On Friday, failed presidential candidate Sen. Amy Klobuchar announced endorsements through her initiative, the “Win Big Project” of Rep. Ben Ray Luján (D-NM) for U.S. Senate, and Rep. Xochitl Torres Small for reelection to the U.S. House of Representatives.
The move by the possible vice presidential contender to endorse the two candidates may show a sign of more out-of-state money being thrown into the Land of Enchantment to support far-left Democrats like Luján and Torres Small. According to Politico, Win Big Project is “a joint effort of her PAC, Follow the North Star PAC, and her reelection committee, Klobuchar for Minnesota,” meaning there is likely lots of money involved in the backing of the two Democrats.
Luján praised the endorsement, saying in a tweet, “Americans know & trust leaders like Sen. Klobuchar to end division & get things done. I’m proud to join a slate of #WinBig leaders who will restore common sense to the Senate in 2020.” The tweet featured a photograph of Luján wearing an apparently brand new Carhart jacket and full hair and makeup.
Xochitl Torres Small has not commented on the endorsement yet, possibly in a strategic move to distance herself from Klobuchar or Luján, despite her campaign still sending out a fundraising email not mentioning the endorsement Saturday.
Xochitl Torres Small has earned the endorsements of the abortion up-to-birth and infanticide group EMILY’s List, the extremist enviro-militant group League of Conservation Voters, among other out-of-state D.C. based dark money groups. Ben Ray Luján has been endorsed by Mike Bloomberg’s far-left anti-gun group “Moms Demand Action,” radical population control group “Population Connection Action Fund,” among other groups.
On Friday, it was announced that Papas Pawn & Gun in Grants, New Mexico was fined a hefty $60,000 fine, which appears to be the highest amount any business has been fined for defying Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham’s strict orders during COVID-19.
But according to the pawnshop, they have been practicing social distancing with their business and got fined regardless. According to pawn shop owner Diane Row, “On Monday, six or seven State Police officers surrounded my small shop, and it was really upsetting.” She continued, “That was a total show of force. They came to give me a court summons, treated me like I was a criminal, not a shop owner. Later I got a notice from the State that I was being fined $60,000. My husband is a veteran who is disabled and we don’t have any employees. This fine will kill us. It’s the end. I don’t know what to do.”
The Republican Party of New Mexico responded on Friday afternoon, writing, “This was a violation of Rowe’s civil rights and Constitutional rights and another unjust action against businesses trying to survive, both as a result of policies decreed by Gov. Lujan Grisham. Rowe believes her treatment is disgraceful and says other businesses who depend on local consumers will soon be obsolete.”
“The governor continues to show favoritism for big box stores, taking millions of New Mexico dollars out of state, and neglecting the little guy, local businesses who keep our local economies humming. The governor refuses to acknowledge that small businesses, like Papas Pawn & Gun, can provide and maintain social distancing and other health measures just like the national chains, that are packing shoppers in their aisles daily. This is blatant preferential treatment by the Lujan Grisham Administration.”
The news comes one day after Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham relaxed some restrictions on New Mexicans, but the news of Papas Pawn & Gun store refutes any progress the Governor may have made in easing New Mexicans’ fury with her administration and their handling of the COVID-19 pandemic.
On Friday, Gov. Michele Lujan Grisham ordered a lockdown of McKinley County, San Juan, and interestingly, Cibola County also. McKinley and San Juan are being hit hard by COVID-19, but Cibola, with only 52 positive COVID cases. Cibola, where Papas Pawn is located in Grants, seems to be directly targeted by the Governor. Grants Mayor Martin “Modey” Hicks previously rebuked her strict stay-at-home orders, which appears to be adding to her retribution.
At 3:00 p.m. on Thursday, Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham delivered Republicans and the conservative media in new Mexico a massive win with a few rollbacks of her extreme restrictions. The announcement came during her COVID-19 update, where she caved to many demands.
One of the loosened restrictions the Governor announced included the reopening of “nonessential” retailers beginning Friday. During the new restrictions, they can operate with curbside pickup and delivery, if permitted by their licenses.
State parks are reopening, gun stores are open by appointment, golf courses are open for recreation. Mass gatherings are still prohibited.
The Governor announced on Thursday that there are 11 new deaths and 198 new COVID-19 cases, bringing up the state’s death total to 123 and infection total to 3,411.
As of Thursday, there are 760 COVID-19 cases designated as having recovered by the New Mexico Department of Health.
Despite some restrictions remaining, the loosened orders are the closest thing to Gov. Lujan Grisham saying “uncle,” and kowtowing to media outlets such as the Piñon Post and KIVA’s “The Rock of Talk,” Eddy Aragon, who have kept heavy pressure on the Governor.
It is also a significant win for countless New Mexicans who have reached out to Gov. Lujan Grisham’s office and even taken to the streets to organize against her, as seen in cities such as Albuquerque, Santa Fe, Los Alamos, Grants, and others.
Republicans in the New Mexico House of Representatives also sent a letter to the Governor asking her to modify her public health order.
Late Tuesday, it was reported that Democrat Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham’s Secretary of the Department of Finance and Administration, Olivia Padilla-Jackson, will be stepping down from her post as the state bleeds cash due to a sharp fall in oil production.
According to the New Mexico Oil and Gas Association, the oil and gas industry contributes 39% to the state’s general fund, and the industry is hurting due to the impact of an oil price war with the Russians and Saudi Arabia amid the COVID-19 pandemic.
The news comes as Lujan Grisham will be forced to deal with the implications of the crisis after she signed a bloated budget of $7.6 billion, which passed on strictly party-lines through the state House, while some fair-weather Republicans voted for it in the Senate. The budget is a 7.5% increase from the previous year’s budget, despite calls of irresponsible spending by Republicans, looking to set aside money for the state’s savings account.
“Because of our undisciplined and reckless spending, the oil and gas industry will collapse and we’ll be in here and it will be even more painful than it was six years ago,” said Rep. Jason Harper (R-Rio Rancho), predicting the inevitable fall of the oil boom, which came not months after the wreckless budget passed.
Now, it appears Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham may be pushing finance chief Olivia Padilla-Jackson out of her role, as the scapegoat for the Governor’s “irresponsible” budget has come back to bite her. The Governor’s office did not comment on Padilla-Jackson’s resignation but did comment on the person she appointed to fill the post in the interim.
Debbie Romero, who is deputy secretary and a longtime department official, will replace Padilla-Jackson as acting secretary, who Lujan Grisham’s press secretary Norma Meyers Sackett said is “eminently qualified.”
In recent weeks, the Governor has been increasingly hostile to the press asking questions to her cabinet secretaries, even the extremely liberal Santa Fe New Mexican, which was scolded for reaching out for a comment. Meyers Sackett emailed to the liberal paper, “Media inquiries should be directed straight to me. Do not email cabinet secretaries.”
In 2019, Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham pushed out her then-education secretary Karen Trujillo, Ph.D. not six months into her job, who said the firing came out of nowhere. The “Governor’s Office hadn’t raised any issues with her job performance that would make [her] think [her] employment was in jeopardy,” said Trujillo.
Michelle Lujan Grisham may now be calling a special session to fix her budget woes, as Republicans are ready to work with her in fixing her mess, caused by irresponsible budgeting by Democrats and the Governor’s Administration.
On Monday, it was revealed that Republican candidate for U.S. Senate Mark Ronchetti had attended a far-left symposium by climate change alarmists and gave his support for the theory of “man-made climate change.” But that is not what is irking Republicans in the Land of Enchantment.
While speaking at the event, Ronchetti lambasted the “Orange One” President Trump claiming he drove him to leave the Republican Party. He said, “I’m afraid that that has taken a part of my soul.”
.@MarkRonchettiNM's direct quote: "I’m a Christian conservative who used to be a Republican until The Orange One (@realDonaldTrump), then things…I’m afraid that has taken a part of my soul, and that’s not coming back." pic.twitter.com/2VHgHmaA4v
Conservative Republicans warned early-on about Ronchetti’s anti-Trump sentiments, as well as his hiring of the most divisive political strategist in the state, Jay McCleskey. But upon hearing the questions by pro-Trump Republicans, Ronchetti violently lashed out, claiming they are “little Facebook trolls who are in their parents’ basement with their Cheeto-stained fingers.”
Now, even more, information has come to light showing Ronchetti mocking President Trump, including laughing at a comment that Trump is a “brushfire” and making fun of the President’s hairstyle on-air while working as a weatherman for KRQE News 13. He also made fun of a leaked photograph of Melania Trump, saying it was “unbelievable” to a comment that she could be the future First Lady of the United States. But that’s not all — Ronchetti revealed his deep admiration and “friendship” with notorious Trump-hating comedian George Lopez.
Lopez faced harsh criticism on both sides of the aisle in January 2020 when now-deceased Iranian terrorist Gen. Quasem Soleimani offered $80 million to anyone who would assassinate President Trump. Lopez said, “We’ll do it for half.”
In a previous video, Ronchetti commented that Lopez “is a really funny guy” and “pretty good guy, too, in person,” joking “like [we] hang out on the weekends.”
In another video, Ronchetti photoshopped his face onto President Trump’s hairstyle, saying, “the swirl is so nice,” adding, “the point is you don’t have to lose your cool over a bad haircut, okay?”
In another video, Ronchetti mocked former Governor Republican Gov. Susana Martinez for wearing a green hard-hat during an interview, in which he and KRQE anchors laughed hysterically at Martinez, with Ronchetti saying, “just take the hard hat off!”
After Ronchetti’s direct shot at Trump as the “Orange One,” his mocking the future First Lady, bashing conservative Republican voters asking him questions as “little Facebook trolls who are in their parents’ basement with their Cheeto-stained fingers,” and shots at moderate anti-Trump Gov. Martinez’s appearance shows his willingness to go after people with ad-hominem attacks and mock them based on looks. These clips show how Ronchetti is not above high-school bullying and hazing of people based on skin color, hairstyle, and other factors. Gov. Martinez was a candidate of Jay McCleskey, Ronchetti’s campaign “messenger.”
Ronchetti has no past voting record of Republican support and has been embraced by people such as local drug dealer Darren White, who gave radical Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham $11,000 in her race for Governor. His pollster, Nicole McCleskey, served as NeverTrumper Jeb Bush’s pollster for his failed presidential run against Donald Trump.
Ronchetti’s opponents have denounced his comments, one of them even calling for him to drop out of the race for the U.S. Senate. Ronchetti’s campaign laughed off the comments, claiming the ex-weatherman was “joking.” But Republicans are not taking the comments bashing the incumbent Republican president lightly. Some have even gone so far as to demand campaign donation refunds in light of the anti-Trump comments. Requests for refunds can be directed to Ronchetti’s campaign email account, info@markronchetti.com.
On Monday, GOP U.S. Senate candidate Gavin Clarkson’s campaign released a damning resurfaced video of fellow “Republican” candidate Mark Ronchetti attending a leftist “climate change” symposium, in which he brutally lambasted President Trump claiming President Trump or as he referred to him as the “Orange One” drove him to leave the Republican Party. He said, “I’m afraid that that has taken a part of my soul.”
The footage is from March 21, 2019 — a little over one year ago, and well into the Trump presidency. The climate change sumposium was the same day the Mueller Report came out.
According to the coverage of the climate change event by the Daily Lobo, “New Mexico exhibits the effects of climate change in the form of increased forest fires and drought, Ronchetti said.”
During the video, Ronchetti also said he’s been on-board with “the idea of climate change for over 20 years,” and he mocked people who choose to have an SUV because of climate change. He also said we need to “replace” the oil and gas industry in New Mexico — including the suggestion that Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham cannot push forth her current environmental policies without oil and gas paying the check.
“With Nancy Pelosi and her socialist comrades already setting the stage for another impeachment,” Clarkson says, “Republicans can’t afford to nominate another Never-Trumper like Mitt Romney. We’ve got to have a nominee President Trump knows he can count on to help flip New Mexico red, someone who has actually stood with President Trump even when doing so involved extreme personal sacrifice.”
Now, Ronchetti, the proven NeverTrump candidate for U.S. Senate is once again clinging to the party he claims he left, — while blowing the NeverTrump dog whistle in defiance of the President.
The video of his remarks start at 41:30
.@MarkRonchettiNM's direct quote: "I’m a Christian conservative who used to be a Republican until The Orange One (@realDonaldTrump), then things…I’m afraid that has taken a part of my soul, and that’s not coming back." pic.twitter.com/2VHgHmaA4v
.@MarkRonchettiNM: "We all live in a state that is funded by oil and gas. That's a fact. You can look at what [@GovMLG]'s done over the past three months (NM's 'Green New Deal). She's not doing any of that without huge oil and gas revenue. So, we have to replace that." pic.twitter.com/mGQf5OGFTW
Conservative Republicans warned Republicans on multiple occasions to be wary of Ronchetti, due to his NeverTrump connections, Republican-bashing language, lack of a Republican primary voting record, among other things — and the newly-resurfaces video proves the deep-seated hatred Ronchetti has for President Trump.
During his campaign, Ronchetti viciously lashed out at anyone asking questions of him, branding them as “little Facebook trolls who are in their parents’ basement with their Cheeto-stained fingers.”
Ronchetti also hired the single most divisive politicó in the state of New Mexico, NeverTrumper Jay McCleskey, known for his “slash and burn” campaign strategies. According to a former staffer, McCleskey “will do anything to win, no matter what it takes. … He will destroy you as an opponent.”
The NeverTrump dots are all coming together, as Ronchetti has proven to not only be on President Trump’s team but as he claimed in the 2019 video, he does not even identify with the Republican Party. The new development in the race for Senate now pins two conservative Republicans, Dr. Gavin Clarkson and Elisa Martinez against each other to take the Republican nomination, as the resurfaced video is certain to cripple the remnants of Ronchetti’s campaign.
On Monday, the city of Grants in Cibola County is set to reopen small businesses after the Democrat mayor, Martin “Modey” Hicks rebuked Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham for holding his city hostage, saying, “if Walmart and Smith’s can open with social distancing, then why can’t a clothing store, why can’t a liquor store, why can’t a gun store as long as they follow the same guidelines?”
Hicks continued, “She says they’re not essential. But if that’s the only way these people put food on their family is through that business, then by god that business is essential to them.” He also said, “She wants to be the little dictator, and she doesn’t care.” He also allegedly compared Lujan Grisham sending out State Police to hunt down small businesses defying her order as the Governor’s “Gestapo.”
The move to reopen grants comes after 81 small businesses signed a petition to open up their city, however senior centers and the city library will remain closed.
Papa’s Pawn Shop owner Diane Rowe told KRQE 13 News, “I don’t agree with [Gov. Lujan Grisham’s] standpoint. All businesses should’ve been able to be open with precautions.”
On Friday, Gov. Lujan Grisham lashed out at Mayor Hicks during her coronavirus briefing, saying, “This notion that you don’t have to comply is wrong. That you can just open up businesses and not worry about public health issues is really quite frankly tantamount to opening up a public pool and having a pee section.” Some may say the Governor’s rebuke gives credence to Hicks’ claim of her dictator-like qualities, given her unwillingness to let local officials control their own towns.
The “left-leaning pressure group,” the Anti-Defamation League stood by New Mexico’s far-left Gov. Lujan Grisham in rebuking Democrat Mayor Hicks, saying, “We urge elected officials and all New Mexicans to stop using inaccurate Nazi analogies when expressing frustration and disagreement over public policy.”
“I’m standing behind the mayor, as far as him wanting to open the city offices and the golf courses and things like that,” said the small business owner of Sign FX, Jim Stevens, who commented, “Grants is a very, very depressed economy anyway and it’s getting worse.”
Even the State Police may be getting tired of Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham’s militant orders to issue citations to small businesses reopening in Grants. “We’re not going to be sending additional officers,” said NMSP Chief Tim Johnson. “I mean, obviously if an emergency arises where we need to get officers there quickly, we have a plan for that.”
Supporters of the mayor will be assembling at Walmart in Grants between 7:30 and 8:00 on Monday, driving traffic to the small businesses in the city.
On Friday, New Mexicans gathered at Civic Plaza in Albuquerque to demand Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham open up the state and let working families return to work to provide for their families.
Annoyed by the peaceful demonstrators, Lujan Grisham shot out a ridiculing statement toward their rally, writing, “Mass gatherings are dangerous and in violation of the public health order. We want any New Mexican who is upset about the state’s efforts to limit illness and prevent mass death to find safe and non-dangerous ways to exercise their first amendment right to protest, one of many rights we are all grateful to have, none of which are infringed upon by the necessary actions the state has taken to slow the spread of COVID-19 and save the lives of New Mexicans. New Mexicans must continue to stay home in order to slow the spread of this incredibly contagious virus – there is no way to safely reopen the state without first doing so.”
But on Saturday, a far-left group, the “Party for Socialism and Liberation” had a protest of their own, demanding free rent and mortgage payments apparently from the government due to “the worst health crisis that we’ll ever experience in our generation.”
The socialist group of protesters had printed signs taped to their cars reading, “If we can’t work, we can’t pay rent or mortgage” with a link to “CancelTheRents.org.”
The demands were written on the website, “Cancel the Rents,” as follows:
1. A national cancellation of all rents, mortgages for homeowners, small landlords and small business, for the duration of the Pandemic.
2. No shutoff of gas, electricity and water utilities, the restoration of utilities for households that are currently shut off for lack of ability to pay, no accumulation of debt.
3. Eminent domain over vacant buildings, homes, hotels, all appropriate structures to house the homeless or people in precarious housing situations, including the undocumented and victims of domestic violence.
The protest by the fringe socialist group appears not to have caught the eye of Gov. Grisham who is a supporter of sanctuary cities and giving rights to criminal aliens, as the socialist group shares in common.
The Governor’s office could not be reached for comment on the Party for Socialism and Liberation protest, despite her office giving one regarding the pro-business protest on Friday.
On Friday, a sizeable group of grassroots organizers and concerned citizens gathered at Civic Plaza in Albuquerque to stand up for working families hurting by the Governor’s closure of the state.
Citizens’ signs read things such as “My Small Business Matters,” “Re-Open New Mexico,” and “Fear is the Real Virus” with much support in the form folks driving by, honking their horns in agreement.
“We can do this in a safe manner. We can open up small businesses, and all businesses in the state, to operate just like the big box stores, with proper safety practices, proper social distancing,” one of the organizers, Kai Sandoval told KOB 4 News.
“I have a small business and my business deals with essential oils, plants, flowers and so for me and my business it is hard because everything is closed. The way I promote my business is by going out and showing people letting them try out what I have,” Nevaeh Aguilar Rivera told KRQE 13 News.
On the Facebook event for the rally, organizers wrote, “Folks can be on foot or stay in their vehicles. If on foot, masks and gloves are necessary, we don’t want to give any ammo to MLG or her cohorts to use as reasoning not to reopen NM immediately!” It appears all attendees followed the rules, and were careful to follow precautions while demonstrating.
Despite the great care organizers and citizens put into peacefully and effectively lifting up working families and small businesses during their demonstration, Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham shot off a statement ridiculing the concerned citizens for calling on her to reopen New Mexico.
Her statement reads, “Mass gatherings are dangerous and in violation of the public health order. We want any New Mexican who is upset about the state’s efforts to limit illness and prevent mass death to find safe and non-dangerous ways to exercise their first amendment right to protest, one of many rights we are all grateful to have, none of which are infringed upon by the necessary actions the state has taken to slow the spread of COVID-19 and save the lives of New Mexicans. New Mexicans must continue to stay home in order to slow the spread of this incredibly contagious virus – there is no way to safely reopen the state without first doing so.”
Another demonstration outside of the Governor Michelle Lujan Grisham’s Mansion also took place in Santa Fe.
On Friday, former New Mexico Rep. Yvette Herrell’s campaign released a new television advertisement featuring pro-Trump Rep. Jim Jordan (R-OH), in which he called New Mexico’s 2nd Congressional District voters to send Herrell to Washington, D.C. to join him.
“I’m fighting for our country, and our President, every day. And I’m asking you to send Yvette Herrell to join us in that fight. I’ve known Yvette for years — she’s rock solid. Yvette will take on the Washington swamp, she’ll boldly stand with President Trump to secure our border, hold China accountable, help restart our great economy. Don’t believe the special interest lies you’re hearing. Vote Yvette Herrell for Congress,” Jordan said in the ad.
In 2018, Jordan was an early endorsement of Herrell’s congressional campaign, writing, “Yvette is a proven conservative who is not afraid to fight for the principles of limited government and fiscal responsibility originally envisioned by our Founding Fathers. I look forward to having an ally like Yvette Herrell in the House of Representatives.”
The new uplifting ad from one of Congress’ staunchest defenders of President Donald Trump comes in the wake of a firestorm of lie-filled ads from out-of-state PACs and Herrell’s opposition in the race, apparently seeing her campaign as a threat.
