DWI charges in another jurisdiction when considering sentencing for “habitual offenders.” Lujan Grisham claimed the bill would actually result in “the opposite of the intended effect” by restricting prosecutors from “encourag[ing] defendants to get treatment for their addiction.”

In a strong statement of rebuke, Valdez wrote, “We are deeply disappointed by the governor’s veto of these much-needed reforms to our criminal-legal system.”

“Simply put, this administration has it wrong on crime and safety. Until the executive branch starts making decisions about our criminal-legal system based on the facts and in alignment with our values, New Mexico will continue to trap people in the same vicious cycle of incarceration without making our state any safer,” she concluded.

The ACLU of New Mexico along with other groups, such as the Office of the Public Defender, continually advocated against incarcerating criminals during the past legislative session, with some success. 

Bills that did get signed by Lujan Grisham include one piece of legislation that will let violent offenders life-sentenced as minors the possibility of parole at 15 years, even if they were convicted of murder or rape. 

Dems panic over Herrell CD2 bid while national Republicans send endorsements

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Immediately following former Congresswoman Yvette Herrell’s announcement alongside U.S. House Speaker Kevin McCarthy that she is running to reclaim New Mexico’s Second Congressional District, New Mexico Democrats freaked out on social media.

The Democrat Party of New Mexico (DPNM) wrote, “At a rally with GOP elite Speaker McCarthy, Yvette Herrell just announced yet another bid for NM’s 2nd Congressional District. Herrell’s damaging record speaks for itself. Her radical and out-of-touch agenda prioritizes corporations and GOP elites over New Mexicans,” not mentioning current Rep. Gabe Vasquez’s extreme abortion up-to-birth, pro-criminal, or anti-parent agenda.

The group claimed, “From promoting dangerous conspiracy theories to undermining democracy, her actions don’t align with New Mexico’s values.” 

“Yvette Herrell’s announcement with national elite GOP leadership is out of step with New Mexican values and shows that she remains beholden to Washington politicians, not to the people of New Mexico’s Second District,” claimed DPNM chairwoman Jessica Velasquez.

A tiny band of elderly protesters showed up to protest Herrell’s Las Cruces campaign announcement, some of them spewing profanities at attendees while they drove into the event.

The crying from New Mexico Democrats comes as every national Republican in the U.S. House leadership has endorsed Herrell. 

House Speaker McCarthy wrote in a statement, “Yvette Herrell is a fearless conservative leader -and New Mexico needs her back in Congress. During her time in Washington, Yvette always put her constituents first: working hard to deliver results for New Mexico families and standing up for fiscal responsibility, free markets, and constitutional rights. Yvette has my full endorsement and I look forward to serving with her again next Congress.”

House Majority Leader Steve Scalise wrote, “I am proud to endorse my friend Yvette Herrell for Congress in New Mexico’s Second District. Yvette is a humble and hardworking leader who proved her effectiveness as legislator while serving in the New Mexico House and then in Congress. As a small business woman, Yvette is a champion for good paying jobs and the New Mexico industries that create them, and is a strong advocate for the conservative principles that make our country great.”

“Yvette Herrell’s work ethic and perseverance are an inspiration to us all, and I am excited to endorse her for Congress today. Yvette is a tireless campaigner, a knowledgeable and principled legislator, and a true advocate for New Mexico’s Second District. I am proud to stand with Yvette and eagerly anticipate working with her again in the next Congress,” wrote House Majority Whip Tom Emmer.

“Our country is on the brink because of failed Far Left policies and New Mexico needs my good friend and conservative fighter Yvette Herrell more than ever. Yvette is a rock solid conservative who puts America First and prioritizes results for hardworking families over partisan politics. I am fully backing Yvette in her race and encourage all voters to rally behind her as we work together to flip this seat!” wrote House Republican Conference Chair Elise Stefanik. 

Stefanik’s E-PAC also endorsed Herrell, as well as the group Value In Electing Women (VIEW) PAC.

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