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Despite governor’s mask mandate, Haaland has indoor maskless wedding with VIP guests

14 Comments / New Mexico, News, Politics / By

On Saturday, Secretary of the Interior Deb Haaland got married to her longtime partner Skip Sayre in an indoor, mostly maskless ceremony at the Hyatt Regency Tamaya at Santa Ana Pueblo north of Bernalillo — despite New Mexico Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham’s strict mask mandates for masks to be worn indoors at all times.

Photographs and videos posted by multiple attendees show Haaland and Sayre without masks indoors. Attendees including Rep. Sharice Davids (D-KS) and Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-MA) show them indoors without masks as well. 

Per the Governor’s August 17 order, “the re-implemented mask requirement applies to all individuals aged 2 and older in all indoor public settings — except when eating or drinking.” 

According to the staff at the Hyatt Regency Tamaya, indoor masking is required. “Outdoors, you’re free to take it off and, like, when you’re eating at the restaurants, you’re free to take it off. But we do require them indoors.” Haaland’s wedding broke not only the state’s mask mandate but also the resort’s mask rules. Many guests were also spotted without masks on.

U.S. Dept. of the Interior press secretary Tyler Cherry told Native News Online, “Secretary Deb Haaland celebrated her union with longtime partner Skip Sayre at a ceremony in her home state of New Mexico on Saturday night. Consistent with CDC guidance and New Mexico’s public health orders, guests were required to be vaccinated and wear masks. The Secretary’s dress was designed and sewn by her sister and the ceremony included traditional elements to honor her ancestry.”

In early August, Haaland said during an official Department of the Interior video, “It was hard for me having to put a mask back on again even though I’m vaccinated to protect those who haven’t been and I understand if you’re feeling a bit deflated too.” 

“Though many people are vaccinated, our country still faces increased rates of COVID-19 infections and more aggressive variants. To help fight this devastating disease, we are following CDC guidance and putting our masks back on. Each state and community faces different threats. So, if you’re in an area with substantial to high COVID transmission rates,  everyone: employees contractors, and visitors, must all wear a mask in all federal buildings no matter your vaccination status.” 

Now, it appears Haaland has not taken the virus seriously, as she claimed in her own guidance to mask up indoors. She, as a representative of the Joe Biden administration and as a U.S. Senate-confirmed cabinet member, is lowering the public’s confidence in the administration’s guidelines.

It is unclear at the current time if Gov. Lujan Grisham, Reps. Teresa Leger Fernandez or Melanie Stansbury were in attendance. Haaland follows after Gov. Lujan Grisham, who has repeatedly skirted her pandemic orders also.

See the videos and pictures of the maskless event below:

https://www.facebook.com/photo/?fbid=1830673937118959&set=pcb.1830675443785475

This is an exclusive report first reported by the Piñon Post.

Despite governor’s mask mandate, Haaland has indoor maskless wedding with VIP guests Read More »

Piñon Post holding one-on-one interviews with candidates for governor

2 Comments / New Mexico, News, Politics / By

Over the next couple of weeks, the Piñon Post will be posting exclusive one-on-one interviews with all the New Mexico gubernatorial candidates who have responded to requests. 

In these interviews, Piñon Post editor and founder John Block will ask a multitude of questions about these candidates’ experience, what they would do as governor, and why they are cut out for the job.

Interview requests have been extended to all seven Republican gubernatorial candidates on the Republican side, which have all been accepted. Incumbent Democrat Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham was afforded the opportunity for an interview. As of Sunday, August 29, Lujan Grisham’s office has not responded or accepted the invitation. 

In fairness to all the candidates for governor, their interviews will be no longer than 40 minutes each and will include questions related to their experience, as well as some questions asked to all of them. The interviews will be posted in alphabetical order by their last name, to attempt the highest level of fairness to all and no appearance of favoritism to any such candidate. They will appear in this order: Karen Bedonie, Jay Block, Rebecca Dow, Ethel Maharg, Louie Sanchez, Tim Walsh, and Greg Zanetti. 

“I look forward to New Mexicans being able to hear directly from the candidates for governor, without the filter of the mainstream media spin,” said Block. “These interviews will give each candidate ample time and an equal platform for them to lay out their platforms and ideas while giving the public a resource to make up their own minds about the candidates.” 

“If Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham is serious about keeping her seat in 2022, she will join all seven Republican candidates and accept the Piñon Post’s invitation for a meaningful interview.” 

The Piñon Post has made it a policy of not endorsing candidates.

Piñon Post holding one-on-one interviews with candidates for governor Read More »

New oil and gas revenues mean more cash for MLG, Dems blow on socialism

4 Comments / New Mexico, News, Opinion, Politics / By

Every year of the seemingly never-ending Michelle Lujan Grisham regime, she and her allies in the Legislature seem to always find a new “social program” that they are all too content to force New Mexicans to pay for with their hard-earned tax dollars. 

Some of these so-called “progressive” policies include the Green New Deal in the form of the “Energy Transition Act.” Others come in the form of “free” daycare via the creation of a new wasteful state department, increased benefits incentivizing New Mexicans to not work, and burdensome economy-crippling regulations that are plunging small businesses into closure. 

But the traditionally good news of $8.8 billion in revenue — almost $1 billion higher than the year before — creates a horrifying new reality for New Mexicans, who could see Democrats blow these desperately needed state funds to shreds in the next 30-day legislative session. 

The Albuquerque Journal reports that the new funds “could allow for big spending increases on New Mexico public schools, roads, health care programs and possibly help fund an overhaul of the state’s tax code, though specific plans from the Legislature and Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham are not expected to be rolled out until January.” 

New Mexico remains at nearly the top of the list of states with the highest unemployment rates with an eye-popping 7.6% as of July, which is not moving much from previous months. Actually, this very high number could rise exponentially if Gov. Lujan Grisham decides to plunge New Mexico into total lockdown as she has before. 

Now, as Republicans and Democrats gleefully rejoice the new money coming in, the funds will inevitably get smaller and smaller each year as the Green New Deal takes effect, which will cripple energy economies and kill more jobs left and right. This destruction of the industry has already been evident in places like northeast New Mexico.

The Green New Deal has forced the closure of the San Juan Generating Station by PNM, leaving countless New Mexicans without jobs and only around 80 employees able to retire. “For the rest of the employees, though, they’re going to have to go find some other form of employment,” said plant manager Omni Warner. 

Even far-left enviro-Marxist groups have begged the Legislature to make changes to the Energy Transition Act before it completely wrecks the state.

But the pleas from the left and the right have fallen on deaf ears, and now the corrosive piece of legislation may force PNM to rely on a “brownout” next summer due to the “energy lost with the anticipated closure of the coal-fueled” San Juan Generating Station, reports the Santa Fe New Mexican.

If New Mexicans thought the 2021 Legislative Session was a bloodbath full of wasteful spending, non-transparent lawmaking, and the ramming through of the most extreme bills imaginable was bad, they should be absolutely horrified about the power grabs to come in the 2022 Session, with Michelle Lujan Grisham able to spend nearly $1 billion extra dollars before her first (and hopefully last) term is up as governor.

New oil and gas revenues mean more cash for MLG, Dems blow on socialism Read More »

Biden sending Afghan refugees to Holloman Air Force Base in Otero County

4 Comments / New Mexico, News, Politics / By

On Friday, Holloman Air Force Base announced that the Military base would be utilized by the Joe Biden regime to temporarily locate a portion of the 50,000 Afghan refugees fleeing the country following Joe Biden’s military disaster that led to the Taliban taking over Afghanistan.

According to Holloman, “Our installation has been selected to provide temporary housing, medical, logistics, and transportation support for #OperationAlliesRefuge.” 

The Base mentioned that currently, “the men and women of Team Holloman are working tirelessly to support the initiative that follows through on our Nation’s commitment to vulnerable Afghans, and we are proud to join task force Fort McCoy, U.S. Army Fort Lee, Fort Pickett, U.S. Army Fort Bliss, Marine Corps Base Quantico, and Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst, U. S. Army North (Fifth Army), U.S. Northern Command and the U.S. Department of Defense (DoD) team, in support of the State Department with this mission.” 

“The security of our community, including our visitors, remains the number one priority, and we are taking the appropriate measures to ensure everyone remains safe and healthy.” It is unclear at this time if there will be virus testing, although it has been inferred by Holloman’s statement. 

“We understand many have the urge to help, we will send out information on where and how to provide donations or support once we’ve identified the proper avenues with the appropriate aid agencies,” the Base concluded.

The move comes after scandal-ridden alleged groper Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham and New Mexico House Speaker Brian Egolf offered up the state as a relocation destination for Afghan refugees. The two lawmakers nor Joe Biden offered up the housing of refugees in the state while Cubans fled their failed state in search of freedom.

Many American soldiers and personnel remain stranded in Afghanistan amid Joe Biden’s crisis.

Biden sending Afghan refugees to Holloman Air Force Base in Otero County Read More »

Pro-Trump professor relieved of teaching duties for refusing to wear a mask, take the jab

14 Comments / New Mexico, News, Politics / By

According to a Las Cruces Sun-News report, “Days after receiving an award for teaching excellence, a business professor at New Mexico State University has been removed from his classroom at the start of the fall semester.” 

Clements, an assistant professor of finance at New Mexico State University’s (NMSU) College of Business, posted a video of his introductory lecture where he announced he would not be forcing his students to wear masks or get jabbed with the virus inoculation.

“As you can see, I am not wearing a mask,” Clements told his class. “Why is that? Because I haven’t lost my mind, that’s why. I will not wear a mask.” 

“Whether you want to wear a mask in my class is between you and God,” he said to the class, adding that if students want to take the course online, they have that option. “You signed up for a face-to-face class and I’m going to teach a face-to-face class.” 

On Telegram, Clements posted that due to his resistance to getting the jab, excessive testing, or mask-wearing led to him being relieved of his teaching duties for “gross misconduct” and the removal of professor James Hoffman as dean of the business college.

The Sun-News added, “The university announced Monday that Hoffman would return to teaching full-time and named professor Mary Jo Billiot as acting dean. Dr. Billiot is a professor of accounting and an interim associate dean for finance and research at the business college.” 

According to Clements, Hoffman “was ordered by the university to come to my morning class and see if I was complying with the mask mandate. … He asserted his strong belief in the exercise of free speech. He then left me to teach my class.” Hoffman now is teaching full-time, but not acting as dean, according to the report.

According to NMSU’s policy manual, “employees may be terminated, demoted, or suspended for just cause” including “jeopardizing the safety or health” of others or “willful disregard of reasonable directives or policies or a defiant attitude of noncompliance.”

Clements previously declared his support for President Donald Trump in a January video where he blasted the leftist NMSU president’s letter. He said, “I don’t have tolerance for bullies.”

To support Professor Clements, people can visit a link he shared on his Telegram with more information.

Pro-Trump professor relieved of teaching duties for refusing to wear a mask, take the jab Read More »

MLG has her latest ‘Wagyu’ moment

7 Comments / New Mexico, News, Politics / By

On Thursday, The Federalist published an article revealing another “Wagyu” moment with scandal-ridden alleged serial groper Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham, this time regarding her big promise to force through a “Clean Fuel Standard” making all residents drive cars that get at least 52 miles per gallon. 

Through an Inspection of Public Records Act (IPRA) request done by Larry Behrens of the pro-energy group Power The Future, the group found that the Governor’s own car averages only 13 miles per gallon fuel economy — a blatant act of hypocrisy as she seeks to force New Mexicans to abide by a nonsensical fuel standard.

As previously reported by the Piñon Post, the Governor’s “clean car standard” for everyday citizens would mean forcing New Mexico’s citizens — a state with some of the poorest people in the nation — to buy expensive “fuel-efficient,” “green,” “hybrid,” or fully electric vehicles — crippling New Mexicans’ bank accounts and forcing thousands to either break the law, walk, or not travel at all. It would plunge countless people into financial ruin, resulting in an economic catastrophe for New Mexico. 

The news of the Governor’s clean fuel standard push comes following enviro-Marxist groups pushing for a 500% increase in electric vehicles in New Mexico. 

The Federalist writes, “Refusing to adhere to their own environmental standards has become a routine practice among politicians who aggressively promote a left-wing climate agenda. Earlier this month, the New York Post reported President Joe Biden climate czar John Kerry’s private jet has taken 16 trips this year alone. Private jets emit 5 to 14 times more pollution than commercial planes per passenger, and 50 times more than trains.” 

Behrens commented that “While not as bad as John Kerry’s private jet, Governor Lujan Grisham’s actions surely deserve an Honorable Mention for the most green hypocrisy in the country,” He added, “Make no mistake, her eco-left allies will stay quiet about her gas-guzzling ways because they care more about political power than being honest.”

The report notes other far-left priorities Lujan Grisham has had for New Mexico, including her pandemic lockdowns that forced New Mexicans to stand in freezing hours-long breadlines to get food and basic goods over the holidays.

The Federalist compared the clean fuel standard edict hypocrisy to the Governor’s Wagyu fiasco last year: 

Grisham’s office also landed in hot water in February when a review of six months’ worth of invoices, receipts, and expense reports revealed thousands of dollars in groceries purchased from the governor’s contingency fund. As New Mexicans waited outside capacity-limited grocery stores in lines during the winter, more than $6,500 in groceries were delivered to the governor’s residence, according to the Albuquerque-based KOB 4 Investigates Team.

“According to receipts made public through an Inspection of Public Records Act request, the items include anything from laundry detergent to Wagyu beef, tuna steaks, top sirloin and hundreds of dollars in alcohol purchases,” KOB 4 reported.

The Governor’s mouthpiece, Communications Director Tripp Stelnicki said at the time the lavish spending was for meetings. He said, “They are sporadic, but they last a long time and so there’s food at those meetings often prepared. There are people at the residency who are all masked.”

The New Mexico House Republicans chimed in on Twitter, writing, “Never one to lead by example, @govmlg is now forcing an eco agenda on #ThePeople, and her own vehicle does not meet her “standards!” Smells like her Wagyu beef #PartyFund controversy all over again. How progressive!”

MLG has her latest ‘Wagyu’ moment Read More »

Massive crowds of NM medical workers, supporters protest forced shots

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On Wednesday, in response to Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham’s mandate forcing all health care workers to be inoculated by August 27, healthcare workers from across the state protested in Albuquerque, Las Cruces, and Artesia. 

“Taking away people’s choice and informed consent violates all medical codes of ethics, as well as the most fundamental of human rights, the Constitution, and the Nuremberg Code. No government or institution can know what is best for any other human being’s medical choices. People have diverse healthcare needs, and one-size-fits-all medical solutions are not appropriate,” read a press release from New Mexico Freedoms Alliance (NMFA).

NMFA’s Melanie Rubin said, “In the last 20 months, healthcare workers have stood by all of us through the most painful and frightening days of our lives. They have treated everyone without bias or discrimination, regardless of each individual’s personal and medical beliefs, often at great physical, emotional and financial cost to themselves and their families. They care for every patient no matter what, honoring each patient’s bodily autonomy and choices.”

The largest crowd to protest the forcible jabs was at Civic Plaza in Albuquerque, with hundreds in attendance, possibly even 1,000. 

“As a vaccinated nurse, I stand beside my fellow healthcare workers who deserve the right to choose their own medical treatments. We are taught our entire nursing careers about bodily autonomy and advocating for our patients. We advocate for informed consent, instructing patients on all the risks they take and possible outcomes. Yet, we are not given that same respect for this vaccine,” said Jennifer De La Paz, a nurse from Three Crosses Hospital in Las Cruces.

“In a state that is already crippled by staffing shortages, this mandate is only going to make it worse. Continuity of care is important for our patients and bringing in travel nurses to fill these shortages does not provide for that continuity of care. We live in these communities, we are dedicated to our communities and this mandate will force staff to go elsewhere out of state or even leave their professions [altogether]. I know that hospitals in Las Cruces are unable to fully open all their beds already because of the nursing shortage. This is not fair for the patients or for the staff.”

At the Las Cruces event, many were in attendance as well, with signs reading things like “No Forced Medical Procedures” and “No Jabs 4 Jobs.” Many held similar signs at the Artesia protest. 

Another press release from the New Mexico Freedoms Alliance noted that nurses and medical staff at hospitals were doing a “mass call out” on Wednesday and Thursday. The workers will be calling out “in compliance with their organization’s regulations, to demonstrate solidarity against the vaccine mandates for healthcare workers.” 

The press release makes clear, “This is not a strike; the workers will be available to serve their communities on Friday. However, this is a demonstration of what will potentially happen to the healthcare system if the rule-makers do not rescind the vaccine mandate, and thereby force many healthcare workers to leave their jobs. The last thing healthcare workers want is to be forced to leave their patients with inadequate staffing coverage.” 

Additionally, a cease and desist against the vaccine mandates was served to healthcare administrators around the state, including Presbyterian, Lovelace, and UNM Hospital in Albuquerque, Memorial Medical Center, Three Crosses Hospital, and Mountain View Regional Medical Center in Las Cruces, and Artesia General Hospital in Artesia.

The Cease-and-Desist letter, signed by Attorney Jonathan Diener of New Mexico Stands Up!, calls for an immediate reversal of the vaccine mandate by the healthcare administrators. It notifies the administrators that the vaccine mandate imposed by Governor Lujan Grisham is illegal under federal law, and identifies the statutes. Both the healthcare administrators and the individuals who impose the vaccine mandate can be held legally liable if they choose to move forward with the mandate.

Another letter was also sent to these health care facilities from health care workers pleading with them to stop the forced inoculations. Part of the letter reads:

“We have shown up every day for the last 20 months to YOUR organizations to provide care for OUR patients and to advocate for their care; now it’s time we advocate for ourselves. YOUR organizations remained open because WE showed up to work. WE showed up and REUSED PPE, WE showed up and held your loved one’s hands while they passed, held iPads for last goodbyes and worked multiple overtime shifts. Our vaccination

status did not matter then. Many of us contracted COVID and have already developed robust natural immunity.”

Massive crowds of NM medical workers, supporters protest forced shots Read More »

MLG signs edict to ‘conserve’ 30% of all NM lands by 2030

3 Comments / New Mexico, News, Politics / By

On Wednesday, Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham signed her latest order to “conserve” at least 30 percent of all lands in New Mexico by 2030.

She wrote on Twitter, My administration has been working since day one to protect and preserve New Mexico’s environment and public lands. Today I’m proud to take our conservation efforts one step further by signing an executive order to conserve at least 30 percent of all lands in New Mexico by 2030.” 

In a subsequent tweet, she wrote, “Our 30 x 30 initiative honors New Mexico’s heritage & traditional land uses while protecting lands, watersheds, & wildlife. We have set the wheels in motion to conserve our state’s incredible natural resources & ensure that New Mexico remains, forever, the Land of Enchantment.” 

The arbitrary 30 number does not appear to have any science behind why she is doing it. It is not immediately clear how she will achieve this goal and what “conserve” means. It could possibly mean banning New Mexico lands from hunting and fishing or from New Mexico’s economic lifeblood in the natural resource extraction industries.

How the governor will obtain the goal of her unilateral edict is not clear, as it may require the state to purchase land from private landholders or tribes.

Larry Behrens from the pro-energy group Power The Future wrote following the order, “Just like Joe Biden, Governor Lujan Grisham can only issue executive orders because she knows her positions are so radical she can’t even get them past the legislature.”

Behrens added, “There is no one who is against common-sense conservation, but it’s clear the Governor just picked an arbitrary number of 30 because it’s one of the fewer and fewer numbers that is smaller than her approval rating.”

The Governor’s approval rating recently took a turn for the worst in the latest liberal-commissioned approval poll.

MLG signs edict to ‘conserve’ 30% of all NM lands by 2030 Read More »

UNM experimenting on young children with Moderna shot

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According to KOB 4, “University of New Mexico School of Medicine researchers have begun enrolling children in a clinical trial to test the safety and efficacy of the Moderna COVID-19 vaccine.” 

The report notes that 60 New Mexico children ages 6-12 are eligible to enroll in the first phase of the clinical trial. 

The report notes how “UNM is one of 88 sites, in the U.S. and Canada, participating in Moderna’s KidCOVE study.” 

“UNM is in a unique position to include a larger proportion of Hispanic and Native American children in the study than sites located elsewhere in the country,” said Hengameh Raissy, PharmD, a Research Professor in Pediatrics and co-principal investigator on the study.

The report notes:

Children will receive either a placebo or the first dose of the Moderna vaccine when they enroll. Participants then return about a month later for their second shot,” the report notes

After the second shot, children and parents will return to UNM for follow-up testing in the subsequent months. Children will also have at least two visits with the research team after each injection.

Another study experimenting on even younger children aged two to six months old and six months to two years old will occur later this Fall. According to the report, the UNM team is awaiting the exact start date.

UNM experimenting on young children with Moderna shot Read More »

Lujan Grisham forcing masks on student-athletes

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KTSM 9 El Paso reported that the New Mexico Public Education Department’s updated guidance includes “indoor sports is 100% mask wearing” According to the report, “Outdoor sports, including football, has now been changed back to recommended mask wearing. The change in language comes just hours after the PED issued the mandate.” 

The updated mandate came after conflicting information came out regarding the masking of student-athletes. 

The Albuquerque Journal’s James Yodice, previously heard on Tuesday from at least three coaches that “Prep football players in NM will be in masks going forward, games and practices, and it doesn’t matter if they’ve been vaccinated or not. In the spring, doable. In the heat of the summer? Oy.” 

According to Coach Adam Kedge of Albuquerque Academy, who was previously informed that outdoor mask-wearing was mandatory, told DyeStat, “We were moving forward. Now, I get this bombshell.” 

“We all know the numbers in the United States have taken a turn for the worst, but as I stated to you, Doug months ago, we are a rural state with, you know, hundreds of thousands… of square miles with a low population. What’s the best thing to do? It’s to be outside exercising in the nice, clear air.” 

Regarding how he will break the news of the mandates to his students, Kedge said, “I hope I can hold them together, honestly.” 

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