In late May, Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham was under heavy fire from New Mexico citizens, local commentators, and even national outlets for disobeying her own stay-at-home order to buy expensive jewelry from Albuquerque jeweler Lilly Barrack.
While the Gov. was adorning herself with luxury jewels, New Mexicans were suffering — and still are — from her strict lockdown orders barring small businesses and working families from providing for their loved ones. However, the Governor allowed big box stores such as Costco and Walmart to stay wide open for business. Over 210 restaurants have permanently closed during the shutdown.
During the lockdown, some commenters, such as Rio Rancho’s “Salon Deluxe” opined that the Governor is still getting her hair and makeup done in Corrales, despite her harsh lockdown on such businesses operating. Others also wondered if she had salon visits during the lockdown, one commentator claiming a hairdresser named Nam Tran in Corrales is doing her hair.
In emails obtained by the Piñon Post, KOAT 7’s Nancy Laflin asked Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham’s press secretary, Nora Sackett, about the Governor’s trips to the salon, writing, “…viewers have said [Lujan Grisham] has been getting hair treatment at a salon in Corrales before news conferences. Is that accurate, and if so, was she following state guidelines?”
Sackett snarkily unloaded on the citizens asking these questions, writing back: “I understand that you have to do your job, but ‘viewers saying something online’ is in no way any actual proof or reason to suspect something. I am so entirely tired of people choosing to spend their time by making up lies about the governor getting her hair done. She has not gotten a haircut, or had it colored, or had her nails done, or anything else that angry people on the internet would like to make up unsubstantiated nonsense about. Nor has she been to Corrales – again, people making things up online does not make them true. Every day, the governor is taking serious action to do her best to save lives and keep New Mexicans from getting sick, and all people ‘online’ want to do is complain about her hair. She has not gotten a haircut, as salons are closed and non-essential person-to-person interactions are not allowed, and she expects every other New Mexican to continue to adhere to the public health order just as she is doing.
Also for what it’s worth, woman to woman, you can clearly tell that the governor hasn’t gotten her hair cut just by looking at it. I mean come on.”
Sackett also defended Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham’s breaking of her health order to buy fancy jewels, writing in an email:
“There were no state guidelines broken. It was an entirely contact-free purchase. The governor asked if she could make an order and pay for some merchandise online or remotely – as was permitted under the prevailing health order at the time, see Page 6, Section (3) of the April 6, 2020, public health order. To be clear, none of the state’s public health orders have ‘otherwise restrict[ed] the conduct of business operations … in which an employee only interacts with clients or customers remotely.’ The transaction was entirely contact-less and remote. The store was never ‘opened’ and a good safe process was followed. The governor has of course in both her personal and professional lives adhered to all of the public health measures the state has enacted for the duration of this pandemic.”
The Governor’s staff essentially doing backflips to try and explain away whether Lujan Grisham did or did not break her own stay-at-home order speaks volumes to the level in which they will go to justify her actions — which were dishonest, if not worse. The snark given by Sackett toward everyday New Mexicans asking questions about the Governor following the same orders everyone else should be an eye-opener for citizens looking for transparency in government.
On Thursday, Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham announced she is forming the “Council for Racial Justice,” which will be comprised of black leaders and a “racial justice czar.”
Far-left House Majority Leader Rep. Sheryl Williams Stapleton will serve on the council, and no doubt champion the Governor’s left-wing initiatives.
According to Grisham, the United States has to “own what slavery did,” saying, “until we own that sin…that disgrace, we don’t have the opportunity to move forward.” She also said New Mexico needs to “re-educate” law enforcers.
In a press release, Lujan Grisham wrote, “While New Mexico is no stranger to police violence, hunger, poverty and inequality of opportunity are other embedded injustices within the state.”
The Governor also described “institutional racism” as a “cancer untreated” and slavery as an “original sin.” She also called it a “disgusting truth.” During her press conference, Lujan Grisham further elaborated, saying, “We have seen our Native American brothers and sisters face untold disproportionate struggle. We have generational work to do in restoring educational outcomes for minority and disadvantaged populations in our state. The system will not reform itself.”
It is unclear who will fund this council, or how much the initiative is supposed to cost the taxpayer, but it will no doubt be a setback to the state’s budget.
Earlier Thursday, Gov. Lujan Grisham ordered state flags to half-staff to commemorate the death of a Minnesota man, George Floyd, and “all other victims of systemic racism and police violence.”
Commentary
However, New Mexico is a state with one of the largest minority populations (61.1% in 2014) and growing. The claim that somehow New Mexico is not “woke” enough for the Governor is a blatant mischaracterization of New Mexico’s culture of respect, family values, and acceptance of one’s neighbor.
It is also irresponsible for the Governor to punish the people of New Mexico for the “original sin” of slavery — when slavery has been abolished for 155 years. Not a single person alive today is responsible for the horror of slavery, and to somehow guilt every single New Mexican into feeling guilty for something we have zero control over is irresponsible and ignorant.
Lujan Grisham needs to quit auditioning for Joe Biden’s running mate by virtue-signaling her way through the governorship. Instead, she needs to focus on the real issues that New Mexicans care about — and those do not include “social justice.” By pointing out our differences, Lujan Grisham is bringing more attention to the physical traits that make us different, such as our ethnicities — not helping heal any wounds that actually need attention.
Furthermore, the Governor throughout her abusive reign has further divided the people and Law Enforcers, by using the State Police as props to deliver cease and desist orders to small business — creating tension between the men and women in uniform whose jobs are to keep us safe, and the people who should think of Law Enforcers as the heroes that they are supposed to be.
Shame on Gov. Lujan Grisham, and shame on those participating in helping her refuel the race war in this country that was slowly healing until Democrat rule in our country.
On Tuesday, Republicans from across New Mexico headed to the polls and chose our GOP nominees to advance to take on the Democrats in November’s General Election. Although some of our favorite candidates may not have made it out of the primary, now is the time, as Republicans to unite around every Republican on the ballot and work to turn New Mexico RED (Remove Every Democrat) in the election.
With President Trump at the top of the ticket, and a strong selection of candidates running for federal, state, and local elected officials, the stakes could not be higher for Republicans, which is why I am proud to partner with Shauna Abney of the United Conservative Movement to unite Republicans in our state behind our great GOP nominees selected Tuesday.
Although Shauna and I differ on a few candidates, we both are putting our party and our state’s future over our personal choices, and signing the “Pledge to Vote RED NM” pledge to show we are united in our fight for our conservative values and a prosperous future for our state. The stakes are too high to not be united going into November, and this is our shot at taking back our state and reclaiming our values!
Sign the pledge and send it to every Republican you know. We must unite to turn our beautiful state of New Mexico RED in November!
Today is the 2020 Republican primary, and New Mexicans will be heading to the polls to cast their votes for the nominees who will take on the Radical Democrats in November’s General Election. If you haven’t been following the primary too closely, that’s okay — here is some info to know before you vote today!
The Candidates
All three congressional districts have multiple candidates running and depending on your location, you will have a variety of candidates to choose from. If you are unsure what your district is, check your voter registration here.
In the First Congressional District in the Albuquerque metro area, millennial attorney and fresh Republican face Jared Vander Dussen faces off against perennial candidate Michelle Garcia Holmes, who previously ran unsuccessfully for lieutenant governor and Albuquerque mayor. Also in the race is Brett Kokinadis, a former Democrat who ran the group, “New Mexico Democrats for Democracy.” The race will test if CD-1 Republicans are ready for energetic, new blood or if they will opt for a more familiar candidate.
In the Second Congressional District race in Southern New Mexico, former state Rep. Yvette Herrell faces off against deep-pocketed millionaire lobbyist and Trump critic Claire Chase, who once called President Trump an “a**hole unworthy of the office,” but now swears she supports the 45th Commander-in-Chief. Also in the race is Las Cruces businessman Chris Mathys, a veteran and former Fresno, California city councilman. The race’s winner will advance to the General Election and face-off against one-term incumbent Democrat Rep. Xochitl Torres Small, who votes with far-left Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi (D-CA), 94% of the time.
In the Third Congressional District in Northern New Mexico, three Republicans face off for the nomination. Former oil and gas administrator Alexis Martinez Johnson will face small businesswoman Karen Bedonie and former Santa Fe County Commissioner Harry Montoya. The race has not been as contentious as the CD-2 race, but it has had its ups and downs.
The United States Senate race is a big one — and in recent months it has turned increasingly heated. Former college professor and Trump Administration official Dr. Gavin Clarkson faces off against pro-life leader Elisa Martinez and former television weatherman Mark Ronchetti. Clarkson and Martinez have years of conservative credentials in their respective fields, while Ronchetti has no previous Republican Party support to speak of and has never voted in a primary election. Ronchetti also has been a staunch critic of President Trump, just in 2019 claiming the President made him leave the Republican Party, calling Trump “the Orange One,” who has taken a “part of his soul” that he’s “not getting back.” Voters will decide whether they want a proven pro-Trump conservative or a fair-weather NeverTrumper.
There are not many state legislative seats with contested primaries, but two Senate seats in New Mexico’s 19th and 41st districts have Republican incumbents being challenged by state representatives vacating their House seats to make a run for the upper chamber.
Rep. Gregg Schmedes, arguably one of the most vocal conservatives in the state, is challenging incumbent Jim White for Senate District 19 in Bernalillo, Sandoval, Santa Fe, and Torrance Counties. Schmedes won his House seat in 2018 and has been outspoken on just about every issue important to conservative voters.
Senator Jim White has been around a long time, having served in the House and the Senate. He was elected to his Senate seat in 2016. White has one of the least conservative voting records of any Republican in the state—voting for both of Democrat Governor Michelle Lujan Grisham’s disastrous budgets, and for the anti-business, job-killing New Mexico “Green New Deal” in 2019.
Rep. David Gallegos is challenging incumbent Gregg Fulfer for Senate District 41 in Eddy and Lea Counties. This is actually Fulfer’s first time running for office, as he received his seat by appointment when his father-in-law, Carrol Leavell, retired after 22 years in the legislature.
David Gallegos has been a State Representative for District 61 for 8 years. Gallegos is a somewhat soft-spoken gentleman but isn’t short on conservative spiritedness. He can usually be seen whenever there is a pro-life or 2nd Amendment rally in Santa Fe, and even organizes the concealed carry trainings for other legislators at the statehouse.
Where do I vote and who will be on my ballot?
Voting begins at 7:00 A.M. this morning, and polls close at 7:00 P.M. this evening. You can find your polling location here. If you ordered an absentee ballot, PLEASE DO NOT DROP IT IN THE MAIL. Deliver your ballot directly to a polling location.
If you are unaware of all the choices that will be on your ballot, you can see your sample ballot by checking your voter registration here.
This election is a turning point for New Mexico, and the Republicans we vote for today will advance to the General Election. In simple terms, the stronger the candidates we choose in the primary are, the better their chance of winning in November. We must choose the most electable candidates who can bring conservatives together and give Democrats a run for their money in the General Election.
If we lose in the General Election to the Radical Democrats and don’t clinch a Republican majority in the New Mexico House or Senate, we will have a rough time since Democrats will no doubt gerrymander legislative seats to make them less competitive and harder for Republicans to ever win again. Since this is a census year, this will impact the candidates we choose this election. Our votes we make today will mean political life or death for our legislature — the governing body of our state and the only body that can hold an out-of-control governor accountable.
Your vote today means a contribution to the future of our state, and will help lead us into a strong General Election. With President Trump at the top of the ticket — he needs us now more than ever to show up and vote for him and candidates who support him. It’s one of our last chances to make a difference for New Mexico.
It has recently been uncovered that ex-television weatherman Mark Ronchetti was caught on-tape as a keynote speaker for a “climate change” activism conference held at the University of New Mexico hosted by the billionaire George Soros-backed environmental groups “Climate 350,” “March for Science,” and others. At the event, he claimed he “used to be a Republican until the Orange One,” who took a “part of his soul” that he’s “not getting back.”
Now, he is running as a self-proclaimed “principled conservative” Republican for U.S. Senate. However, Ronchetti’s approval of climate change radicalism and the use of his platform on mainstream media network television to promote their propaganda contradicts his “principled conservative” claims. Rather than helping promote any of the conservative Republican issues he now claims to support, he used his platform with a major media network to promote an anti-Republican, anti-oil and gas climate change agenda.
The radical group Ronchetti partnered with, Climate 350, is currently funding a campaign called “Vote Climate” that plans to use people in the media to help “educate” the public, namely REPUBLICAN VOTERS who they believe do not acknowledge the “science of climate change.”
Holly Olivarez, in a presentation to an anti-oil and gas group shortly after the UNM event, she explained how Ronchetti confirmed he was covertly stressing the global warming issue in his weather forecasts:
“He and his team are now working on finding ways they can talk about climate change on the air without saying ‘climate change.’ He was honest about, if I say climate change on the air, I’m going to get fired, and I’m just a guy trying to make a living like anyone else. So, I have to find ways. So, he talks about how Spring is starting three weeks earlier than it ever has. Things like that.”
Olivarez went on to explain that Ronchetti has done his own global warming studies and “was appalled” at what he found.
Climate activist Holly Olivarez: “@MarkRonchettiNM and his team are now working on finding ways they can talk about climate change on the air without saying ‘climate change.’ … So, he talks about how Spring is starting three weeks earlier than it ever has. Things like that.” pic.twitter.com/CTIEji3Iv8
The purpose of the climate change activist conference is to teach people, “How to Talk to Your Friends About Climate Change.” In fact, “finding ways they can talk about climate change on the air without saying climate change.”
Republican voters should be shocked and alarmed at the weatherman’s liberal leanings — especially when it comes to his extreme anti-oil and gas “climate change” views. If elected, he very well could be the deciding vote to usher in the Green New Deal — the vehicle the Radical Left is using to decimate the oil and gas industry through the vessel of socialism.
Questions about Ronchetti’s loyalties to New Mexico oil producers arise in an uncovered video where Ronchetti laudsfar-left Gov. Lujan Grisham’s anti-oil energy policies. He says he has been “on board” with the idea of climate change “for over 20 years.”
Ronchetti told the anti-oil group that Gov. Lujan Grisham can’t pass her “green” energy policy “without huge oil and gas revenue. So, we have to replace that.” Then he mocked families who drive SUVs and President Trump.
.@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
Did Ronchetti’s KRQE forecasts covertly sell his liberal anti-oil & gas, climate change views?
In previous broadcasts, viewers can see Ronchetti repeating climate change euphemisms on-air, such as him repeatedlytalking about “El Niños” and “La Niñas” having “way high” temperatures, and looking at
Ronchetti exchanges with “climate change” extremists
Ronchetti and a climate extremist named Jim O’Donnell have exchanged dozens of messages on Twitter, including mentions of meeting in-person. O’Donnell considers himself a proud “climate change advocate” who routinely pushes left-wing propaganda. And, like Ronchetti, attacks President Trump.
In multiple correspondences between Ronchetti and O’Donnell, the two climate change conspiracy theorists exchanged in agreement about climate change as an “epidemic,” in some tweets using emojis to convey expletives.
O’Donnell calls Fox News a national security threat, wants to “liberate America from Republicans,” and accuses President Trump of “treason.” Will Mark Ronchetti denounce JimO’Donnell?
The cost of electing an anti-oil, climate change extremist to New Mexico’s open U.S. Senate seat
The oil & gas industry provides one-third of the funding for New Mexico schools and 39% of the state budget. As New Mexicans we must fight to keep our oil and gas jobs; they feed our state’s economy.
In New Mexico, our economy depends on the oil & gas industry jobs and tax revenue. It’s amazing that Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham and Radical Democrats in the New Mexico Legislature passed the Energy Transition Act, our own New Green Deal, designed to eliminate more than 60,000 oil and gas jobs in our state by 2050.
This election, we must be diligent with our votes and advance strong candidates who will fight for our energy independence.
As someone who worked on the government affairs team of a prominent oil producer with many resources in New Mexico’s Permian Basin oil patch, I’ve seen the hard work our men and women in the oil fields put in to keep our economy growing and providing our children a brighter future.
This election could not be more important to keeping our values and rebuilding our economy, which is why we must elect pro-energy, pro-business, and pro-jobs candidates, who support President Trump’s economic policies that keep our country number one in energy production.
We already have one-party rule here in New Mexico — the Democrats control every single statewide elected office and both chambers of the legislature. We need people willing to stand up against them, not to help push the Democrats anti-oil & gas agenda. The devastating results of electing a climate change extremist to the U.S. Senate would irreparably harm the remnants of our state’s infrastructure by the Radical Democrats.
I urge you to vote on June 2ns and vote for pro-energy, pro-jobs candidates. If you’re unsure of your voter registered status, need to find your voting location, request an absentee ballot, or have any voting-related questions, please visit www.nmvote.org to make sure your voice is heard. Our state is relying on us. We must pick candidates who will stand up for our energy jobs that keep our communities running.
.@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
On Thursday, Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham (MLG) started off her coronavirus press briefing by showing off her new face mask, which featured had an image of Our Lady of Guadalupe.
The choice of clothing is surprising, as Our Lady of Guadalupe is a sacred image known as the “Patroness of the Americas” and the “Patroness of the Unborn,” who, since her apparition in 1531 to St. Juan Diego, brought cruel human sacrifice to an end all over the Americas.
In the 1400s and 1500s, babies were ripped out of their mothers’ wombs, their hearts ripped out while still beating, and their skulls thrown down temple pyramid steps. According to the early Mexican historian Ixtlilxochitl, it was estimated that one out of every five Mexican child was sacrificed to the Aztec “gods.”
Throughout centuries, Our Lady has been the Patroness of the Unborn for her apparition and creation of a culture of Life in the Americas, spreading that message of peace across the world.
But according to the National Right to Life Educational Foundation, over 61,628,584 babies have been killed by abortion. Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham is an outspoken advocate for killing babies through abortion and has been lauded by multiple abortion up-to-birth groups, such as Planned Parenthood, which have given her endorsements for her gubernatorial and congressional runs.
In 2019, Lujan Grisham unsuccessfully tried to ram through an extreme anti-life bill, HB-51, which would have legalized abortion up-to-birth for any reason and stripped away protections for women, including underage girls who would not need permission to get the procedure.
Given Lujan Grisham’s unabashedly pro-abortion stance to end the lives of unborn children through her policy proposals and advocacy, she has no business using a religious figure as sacred as the Patroness of the Unborn Our Lady of Guadalupe, much less place her likeness and image on her face in the form of a mask.
Pew Research reports that 34% of Christian adults in New Mexico are Catholic, and the Catholic Church’s 2014 numbers show over 1.4 million church members in New Mexico.
Lujan Grisham, who claims to be a Catholic herself, appears to be once again shooting herself in the foot with her desecration of Our Lady. This week, it was also reported that she broke her own lockdown orders by purchasing high-end jewelry from an Albuquerque jeweler, Lilly Barrack, a non-essential business.
Voters head to the polls on June 2nd, and her latest stunt may irk Catholic voters, pro-lifers, and people of faith into participating in the electoral process to elect pro-life leaders. Lujan Grisham has endorsed multiple Democrat candidates for the 2020 election, all of whom are pro-abortion extremists. Some candidates she has endorsed are challenging pro-life Democrats who voted against her 2019 abortion up-to-birth bill.
Lujan Grisham’s latest stunt seems to be a sick way to spit in the eye of pro-lifers and desecrate a sacred image, which has continually given people hope for the unborn for generations. Our Lady of Guadalupe does not belong on pro-abortion extremist MLG’s face, but unfortunately, her past disregard for rules and norms of respect makes her foul gimmick predictable.
John Block is the editor of the Piñon Post and a longtime New Mexico political activist. With the Piñon Post, John looks to bring true representation to conservatives in the Land of Enchantment and cut through the mainstream media red tape by providing independent, fair, and conservative journalism to New Mexico. Follow John on Twitter @JohnforNM or send him an email at John@PinonPost.com.
On Tuesday, it was reported that Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham broke her own “stay-at-home” order, where she had a staffer pick up “expensive” jewelry for her from Lilly Barrack on Paseo in Albuquerque.
According to the article, Lujan Grisham’s aide had picked up the jewelry for her in April, smack dab in the middle of the Governor’s COVID-19 lockdown. Her strict orders forbade “non-essential” businesses from staying open under any circumstances. In late April, Lujan Grisham had fined a small pawn shop in Grants $60,000 for remaining open.
Lujan Grisham also sent her State Police to deliver a cease and desist order on Mother’s Day to New Hope Revival Church’s pastor, Caleb Cooper. The Truth or Consequences church was deputized by Sierra County Sheriff Glenn Hamilton, but the Governor was unrelenting in her crackdown.
The Governor’s spokesman confirmed that the Governor’s forbidden purchase from the “non-essential” store did happen, saying, “Lujan Grisham did call an employee, saying they had a longstanding personal relationship. The employee came here [Lilly Barrack], got the jewelry and took it home, left it outside their home, and then someone came and picked it up.”
“The governor’s office first said it was a campaign staffer, then later told KRQE it was the governor’s friend, but wouldn’t release a name. They also said the transaction was entirely contact-less, remote, and permissible,” reported KRQE News.
While New Mexico businesses and churches are being forcibly closed and facing crippling fines, Gov. Lujan Grisham is indulging herself in expensive jewels from a business clearly outside of her stay-at-home order. But small businesses, such as local restaurants are permanently closing by the hundreds, and other businesses are being forced into foreclosure.
New Mexicans can no longer stand Michelle Lujan Grisham’s tyrannical rule, clearly driven by delusional political ambitions of being Joe Biden’s vice-presidential pick. The Governor’s audition for a longshot nomination is more important to her than the wellbeing of the working families of New Mexico, struggling to put food on the table as a result of her despotic orders.
The primary election is just one week away, and New Mexicans have an opportunity to buck the Governor’s tyranny and choose pro-freedom candidates to go and fight for us and our rights in the General Election. Be it through the mail, voting early, or on Election Day, we cannot afford to get it wrong this time — or Gov. Lujan Grisham’s abusive rule is just a taste of what is to come.
If Republicans can take one of the two chambers of the New Mexico Legislature in 2020, we can stave off further detriment to our state by the Tiny Tyrant and protect the freedoms we have left as a people. We will not be scared into submission by Lujan Grisham’s repressive rule — which is why we must VOTE, VOTE, VOTE.
Some have even contended that we can impeach Lujan Grisham if we secure the New Mexico House of Representatives, with an impeachment petition found at ImpeachMLG.com.
Listen, if you can afford to flock to Walmart or Costco to hoard toilet paper during COVID-19, you can show up to the polls or send in an absentee ballot for pro-freedom Republican candidates. Our future and our freedom are hanging in the balance and the only way to keep those freedoms is by utilizing the freedom men and women have died for: our right to vote. If you need to find more information or register to vote, find all the resources you may need here.
John Block is the editor of the Piñon Post and a longtime New Mexico political activist. With the Piñon Post, John looks to bring true representation to conservatives in the Land of Enchantment and cut through the mainstream media red tape by providing independent, fair, and conservative journalism to New Mexico. Follow John on Twitter @JohnforNM or send him an email at John@PinonPost.com.
One week ahead of New Mexico’s primary election, New Mexico voters will see two very important things about the candidates and the campaigns they are running. First, they will see what lengths candidates will go to earn a vote — be that throwing out low blows on their primary opponents, or see what the outside groups supporting them will do. Second, they will see what lows their supporters will go to hit the other guy as hard as one can, to see if the sleaze they’ve dropped will stick.
Many candidates, mainly Claire Chase, has blatantly fumed hatred for President Trump, calling him an “a**hole unworthy of the office,” and claiming to have voted for pro-abortion Libertarian Gary Johnson for President in 2016. Now, Chase claims she did indeed vote for Trump. But after Trump won the presidency, she joked about moving to Mexico, Costa Rica, Panama, and “Columbia” to escape Trump.
With just a week remaining, Chase, who has hired many of the same consultants tied to Jay McCleskey, the “slash and burn” political hitman, is sure to continue hitting her opponents below the belt with ad-hominem attacks and claims of non-existent “anti-Trump” sentiments, despite her deep-seated hatred for the President of the United States.
Opportunism is a funny thing — especially if it comes in the brand of Claire Chase, a multimillionaire ex-lobbyist whose constitution could not stomach the prospect of Trump as President, saying the 45th POTUS made her “throw up in [her] mouth.” Now, the NeverTrump candidate, whose experience equals a low-level ten-month staff position due to a vacancy in former Congressman Steve Pearce’s office and an eight-month stint at NM Oil and Gas Association, conveniently claims to love the President now, and also to be an avid “pro-life activist.” However, there is no evidence to back up either claim. Chase also claims to have been Pearce’s “most senior” legislative staffer, but that is untrue.
During the 2019 pro-life fight against abortion up-to-birth HB-51, there was silence from Chase on the bill. Also, she has failed to produce a single piece if proof claiming she has done any work whatsoever in or for the pro-life movement. Her opponent, former Rep. Yvette Herrell constantly sponsored pro-life bills, and boldly stood up for Life as a legislator, working alongside Republicans and Democrats to defend the most vulnerable in our society: the unborn.
While Chase worked at NM Oil and Gas for the short period, the organization gave money to anti-oil Democrats while taking a neutral stance on the radical “Energy Transition Act,” New Mexico’s version of the “Green New Deal.” While Chase had the opportunity to act against the measure aiming to completely wipe out New Mexico oil and gas by 2050, she didn’t stand up for the hard-working oil producers in the Southeast corner of our state — despite claiming to be a champion of the industry.
Chase also claimed to have “first-hand experience” as a pecan farmer, but there is no evidence showing she worked for the farm owned by the multimillion-dollar family she married into. Claire Chase was not listed on any ownership paperwork for Chase Farms, and neither was her husband, Chance Chase.
Judging by the groups who have come to support Chase, such as the super PAC, “Defending Main Street,” run by the anti-Trump “Main Street Partnership,” it’s not ambiguous what kind of member of Congress she would be. A PAC called “Citizens for a United New Mexico” is closely tied to Chase’s campaign. Chase’s campaign chair, Nancy Brantley’s husband, George Brantley, gave over $25,000 to the PAC — a clear conflict of interest. The PAC has bashed both opponents Yvette Herrell and Chris Mathys with hit jobs.
Despite working for both Rep. Steve Pearce (who serve in the New Mexico Legislature before serving in Congress), and the late Sen. Pete Domenici (R-NM), who served in the U.S. Senate for over thirty years, she dares attack opponent Yvette Herrell as a “career politician,” despite Herrell spending a mere eight years in the New Mexico House of Representatives, and signing onto the U.S. Term Limits pledge By working for multiple congressional outfits in D.C. and for serving as a lobbyist in Santa Fe, wouldn’t that qualify Chase as the very thing she’s trying to portray Herrell as? Chase still has her (202) area code phone number, despite living in New Mexico — where a resident would use a (505) or (575) number.
During Herrell’s time in the Legislature, she was ranked the most conservative member and served in leadership roles for the conservative American Legislative Exchange Council (ALEC), which has hundreds of conservative Republican members from across the country as members. However, Chase and her allies have bashed ALEC, despite their record of conservatism.
If that wasn’t enough, Chase hired Chris Grant of the consulting firm “Big Dog Strategies.” Grant was a legislative aide for disgraced ex-Congressman Chris Collins who was convicted of insider trading and resigned from Congress. Grant benefited from the insider trading tip from Rep. Collins, avoiding him a loss of $11,200. Now, Chase has hired the consultant despite his shady past.
But despite the facts not being on Chase’s side, she has been unrelenting in her bitter campaign against Herrell, sending out mailers bashing the former New Mexico legislator, and falsely claiming from an out-of-state surrogate that Herrell tried to bash Chase’s previous divorce — despite Herrell being divorced herself.
The negative campaigning on behalf of Chase and her anti-Trump surrogates proves that she is willing to go to any low length to win the campaign by slinging mud but won’t address the countless facts showing her lack of a conservative, pro-Trump record, and her deep connection to the Washington, D.C. Swamp.
Unlike my own experience in D.C., working for a non-profit pro-life legal group, as a staffer for Chevron’s government affairs department championing oil and gas policy alongside the Trump Administration, as a manager for one of President Trump’s largest independent ally organizations, and as a pro-life sidewalk counselor on weekends, Chase has skewed her experience and made claims she cannot prove with any relevant experience.
New Mexico’s Second Congressional District needs a champion, and most importantly a REPRESENTATIVE of the people, who will work in their best interest when they get to D.C. The sprawling District full of hard-working, working-class patriots needs a champion for their interests. They need someone who will work day and night to support the values they care about while in the Nation’s Capitol, fight hard against the far-left extremists tearing down the fabric of our nation, support President Trump, and show up for the people of CD-2 when it matters.
It is clear that the only person in this race who has a proven commitment to the people of the Second District is Yvette Herrell, a patriotic champion of, by, and for the people. Yvette isn’t afraid to get her hands dirty, and she doesn’t just give constituents lip service. Yvette’s proven, well-documented, and incomparable record of ethical leadership and strong advocacy for our most important issues, such as the Right to Life and our Second Amendment, is the only one in this race who can go head to head with Xochitl Torres Small and win — again.
I’ve worked alongside Yvette while working as a committee aide at the New Mexico Legislature, and she treats everyone, from the janitorial staff to the Speaker of the House with respect, she does her homework, and most importantly, she fights — and fights hard for our rights.
We don’t need a multimillionaire ex-lobbyist who has never done a hard day’s work in her life as our representative — we need a worker. Yvette is the worker we need representing us in Congress.
John Block is the editor of the Piñon Post and a longtime New Mexico political activist. With the Piñon Post, John looks to bring true representation to conservatives in the Land of Enchantment and cut through the mainstream media red tape by providing independent, fair, and conservative journalism to New Mexico. Follow John on Twitter @JohnforNM or send him an email at John@PinonPost.com.
It happened one afternoon just prior to the 2018 elections. I customarily listen to the Rock of Talk radio program hosted by Eddy Aragon on KIVA 93.7 FM/ AM 1600. On this particular afternoon I was introduced to a phenomenon I was totally unaware of. This phenomenon is known as the “New Mexico Way.”
Eddy received a call from someone who seemed cogent and in-control of his faculties. As the conversation continued, Eddy started asking probing questions of this gentleman’s choice for the upcoming elections. One particular answer has stuck with me all of this time. When asked why this gentleman was going to vote Democrat, he responded that he voted the way he did because it’s the “New Mexico Way.” During the rest of his conversation with Eddy, he added that he didn’t research candidates running for office. Rather, he simply voted for Democrats because his parents did, and his grandparents did, and on, and on.
My question is, when did this phenomenon take root in New Mexico? We have had to stand by and watch Democrat regimes promise much and deliver little for over eight decades. What magic spell has been cast upon New Mexicans in our land of enchantment? Is it the water? The altitude? Could it be that the Democrat secret sauce has more to do with deception and empty promises rather than a deep and abiding concern for the citizens of New Mexico? It would seem that we are asleep and putting our trust and faith in the politicians we elect.
No more! We are not few in number. We must unite to carefully and thoughtfully elect conservative candidates who will work with President Trump to make New Mexico great once and for all! We must effort to awaken those who claim to be “woke,” whatever that means. We can all hope and pray for a positive outcome, but as Eddy says, you must put feet to your faith. Go and spread the good news to all men. Do it with the fervency of an evangelist! Brothers and sisters, quit asking yourselves why you are here. You were born for such a time as this.
Bill Arroyo is first and foremost a disciple of the Lord Jesus Christ. He has a BA (Biblical attitude), an MA (His Master’s in anointing), and a Ph.D. (Prophet’s heavenly duty). He has garnered much of his knowledge through his dedication to church and community. He is a normal citizen who wants the best for his city, state, and nation. He longs for the day when New Mexico sheds its poverty mentality and steps into a position of prosperity and greatness in the United States.
Opinions offered by Piñon Post contributors in no way, shape, or form represent the viewpoints of the publication or its editorial staff. Submit an op-ed to the Piñon Post at news@pinonpost.com.
On Friday, U.S. Senate candidate Mark Ronchetti’s campaign manager, Jeff Glassburner, posted yet another vicious attack on a fellow Republican. This time, the campaign is targeting candidate Elisa Martinez after she followed fellow U.S. Senate candidate, Dr. Gavin Clarkson, in running ads pointing out Ronchetti’s NeverTrumper past.
In a tweet, Glassburner wrote, “She didn’t pay her taxes for 8 years (!!!) yet thinks people should trust her to set tax policy,” with a screenshot of what appears to be a public record showing Martinez did not pay $1,355.96 in overdue taxes to the State of New Mexico.
— Jeff Glassburner (@jeffglassburner) May 22, 2020
The Piñon Post reached out to Martinez for a comment, where she vehemently denied the false accusation. Ronchetti’s campaign also failed to say the small lien referenced was fully paid off. Martinez asserted that she did not update her address, which is why the State of New Mexico Taxation and Revenue Department could not get in contact with her to address the issue. Once Martinez connected with the State, she quickly paid the balance off in full.
Tax document showing Martinez had paid her taxes in full.
“This is another example of Mark Ronchetti’s lies, trying to distract and dissuade from his comments bashing President Trump and working hand-in-hand with far-left activists instead of Republicans. He should be running as a Democrat,” Martinez said. “He claims to be pro-life, and as a pro-life leader, I can assure you he has never been with us anywhere in this fight. And when we could have used his help as a media figure during our various pro-life battles, he was working with far-left Democrats to stop President Trump and push the radical climate change agenda. We cannot trust Mark Ronchetti.”
Ronchetti’s campaign has repeatedly claimed that because of his media contract with KRQE 13, he could not get involved in politics, but we know that is yet another lie because he was very involved — just not with conservative issues. He worked with climate activists to advance the climate change conspiracy theory and repeatedly bashed President Trump on the air.
In a previous statement, Glassburner said Martinez is a “desperate” candidate who has “nothing to run on,” despite her work leading a prominent pro-life group in New Mexico.
But this is just the latest false attack Ronchetti’s campaign has lobbed against fellow Republicans in this primary season, sending out Glassburner as an attack dog to peddle false talking points and conspiracy theories about Republicans of every stripe.
Before the Republican Party pre-primary convention, I did a deep investigation into Ronchetti’s background and his connection to NeverTrumpers behind the scenes of his campaign. Triggered by the revelations, Glassburner sent the Republican convention delegates a last-ditch email, in the attempt to discredit me and the facts I presented about Ronchetti’s liberal record.
Glassburner wrote to delegates, “[John] is a former intern for Senator Heinrich who then worked on Tim Keller’s mayoral campaign where he helped elect the ultra-liberal mayor who made Albuquerque a Sanctuary City.”
Glassburner failed to mention that I worked to help stop radical open-borders socialists from taking over Albuquerque by VOLUNTEERING on the Keller campaign for a little over three weeks to uncover unethical campaign practices. However, once the campaign did a simple Google search on my name and found out I was a pro-Trump Republican and my true purpose for being there, they kicked me out of the office and had me blacklisted as a “spy.”
However, my work in that short time did not go unnoticed, as an ethics probe into Keller’s campaign found that Keller did, indeed, violate the ethics code, taking thousands of dollars in both private and public financing for his far-left socialist race for mayor.
As for my two-month summer internship at the U.S. Senate, which Glassburner failed to note happened AFTER my short stint on the mayoral campaign, I applied, was accepted, and served in Martin Heinrich’s office AS A CONSERVATIVE PRO-TRUMP REPUBLICAN. I applied for an internship in then-Republican New Mexico Congressman Steve Pearce’s office as well. The only office that granted me an internship was Heinrich’s. I was given the selective opportunity to serve the people of New Mexico as a Senate intern and bring a conservative perspective to the far-left office.
On the first week of the internship, the Chief of Staff called me in and said he had looked up my background, finding my staunch support for the President. He was fully aware that I was, indeed, a pro-Trump conservative Republican, and allowed me to continue with the internship for the summer despite my political leanings.
My fellow interns repeatedly attacked my Republican ideals and repeatedly attempted to have me fired from the internship, but I did not back down — and it made my conservative values and support for our 45th president that much stronger.
Heinrich has allowed various Republican college students to intern for him in the past, such as Republican Dominic Pacheco in 2016. Pacheco helped the Republican Party of New Mexico with President Trump’s election efforts, as did I. While I was fighting liberal hacks in multiple viper pits, Mark Ronchetti was bashing President Trump on-air at leftist CBS Fake News affiliate KRQE News 13.
Ronchetti’s campaign also blasted fellow Republican U.S. Senate candidate, Dr. Gavin Clarkson with a vicious slew of personal attacks, including a mailer falsely asserting that Clarkson resigned from his position at the Trump Administration with an “ethical cloud” over his head, despite a string of facts proving that was a blatant lie.
Ronchetti bashed Clarkson’s bankruptcies during the 2007-2008 financial crisis, citing a progressive opinion column in the Santa Fe New Mexican as his source. It is unclear if Ronchetti also hit President Trump’s bankruptcies, just as he has with the President’s skin color, calling him “The Orange One,” and saying in 2019 that the President took a “part of his soul” that he’s “not getting back.”
When Clarkson brought attention to the despicable anti-Trump comments Ronchetti made at a leftist climate change conference, Glassburner hit Clarkson as “a failing candidate” desperate to “get attention.”
But that’s just scratching the surface. Ronchetti also bashed former Republican candidate for U.S. Senate, Rick Montoya for telling delegates about Ronchetti’s deep ties to NeverTrumpers, namely that of Jay McCleskey, Ronchetti’s general consultant, known for his “slash and burn” political tactics. Ronchetti blasted Montoya with ad-hominem attacks, calling him “ham-handed.”
But even worse, before the pre-primary convention, Ronchetti called Republican convention delegates and falsely told them that then-U.S. Senate candidate Louie Sanchez had dropped out of the race, which was a bald-faced lie.
It doesn’t have to be this way, but some people just insist on playing dirty. This is usually a reflection of character or leadership, maybe both.
Ronchetti also promised a room full of hundreds of GOP delegates that he’s run a “positive” campaign, telling the conservative audience, “I will not take a shot at a fellow Republican.” That promise to Republican voters was quickly violated.
In the very same breath, Ronchetti bashed fellow Republicans asking him questions as “little Facebook trolls who are in their parents’ basement with their Cheeto-stained fingers,” a smear heard by many leftists to bash President Trump supporters.
During his KRQE 13 days, Ronchetti repeatedly mocked and hated on President Trump and other Republicans, such as former Gov. Susana Martinez, who he shamed for wearing a hard-hat while visiting a construction plant. He also laughed at President Trump’s hairstyle.
Instead of campaigning to be New Mexico’s next U.S. Senator, it appears Ronchetti is more interested in playing the high school bully, name-calling, and pushing everyone in his way just to get what he wants.
The nasty, bottom-of-the-barrel ad-hominem attacks on fellow Republicans, many of them being fellow candidates, prove that Ronchetti’s campaign is willing to go to any embarrassingly low level to win. The Republican voters will have to decide on June 2nd if they want to vote for a campaign full of sleaze and hatred for President Donald Trump, or vote for the two true Republican candidates, Dr. Gavin Clarkson and Elisa Martinez.
