New Mexico

GOP convention: Block, Sanchez, Thornton, Martinez Johnson win

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On Saturday, New Mexico Republican delegates met in Ruidoso at the MCM Elegante Lodge for the 2022 convention to advance candidates for the gubernatorial, lieutenant gubernatorial, congressional, and statewide races to get on the ballot on the June 7 primary.

GOP Congresswoman Yvette Herrell of the Second District fired up the crowd with a speech targeting the radical Democrats in Washington.

After the candidates gave their speeches, delegates voted via paper ballots after the electronic system previously announced to have been used malfunctioned. It is said this malfunction was regarding programming each individual delegate to their congressional district Therefore, the delegates gathered in lines outside three sets of doors in the convention center by congressional district to cast their votes, entering voting rooms two at a time.

Late on Saturday night, the Republican Party of New Mexico announced it would release the results from the vote on Sunday morning. The Party wrote, “The paper ballot voting went smoothly, and the results of the contests will be released once all ballots are properly and carefully counted.”

Delegates waited in lines for hours to cast their ballots with individual delegates voting first and then those who held proxies for those not in attendance voted afterward. Counting went late into the night, stopping in the 9:00 hour. The official results are below:

In the First Congressional District, Louie Sanchez garnered 66% with 181 votes, qualifying him for the primary ballot. Michelle Garcia Holmes garnered 28% of the vote (76 votes), meaning she will also qualify.

In the Third Congressional District race, Alexis Martinez Johnson qualified for the primary ballot with 185 votes or 87%.

Retired aerospace engineer Ant Thornton clinched a top spot on the ballot for lieutenant governor with 407 votes (59%) while no other candidates for the office made the ballot.

The official results show Sandoval County Commissioner Jay Block got 199 votes, state Rep. Rebecca Dow got 192 votes, retired Brigadier General Greg Zanetti got 157 votes, ex-weatherman Mark Ronchetti got 110 votes, while former Cuba Mayor and executive director of the Right to Life Committee of New Mexico Ethel Maharg got 39.

According to Ronchetti’s campaign, it claims the failed U.S. Senate candidate did, indeed, make the ballot because of its “over 7,000” signatures gathered, which have not been confirmed to all be acceptable. The Republican Party of New Mexico confirmed this information that Ronchetti will be on the ballot due to his sufficient signatures.

Therefore the gubernatorial candidates who made the ballot other than Ronchetti include Block, Dow, and Zanetti.

The unopposed statewide candidates’ vote totals are below:

Secretary of State: Audrey Trujillo                 100%    681 votes
Attorney General: Jeremy Gay                         100%    678  votes
State Treasurer: Harry Montoya                      100%    679  votes
Commissioner of Public Lands: Jeff Byrd    100%    670  votes

New Mexicans welcome trucker convoy rolling through state

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On Friday, New Mexicans gathered on the I-40 pedestrian bridges at Jerry Cline Park and Sedillo Hill in Albuquerque to welcome the “People’s Convoy” of truckers rolling through New Mexico on their way to Washington, D.C. 

New Mexicans rallied with American flags and patriotic signs that said things like, “Thank You, Truckers!” and “New Mexicans for Freedom,” as well as flags reading, “Let’s Go Brandon.”

Here are some perspectives from the Sedillo Hill gathering: 

​​https://twitter.com/shaverbud/status/1497278251399401474?s=21

Here are some other photos from the day from Jerry Cline Park:

On their way to Washington, D.C., truckers from across the nation are headed to the Capitol for a similar protest against tyrannical mandates like the one in Canada, which shut down Ottowa to the ire of leftist elites. 

Here are some more photos from the event, courtesy of Katrina Griego:

Fellow jailbird Dem running for Louis’ seat

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On Friday, it was reported by Daniel Chacón of the Santa Fe New Mexican that a Democrat will run in disgraced state Rep. Georgene Louis (D-Bernalillo)’s stead following her aggravated DWI arrest during the 2022 Legislative Session.

Chacón wrote, “Meanwhile, a former state representative is setting her sights on the House district seat Rep. Georgene Louis is vacating. Eleanor Chavez, who served two terms in the House, confirmed Friday she will seek the Democratic nomination for House District 26.”

Chavez was previously the representative for House District 13 from 2009 to 2013, where she left the chamber after she lost a Democrat primary for New Mexico Senate District 14, losing to Sen. Michal Padilla (D-Bernalillo). She also served on the New Mexico Public Education Commission.

Chavez herself is a jailbird, with an arrest in 2018 for protesting violently against federal immigration policies. According to the Albuquerque Journal, Chavez was “charged with trespass, resisting arrest, disorderly conduct and ‘interference with public officials or general public.'”

Louis has held the Albuquerque-area District 26 seat since 2013. She unsuccessfully ran for Congress in the First District’s special election, losing to now-U.S. Rep. Melanie Stansbury.

UPDATE: According to the New Mexican, Louis will not seek reelection, saying in a statement, “It has been an honor to serve the constituents of House District 26 for the past ten years.” She added, “I send my sincerest thank you to everyone who has supported me over my tenure as State Representative.”

Soros dark money groups demand investigation into Sen. Ivey-Soto

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After Democrats failed to epic proportions in their attempt at ramming through their pro-voter fraud measures, S.B. 8 and S.B. 144 during the 2022 Legislative Session, dark money George Soros-funded groups dredged up a seven-year-old allegation against state Sen. Daniel Ivey-Soto, who they claim helped kill their attempt to steal future New Mexico elections through fraud.

The usual suspects whined and moaned on Twitter and across the internet, manufacturing outrage to a left-wing lobbyist’s accusation that the senator grabbed her buttocks. The activist who came forward with the accusation just so happened to previously dredge up a false allegation about other politicians, including Democrat Jeff Apodaca who unsuccessfully ran for governor in 2018. 

The accuser, Marianna Anaya, is a former staffer of then-U.S. Rep. Michelle Lujan Grisham (D-NM-01). Anaya hired the same lawyer, Levi Monagle, who participated in the slander of former state Rep. Carl Trujillo (D-Santa Fe), which led to Trujillo losing his seat in 2018. Trujillo’s case happened in tandem with Planned Parenthood lobbyist Juliana Koob, whose dark money organization she represents spread the false accusations against Trujillo.

The allegations from Anaya reek of “political hit-job,” where there could be a potential for this to harm Ivey-Soto in 2024 or annoy him so much that he decides not to run for reelection — both wins for the far-left.

The groups that manufactured outrage include George Soros-funded dark money Equality New Mexico, Common Cause New Mexico, the Center for Civic Policy, Progress Now New Mexico, Olé, Girls Inc., and Animal Protection New Mexico. 

“When one person is denied an investigation, all survivors are denied an investigation,” the dark money groups whined in a statement calling for an inquisition. 

But these same groups not only ignored Democrat Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham paying off a sexual accuser over $150,000 for claims she groped his crotch, but they actively encourage to this very day Lujan Grisham’s activities as governor, despite the disgraced leader’s hush money settlements to alleged victims.

Report: GOP legislator aided Louis after DWI arrest

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According to the Santa Fe New Mexican, a Republican legislator aided state Rep. Georgene Louis (D-Bernalillo) following her February 14 arrest for aggravated DWI, among other charges.

TheNew Mexican reports that first-term GOP state Rep. T. Ryan Lane of Aztec, a lawyer, assisted his “friend” Louis after the incident, although he claims he does not represent the embattled politician.

According to the report:

[Louis] was booked in the Santa Fe County jail early Monday and released hours later.

State Rep. T. Ryan Lane, an Aztec Republican who works as an attorney, said in a statement he arrived at the police station Monday morning in response to a call from Louis.

“I drove to the station and spoke with the arresting officer, who let me know that they were no longer questioning her, and I did not think my services were needed,” he said in the statement. “I responded to Georgene’s call for the purposes of possible limited legal representation, and also as a friend. I do not represent Georgene Louis in this case.”

It is unclear if this will complicate Lane’s race in 2022, but Republicans have until March 8 to get enough signatures to challenge the first-term incumbent who aided the far-left Democrat legislator during her drunk driving episode that happened in the final weeks of the Legislative Session.

Lane was one of the handful of Republicans who voted for the Democrats’ $8.5 billion budget that included funds for taxpayer-funded college, over $10 million for enviro-Marxism, and over $300,000 to hire an anti-gun activist to promote gun control in the state.

Ex-MLG aide claims groping by senator but was mum on MLG sex assault settlements

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On Tuesday, a supposed accuser, Marianna Anaya, came forward claiming Sen. Daniel Ivey-Soto in 2015 “groped and pinched” her buttocks while at the Drury Plaza Hotel, which Ivey-Soto denies. Anaya is a former staffer of then-U.S. Rep. Michelle Lujan Grisham (D-NM-01).

Anaya is a far-left activist who supported now-Gov. Lujan Grisham’s failed pro-voter fraud bill, S.B. 8 and S.B. 144, that would have instituted widespread voter suppression and election corruption, is now apparently bringing forth the claim after she didn’t get what she wanted — stolen New Mexico elections.

“You deliberately prevented the bill from receiving a timely hearing, knowing that such delays were an effective death sentence for any piece of important legislation during a short session,” Anaya claimed.

Anaya further claimed that at a recent dinner before the voting bill was considered, Ivey-Soto became “aggressive,” while at dinner where she said she confronted him over said accusations. She claims he “put the breaks” on the bill Senate Rules Committee, which he chairs, because of her.

She wrote, “The way that the bill was slow-pedaled by Sen. Ivey-Soto after this confrontation in his capacity as Rules chair had the indicia of retaliation.”

Anaya hired the same lawyer, Levi Monagle, who participated in the slander of former state Rep. Carl Trujillo (D-Santa Fe), which led to Trujillo losing his seat in 2018. Trujillo’s case happened in tandem with Planned Parenthood lobbyist Juliana Koob, whose dark money organization she represents spread the false accusations against Trujillo.

The attack on Sen. Ivey-Soto, whether true or not, comes at a strangely opportunistic time, where he and Senate Pro-Tem Mimi Stewart (D-Bernalillo) have had their squabbles, even during the 2022 Legislative Session, where she repeatedly clapped back at him regarding him allowing public testimony on the elections bill while in his committee. 

Ivey-Soto said in response to the allegation, “I don’t know what happened. I don’t know what the movement was. But I did not reach down and grab her buttocks. I did not reach over and grab any part of her. But I’m not discounting that she has a recollection of that, and that’s why I said I was horrified.” Anaya is calling for Ivey-Soto’s resignation.

It should further be noted that Anaya, being a former staffer of Michelle Lujan Grisham, has not spoken out about the disgraced Governor who paid off $150,000 to a former staffer after he claims Lujan Grisham groped his crotch. Another man has also come forward accusing the chief executive of a similar groping incident. 

But after Anaya’s claim, allis of alleged groper Lujan Grisham descended upon Twitter, writing without evidence, “I see you. I believe you. #nmleg needs to investigate this NOW,” as a far-left dark money organization director for “OLÉ” wrote. It just so happens most of her supposed “support” for her claim comes from those who also supported the failed pro-voter fraud legislation. 

Interestingly, a well-organized group of dark money organizations that lobbied for the pro-voter fraud bill claimed they believed Anaya, writing, “We hold our elected officials to a high standard.” All of these groups were mum on Lujan Grisham’s sexual assault settlements, as well as corruption by former Democrat House Majority Leader Sheryl Williams-Stapleton (D-Bernalillo), who resigned in disgrace.

PED adopts MLG’s racist CRT standards, demands schools follow or be ‘held accountable’

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On Monday, it was reported that Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham’s New Mexico Public Education Department (PED) has adopted its racist new Critical Race Theory (CRT) social studies standards, which include anti-Hispanic hate, the “LGBTQI+” agenda, among other radical agendas. 

The Governor’s newly appointed PED Secretary Kurt Steinhaus said the school districts must adopt the divisive social studies measures.

“The curriculum that’s being implemented in a school district is a reflection of the standards and the beliefs of that community, as communicated from the school board,” Steinhaus said, according to the Las Cruces Sun-News.

The Sun-News writes, “Steinhaus said that the PED will be looking at each district’s educational plans to ensure they intend to follow the new curriculum, and the PED will be checking in to make sure each district is held accountable to those plans.”

Under the new instructions, everything in the classroom will be mandated to follow the PED’s guidelines, which could include textbooks, “videos, movies, websites, apps and other educational sources. All will be under review in the coming months,” the Sun-News added, including:

Each school district and state charter is required to submit an educational plan and budget to the PED annually, which is then approved or returned with questions. Although the districts may not have to choose from the selected list of materials, the materials must have culturally relevant materials and align with the Martinez-Yazzie lawsuit from 2018 that found a disparity in education,  including children of color, Native Americans, English-language learners and students with disabilities.

Districts are “are obligated to report to us actually how they use their instructional materials funding,” Deputy Secretary Gwen Perea Warniment said. “That is in state statute, so we do collect that information. And in fact, we look for cultural relevance in their instructional materials that has also been updated. So in terms of the lawsuit, instructional materials and access to instructional materials is something that we do take very seriously.”

With no wiggle room for school districts to adopt standards that do not include Critical Race Theory, anti-police, and anti-Hispanic hate, it is unclear what the school boards will do. If school boards bind together and all buck the PED’s standards in unison, Lujan Grisham’s PED — if she is still in charge by the time of implementation — will have a better shot of not being replaced by the PED.

Previously, the Floyd school board did not follow Lujan Grisham’s edict mandating the masking of children at school, which resulted in the Governor forcibly removing the duly elected officials and installing state rule in the District. Such overreaching measures can be avoided if as many New Mexico school boards as possible form a pact against the tyrannical mandates.

During the comment period on the changes, over 3,000 pages of comments, most opposing, were submitted to the Public Education Department. Hundreds of New Mexicans, including Piñon Post editor John Block, testified against the racist social studies updates.

FACT CHECK: Pro-Ronchetti PAC not connected to Rio Grande Foundation

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On Friday, a political action committee (PAC) calling itself “Nuevo Rio Grande” sent an email to delegates to the state Republican convention endorsing gubernatorial candidate Mark Ronchetti.

Christina M. Brenner from the group wrote in a February 18, 2021, email, “New Mexicans have one real, reliable choice for governor this November: Mark Ronchetti.” 

She went on to tout Ronchetti’s employment as a television weatherman and wrote, “Nuevo Rio Grande PAC has chosen to move forward, full steam, in support of Mark Ronchetti’s efforts to not only free New Mexico, but to help its people build a better tomorrow.” 

Many delegates saw the email alarmed that it appeared the reputable Rio Grande Foundation (RGF) had endorsed the candidate. But “Nuevo Rio Grande” is in no way affiliated with RGF, despite it using the Foundation’s same logo, showing a river swishing through a cutout of the New Mexico state shape. But instead of the Foundation’s turquoise image, Nuevo Rio Grande PAC used the same logo in red. 

Rio Grande Foundation’s logo. Credit: Rio Grande Foundation website.
Email sign-off on Christina M. Brenner’s email sent to delegates on February 18, 2021.

As confirmed by the Piñon Post, Christina Brenner is the spouse of Patrick Brenner, who is RGF’s vice president.

“Patrick Brenner obviously works for the Foundation. He happens to support Ronchetti, which is fine, but he really stepped in it big time. And I told him in no uncertain terms if he’s going to do a PAC, he needs to brand it differently,” said Rio Grande Foundation president Paul Gessing. 

Gessing further distanced the organization from the PAC in a statement released via social media:

Recently, an email was sent out to GOP delegates to the upcoming pre-primary convention that included a logo and various branding that closely-resembled that of the Rio Grande Foundation. The group was calling itself “Nuevo Rio Grande” and its website (since removed) was at: https://nuevonewmexico.com/.

This organization was NOT affiliated with the Rio Grande Foundation and we have asked the organization to rebrand their efforts (they are in the process of doing so).

Leftist columnist blasts Louis, Dems over DWI hypocrisy

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On Monday, leftist columnist for the Santa Fe New Mexican, Milan Simonich, wrote a surprisingly critical column on state Rep. Georgene Louis, who blew a .17 alcohol level on her breathalyzer, resulting in an aggravated DWI arrest. 

The 44-year-old legislator was arrested early on Monday, February 14 in Santa Fe, where she repeatedly changed her story, evaded arresting officer Sgt. Heinz De Luca’s questions, and even invoking her status as a legislator during the traffic stop.

“So, like, I haven’t had much sleep because, um, I’m not trying to, like, say anything, but, like, I’m a legislator, so we haven’t had much sleep,” Louis said to De Luca.

De Luca responded to Louis, “To me, you’re just another citizen, another driver, on the road.”

The New Mexico Democrat Party spokeswoman Miranda van Dijk told Simonich, “We do not comment on these kinds of ongoing judicial processes, but we support Ms. Louis as she focuses on her family and her health.”

“I also wanted to emphasize on background that officers have stated publicly that Ms. Louis cooperated fully with law enforcement. There is no evidence that she attempted to use her position as a legislator to influence these proceedings,” the spokeswoman continued.

Simonich wasn’t buying it, writing:

Not true. Louis’ mention of her elected position was gratuitous.

A 44-year-old attorney, Louis knew the office she holds was irrelevant in the police investigation. The only issue was whether Louis was intoxicated and therefore a danger to pedestrians, other drivers and herself.

There’s more to this story regarding Louis’ political office.

Most New Mexico legislators display on their vehicles a special license plate emblazoned with the number of their district. Not Louis. She kept her legislative license plate inside her car, so it could not be seen by police.

She did so, it seems, because she didn’t have a valid vehicle registration. She also could not provide proof of automobile insurance.

Simonich also invoked a 2018 instance where then-state Rep. Monica Youngblood (R-Bernalillo) also invoked her office while being stopped for a DWI. He noted,“ Democrats lambasted Youngblood. They had good reason. But now they excuse similar tactics by Louis and falsely claim she was a model of cooperation with police.”

The rare criticism coming from Simonich shows that Democrats’ rhetoric appears not to be working anymore, even to the leftist paper in one of the most liberal cities in New Mexico. This could mean bad news for Democrats in 2022, especially if Louis remains on the ticket.

Maggie Toulouse Oliver triggered after Dems’ pro-voter fraud bill dies

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Shortly after the Democrats failed to ram through their extreme pro-voter fraud bill, S.B. 144, championed by scandal-ridden alleged serial groper Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham and far-left Secretary of State Maggie Toulouse Oliver, leftists freaked out. But probably the most triggered reaction to that Democrat failure was that of Toulouse Oliver.

On Thursday, Toulouse Oliver sent a frustrated-sounding email, writing, “I am so tired of the obstructionism of our democracy. I cannot sugarcoat any of this: federal voting rights legislation has stalled with the threat of a filibuster. Today, my bill to expand voting rights legislation stalled with the New Mexico GOP obstruction.” 

The bill she supported included unsecured ballot drop boxes, widespread ballot harvesting, automatic voter registration, and allowing felons to vote. But Toulouse Oliver insists her failed bill would “increase voter participation” — although the supposed “voters” she is talking about may be dead or not legitimately supposed to be on the voter rolls. 

“I’m trying to increase voter participation and ballot access because New Mexico should be a leader on voting rights. Instead, the NM GOP killed this bill, without any debate, due to a procedural rule. Why are they so afraid of more people voting?” 

In both the House and the Senate, Toulouse Oliver’s legislation got to debate, but she claims it was not allowed: another lie. 

She went on to ask for campaign donations to “remain the leader of democracy,” whatever that was supposed to mean.

Other allies of the Secretary of State erroneously claimed Sen. William “Bill” Sharer’s (R-San Juan) filibuster of her radical was “white supremacy.”

“Filibuster is a monument to white supremacy. It’s a relic from the Jim Crow era,” Justin Allen, a radical supporter of the bill, claimed. “Voting rights is the issue of this legislation. Fighting it is the legacy of segregation.”

Now, as the Democrats head toward the 2022 elections with a massive record of failure during this legislative session, they are still beating the “voting rights” drum, that not only Republicans, but Democrats rejected.

In the House of Representatives, multiple Democrats rejected the leftists’ pro-voter fraud bill. Those representatives included Reps. Ambrose Castellano (D-Las Vegas), Harry Garcia (D-Grants), Patricia Lundstrom (D-Gallup), Willie Madrid (D-Chapparal), Candie Sweetser (D-Deming), and Phelps Anderson (DTS-Roswell). Are these Democrat and independent representatives also “white supremacists” and fighting for a “legacy of segregation,” as far-left radicals claim?

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